Russia’s foreign ministry on Tuesday accused the US of launching a massive cyber attack on the country’s critical infrastructure and network systems.
In a statement published on its website, the department said the US allegedly targeted thousands of attacks per day on “government institutions, the media, critical infrastructure and life support systems.”
“An army of cyber mercenaries is at war against us and faces concrete combat operations, often bordering on outright terrorism,” the ministry claimed. “No one should have any doubts: the cyber aggression unleashed against Russia will have serious consequences for its instigators and perpetrators.”
The Hill has reached out to the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for comment.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its second month, has fueled tensions and fears of increased cyber warfare between the US and Russia.
The White House warned last week that Russia would launch cyberattacks against the US, but a major hacking campaign has yet to be detected or a critical system shut down.
Ahead of the February invasion, CISA warned American companies and organizations to prepare for potential cyberattacks.
In Russia’s statement on Tuesday, officials said the nation’s “specialized structures are effectively resisting these attacks and assigning strong defenses to them.”
She accused them of “anonymous hackers and provocateurs” spreading disinformation and hacking into Russia’s virtual networks with the support of the US and Western allies.
Russia has increasingly disseminated false information aimed at bolstering its narrative of invading Ukraine, which the country describes as a “special military operation.”