The OP_RETURN Vigilante: How Russian Military Bitcoin Addresses Were Doxed

On April 26, 2023, the blockchain analytics company Chainalysis published an eye-opening technical analysis of a fascinating event which occurred in February and March 2022 where an anonymous Bitcoin user used a unique feature of the cryptocurrency's transactions to label nearly 1,000 Bitcoin addresses as assets of the Russian government. This exposed potential Russian hacking activity and disrupted their financial resources. The event highlights the growing role of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology in modern conflicts, introducing a new dynamic to geopolitical conflicts.

The anonymous Bitcoin user used a feature in Bitcoin transactions called the OP_RETURN field. This field allows users to attach messages to transactions. It's like a memo field on a check, but for Bitcoin transactions. The user labeled various Bitcoin addresses as belonging to different Russian security agencies, including the Foreign Military Intelligence Agency (GRU), Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), and…