Russian Nuclear Supercomputer 'Caught Mining Bitcoin'

Miners use special software to solve math problems and are issued a certain number of Bitcoins in exchange.

Employees at a Russian top-secret nuclear facility have reportedly been detained after trying to use one of Russia's most powerful supercomputers to mine Bitcoin.

The press service of the Federal Nuclear Center told Mash -- a news channel on the Telegram messenger app -- that security at the facility was alerted when an employee tried to connect the supercomputer to the Internet, allegedly in a bid to mine Bitcoin.

The press service told Mash on February 9 that several employees were handed over to the Federal Security Service.

"To our knowledge, a probe has been launched against the individuals," the press service later told the Interfax news agency.

No further details were disclosed.

Miners use special software to solve math problems and are issued a certain number of Bitcoins in exchange.

The Federal Nuclear Center in Russia's western city of Sarov is a restricted area that was used to produce first Soviet nuclear bombs during the early Cold War-era.

Based on reporting by Interfax, RIA Novosti, and Mash