Russia today said that an "army of cyber mercenaries" from the "collective West" assigned specific combat missions "often bordering on open terrorism" is waging a war against it against the backdrop of ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Accusing the United States and its satellites of undertaking a massive cyber operation, Moscow stated that its state institutions, media, critical infrastructure facilities, and life support systems are subjected to powerful blows using advanced information and communication technologies every day.
"At the suggestion of the Kiev regime, an 'international call' has been announced for anti-Russian computer specialists, who, in fact, form 'offensive cyber forces'. The bill for malicious attacks against us is hundreds of thousands per day," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
(Image courtesy: Twitter/@MFA_Russia)
It added that sophisticated cyber means are being used to steal the personal data of Russian citizens, fake information is being disseminated on the internet "with the aim of disorienting and demoralizing Russian society, discrediting the actions of the armed Forces of the Russian Federation and government agencies" besides stimulating illegal activity among the population, hindering the work of various sectors of the economy, and sowing fear and instability.
"The unprecedented scope of these actions and their coordinated nature unambiguously indicate that, in addition to the Ukrainian special forces of information and technical influence trained by the United States and other NATO members, anonymous hackers and provocateurs are increasingly involved in this cyber war against us, acting on the instructions of the Western curators of the Kiev regime," said the Russian MFA.
Moscow said that its "specialized structures" are effectively resisting these attacks, "giving them a powerful rebuff" as strengthening ICT security in the current conditions is becoming one of the main tasks in line with the reliable provision of the country's national security.
"No one should have any doubts: the cyber aggression unleashed against Russia will lead to grave consequences for its instigators and perpetrators. The sources of the attacks will be identified, the attackers will inevitably be held accountable for their deeds in accordance with the requirements of the law."
Russia's latest move on the issue comes after the United States had recently vowed to strengthen its national cyber defences, saying that Moscow could initiate cyberattacks against critical infrastructure in the US as a response to the "unprecedented economic costs" imposed on it by Washington and its allies and partners.
"This is a critical moment to accelerate our work to improve domestic cybersecurity and bolster our national resilience… It's part of Russia's playbook. Today, my administration is reiterating those warnings based on evolving intelligence that the Russian government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks," US President Joe Biden had said on March 21 in a statement on his nation's cybersecurity.
Away from the battlefield, even as the situation in Ukraine remains grim, Washington and Moscow have been involved in heated exchange on cyber warfare.
Last week, while charging four Russian nationals with attempting, supporting and conducting computer intrusions that targeted the global energy sector between 2012 and 2018, the US Department of Justice had said that Russian state-sponsored hackers "pose a serious and persistent threat to critical infrastructure both in the United States and around the world".
The Biden administration has already announced measures to enhance private sector network defence efforts and disrupt malicious activity.
"The FBI, along with our federal and international partners, is laser-focused on countering the significant cyber threat Russia poses to our critical infrastructure," said FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate.
"We will continue to identify and quickly direct response assets to victims of Russian cyber activity; to arm our partners with the information that they need to deploy their own tools against the adversary; and to attribute the misconduct and impose consequences both seen and unseen," he added.
Russia, meanwhile, said on Tuesday that efforts to promote profile initiatives will be intensified at international platforms, primarily at the United Nations.
"Work will continue to strengthen the legal protection of Russian individuals and legal entities from malicious cyber influence from outside," said the Russian Foreign ministry.
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