This black hat and white hat kind of thinking and the idea that everything is because of money... is a pretty outdated view of the world.

The people in question, for example, are technically not criminals in Russia. Hacking is specifically allowed except against former states of the Soviet Union (which technically includes Ukraine but anyways).

Then there's a lot of legitimate pentesters that did responsible disclosures, did everything correct, and still got sued by a stupid company. Because the law never ever protects whistleblowers. After the 10th lawsuit even the best pentesters with the best moral code are indebted so many human-lifetimes-worth that they eventually just sell their exploits.

So you saying "it's bad criminals" that do this is in itself a pretty luxurious perspective to begin with.

Everyone is the hero of their own story. Especially considering that there is a lot of ongoing (cyber/hybrid) wars, where people lost their families and everything they hold dear, and have only this option left as a means to do something about it.

Nobody is born a criminal. It's our fucked up justice system and economy that creates them.