NATO today issued a strong condemnation of Russia’s malicious cyber activities, calling them a significant threat to the security of Western allies. The alliance urged Moscow to cease its destabilizing actions immediately.
Accusations Against Russian GRU
The North Atlantic Council, NATO’s principal political decision-making body, stated that Estonia, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States recently attributed malicious cyber activities targeting several NATO members and Ukraine to Russia’s military intelligence service (GRU).
The Council noted that in 2024, Germany and the Czech Republic individually linked similar activities to the Russian hacking group APT28, which is funded by the GRU. NATO expressed concern that “other government entities, critical infrastructure operators, and other entities across the alliance have also been targeted by the same actor.”
Cyber Threats as Tools of Destabilization
“The continuous attacks on our critical infrastructure, with harmful impacts across several sectors, illustrate how important cyber and broader hybrid threats have become as tools in Russia’s campaign aimed at destabilizing the allies, and in Russia’s brutal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine,” the North Atlantic Council declared.
The Council called on Russia “to cease its destabilizing cyber and hybrid activities, which demonstrate Russia’s disregard for the United Nations framework for responsible state behavior in cyberspace, which Russia claims to respect.”
Continued Support for Ukraine and Robust Defense
NATO reiterated that “Russian actions will not deter allies’ support for Ukraine. We will continue to use lessons learned from the war against Ukraine in countering Russian malicious cyber activities.”
The body affirmed NATO’s commitment to a free, open, peaceful, and secure cyberspace, urging all states, including Russia, to respect their international obligations and act in accordance with the UN framework for responsible state behavior in cyberspace.
“We remain united in our determination to counter, restrict, and challenge Russian malicious cyber activities and invest in our defense,” the North Atlantic Council concluded. “We are resolved to use all capabilities to deter, defend against, and counter the full spectrum of cyber threats. We will respond to them at a time and in a manner of our choosing, in accordance with international law and in coordination with our international partners, including the EU.”
