PANews reported on April 14th that, according to DL News, Irkutskenergosbyt, the state-owned power company in Russia's Irkutsk Oblast, has mapped approximately 8,000 suspected illegal cryptocurrency mining sites, including those disguised as chicken coops, greenhouses, paper mills, forestry facilities, and abandoned gas stations. Since 2019, the company has filed 2,170 lawsuits against illegal mining operations, seeking approximately $18.5 million in electricity costs. Courts have awarded about half of the amount, and over 100 involved parties have opted for out-of-court settlements. Currently, over 300 cases are still pending, and the local power grid operator stated that it is using AI tools to track illegal mining activities.