JUST IN: THE PHOTOS THEY DIDN’T WANT YOU TO SEE — Kremlin’s Elite Hackers team up with Iran Hackers Flood Dark Web with Images of Donald Trump and Jeffery Epstein and Minors in Retaliation to Ongoing U.S. – Israel Military Strike against Iran

JUST IN: THE PHOTOS THEY DIDN’T WANT YOU TO SEE — Kremlin’s Elite Hackers team up with Iran Hackers Flood Dark Web with Images of Donald Trump and Jeffery Epstein and Minors in Retaliation to Ongoing U.S. – Israel Military Strike against Iran

In the wake of escalating tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran — including joint military strikes on Iranian targets — social media has been flooded with dramatic claims about hackers striking back in cyberspace. Among the most sensational is a narrative circulating on fringe networks suggesting that **Russian and Iranian hacker groups have teamed up to flood the dark web with compromising images allegedly involving former U.S. President Donald Trump, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and minors**.

: Real Cyber-Threat Activity Is Ongoing,

While the lurid internet claims lack verification, cybersecurity experts acknowledge that cyber operations and hack-and-leak threats are real tools used in international rivalries:

* Iranian state-linked hacker groups such as Charming Kitten (also known as *APT35/Mint Sandstorm*) have been identified by U.S. authorities and private cybersecurity firms as actors involved in espionage and hacking campaigns targeting U.S. officials and organizations in the past.

* In 2024, Iran-linked hackers claimed to have stolen and later threatened to release email data associated with members of Trump’s political circle — a claim that was widely reported, though the contents were emails, not images or video. ([Reuters][3])
* During the recent conflict, cybersecurity observers noted increased activity by a range of online actors, including the hacking of news websites and mobile apps, likely as part of propaganda or psychological operations linked to the broader conflict. ([The Indian Express][4])

### **Misinformation Amplifies During Crises**

Disinformation and rumor campaigns often spike alongside real geopolitical crises. For example, a recent analysis documented how misinformation about the U.S.–Israeli action against Iran quickly spread across platforms with misleading images and videos unrelated to the actual events on the ground. ([WIRED][5])

Experts caution that dramatic claims involving illegal imagery, minors, or sensational cyber warfare should be treated skeptically unless backed by credible investigation and verified disclosures from legitimate institutions. At present, **no such credible evidence exists** that Kremlin or Iranian hackers have released the kind of material described in the viral claim.