The European Union and NATO have issued strong statements condemning Russia for its alleged involvement in a malicious cyber campaign targeting democratic institutions, government entities, and critical infrastructure providers across the EU and beyond.
The statements, released on Friday, blame the Russian military intelligence service-linked group APT28 for the cyber attacks, which aimed to degrade critical infrastructure, weaken societal cohesion, and influence democratic processes, including the June elections to the European Parliament.
The EU and NATO have vowed to take action against Russia’s “irresponsible behavior” in cyberspace, with NATO stating it will “employ the necessary capabilities” to deter, defend against, and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats. Germany and the Czech Republic have also accused APT28 of compromising email accounts and targeting state institutions, respectively.
NATO (Credits: Brittanica)
The incident has heightened tensions in Eastern and Northern Europe, where there is a growing concern about Russian hybrid warfare tactics, including GPS signal jamming, sabotage, disinformation campaigns, and other hybrid operations. The EU and NATO have called on Russia to abide by its international obligations and cease its malicious activities.
The statements come in the middle of a backdrop of escalating tensions between Russia and the West, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent imposition of sanctions.
NATO (Credits: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung)
The incident highlights the ongoing threat of cyber attacks and hybrid warfare to democratic institutions and critical infrastructure, and the need for increased vigilance and cooperation to counter these threats.
