Russian and Iranian agents are behind “state-sponsored terrorism” against Europe, the European Union’s top diplomat said Wednesday, responding to revelations that Russia was recruiting people in Europe to spread disinformation and conduct sabotage and cyberattacks.
European public broadcasters revealed Tuesday that pro-Russia hacktivist groups were actively approaching people on social media site Telegram to conduct sabotage and vandalism and support disruptive operations across Europe.
Journalists saw and directly received requests to carry out various acts of sabotage, including plastering the EU quarter with anti-NATO stickers and collecting the email addresses of 30 Belgian journalists seen as sympathetic toward the Ukrainians. Participants were promised payments in cryptocurrencies in exchange for the support.
“This is the war that is going on in the shadows,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas told Belgian broadcaster VRT in response.
Recent incidents across Europe range from cyberattacks and espionage to targeted arson, undersea cable sabotage and GPS jamming.
These attacks “against us are on the rise,” Kallas said.
The EU and NATO have ramped up their defenses against such “hybrid threats” in the past months. Kallas singled out Russia and Iran as countries particularly active in Europe.
A potential cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia won’t stop these types of attacks in Europe, security officials warned.
NATO’s Deputy Assistant Secretary-General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber James Appathurai told VRT that he was “absolutely convinced” that cyberattacks would continue to take place even if Moscow and Kyiv can come to an agreement about putting down their arms.
Adversaries “cannot attack us militarily and do not intend to do so. But they are frustrated and want to execute their ambitions in other ways,” Appathurai said.
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