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EU, UK hit Russia with joint sanctions over cyber attacks
🇸🇬 Singapore /Conflict & Security

EU, UK hit Russia with joint sanctions over cyber attacks

From CNA · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The EU and Britain imposed coordinated sanctions on Russia over cyber attacks, targeting nine individuals and four entities.
  • The sanctions target Russia's FSB intelligence agency and its alleged involvement in digital strikes, including an attack on Poland's critical infrastructure.
  • Western officials warn Russia has intensified its "hybrid" campaign to destabilize Europe, with recent attacks also targeting the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The European Union and Britain have jointly imposed sanctions on Russia, accusing its FSB intelligence agency of orchestrating cyber attacks across Europe. The coordinated action, announced Monday, targets nine individuals and four entities deemed responsible for digital strikes that officials say are part of a broader Russian campaign to destabilize Europe.

target the Russian state's persistent and increasingly reckless attempts to sow chaos and division across Europe.

— British governmentDescribing the purpose of the joint sanctions.

Britain's government stated the sanctions, the first joint cyber package with the EU, aim to counter "the Russian state's persistent and increasingly reckless attempts to sow chaos and division across Europe." Among those facing asset freezes and visa bans are officers from Russia's GRU military intelligence agency and alleged "cybercriminals" collaborating with the Russian state. The move comes as Western officials express growing concern over Russia's stepped-up "hybrid" warfare tactics, particularly four years into the war in Ukraine.

This reckless attack failed but could have caused 500,000 citizens to lose electricity in the depths of winter.

— British foreign officeCommenting on the attempted cyber attack on Poland's infrastructure.

The sanctions specifically address a recent attempted cyber attack targeting critical infrastructure in Poland, which officials warned could have led to widespread power outages. The EU and Britain also highlighted that a group claiming responsibility for destabilizing actions against the Paris 2024 Olympics was among the sanctioned targets. France's foreign minister noted that attacks have targeted government ministries, companies, and service operators, with the intent of either gathering information or sabotaging operations, citing the example of rail infrastructure in Poland.

It is another example of the Russian state's irresponsible attempts to sow chaos across Europe.

— British foreign officeFurther commenting on the cyber attack on Poland.

This campaign, stretching back years, has reportedly affected countries including France, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, and Finland. The FSB's Centre 16 has previously been accused by Western intelligence agencies of using malware for decades to spy on nations globally. Britain and the EU have been at the forefront of imposing sanctions on Moscow since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

either of capturing information or sabotaging operations, for example rail infrastructure, as was the case in Poland

— Jean-Noel BarrotExplaining the aims of the Russian cyber attacks.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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