Moscow threatens US with ‘severe consequences’ over ‘cyber aggression’

Russia says the United States has unleashed a massive cyber operation against it, threatening Washington with “severe consequences.”

More than a month into the military conflict in Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that Washington and “its satellites are undertaking a massive cyber-operation against our country.”

The attacks, according to the ministry, include stealing Russians’ personal data, putting pressure on the economy, and spreading “fake information” about the Russian military.

It also said the US and other NATO members had trained Ukrainian hackers.

“There should be no doubt that cyber aggression unleashed against Russia will lead to severe consequences for its instigators and perpetrators,” the ministry said.

It also said that “the sources of attacks will be identified and the attackers will inevitably be held accountable for their actions in accordance with the law.”

US warns about Russia’s possible hacking attack

Earlier this week, a top US cyber official accused Russia of considering carrying out a “disruptive cyber activity” against American “businesses, all critical infrastructure owners and operators.”

“All businesses, all critical infrastructure owners and operators need to assume that disruptive cyber activity is something that the Russians are thinking about, that are preparing for, that are exploring options,” Jen Easterly, director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), told CNN on Sunday.

Russia rejects Washington's cyberattack claims, says it doesn’t engage in banditry like US

Russia has dismissed the United States’ accusations that Moscow might be preparing to launch cyberattacks against American assets, saying that Moscow does not engage in "banditry."

He was echoing a prior warning by President Joe Biden that Russian President Vladimir Putin was likely to use cyber attacks as a form of retaliation against Washington for its actions to counter Russia's military campaign in Ukraine.

Biden issued an urgent warning to American business leaders last week, telling them to strengthen their companies' cyber defenses immediately.

“The magnitude of Russia's cyber capacity is fairly consequential and it's coming," Biden told business leaders.

Putin announced a military offensive against Ukraine on February 24.

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