The UK has sanctioned 24 individuals and entities involved in cyber attacks linked to the Russian state and the Russian Intelligence Services (RIS).
Those involved in cyber attacks, interfering in elections and spreading anti-Ukraine narratives have been sanctioned.
This includes sanctioning GRU senior leadership figures Vyacheslav Stafeyev, Ivan Senin and Ivan Kasyanenko for their role in directing GRU cyber and hybrid threat operations. GRU Unit 29155 cyber division worked with cybercriminals, including the company IMPULS, to recruit hackers and cyber specialists from universities and academies across Russia.
The UK and EU member states have also attributed the failed attack on Poland’s energy grid to Russia’s FSB Centre 16. If successful, the attack could have caused 500,000 citizens to lose electricity.
Sanctions have also been imposed on individuals behind Lumma Stealer which enables cybercriminals to collect sensitive information from compromised devices at scale. It is believed Russia has used Lumma Stealer’s stolen credentials to conduct cyber espionage operations against targets globally to support the Kremlin’s objectives.
According to the National Crime Agency, there have been at least 2,100 Lumma Stealer victims in the UK within the last six months.
10 individuals at Rybar LLC have also been sanctioned, including directors, senior management, and content designers. The media company is resourced by the Russian state and is responsible for spreading false narratives about Ukraine and interfering in European elections, including in Moldova and Armenia.
Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper said: "These sanctions strike at the core of the cybercriminal networks propping up the Russian state’s aggression, and the UK and EU are sending a clear message that Russia cannot hide behind its use of these proxy groups.
"From directing criminals to targeting businesses, and striking Poland’s energy grid in the depths of winter, the Russian state is sinking to new lows in its attempts to undermine European security.
"Together with our partners, Britain will continue to call out this behaviour, bolster our resilience and respond to the hybrid threat posed by the Russian state. This will not deter us from supporting Ukraine."
