Germany Summons Russian Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Over Cyber Attacks

The German Foreign Ministry summoned the acting chargé d'affaires of the Russian embassy, accusing Moscow's military intelligence agency of conducting cyber attacks against Germany's ruling party and sectors including defense, aerospace, and information technology. Wolfgang Büchner, deputy spokesperson for the German federal government, stated on Friday, May 3, that German intelligence agencies have identified the Russian military intelligence agency as responsible for the cyber attack in 2023 against the Social Democratic Party of Germany. The Social Democratic Party announced in June 2023 that cyber operatives targeted the email accounts of its executive managers earlier in the year. Büchner remarked that the German government, with the support of the European Union, NATO, and 'international partners,' condemns the Russian cyber espionage campaign 'in the strongest possible terms.' Annalena Baerbock, the German Foreign Minister, who is currently visiting Australia, confirmed that the 2023 attacks were orchestrated by Russian military intelligence and warned that Russia would face 'consequences' for its actions. Christian Wagner, spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry, told reporters in Berlin that Germany would take 'all necessary measures,' including diplomatic and sanction actions, in response to the Russian attacks. The German Cyber Security Agency, in collaboration with researchers from Alphabet, Google's parent company, recently identified a similar group named 'APT 29' controlled by Russia, which has attempted to infiltrate several German political parties and steal their data. Previously, NATO and the European Union issued separate statements expressing concern over Russia's destructive cyber campaign, condemning actions that have targeted not only Germany but also the UK, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden. NATO's statement noted that these attacks included cyber and electronic interference, disinformation campaigns, and other hybrid operations. The European Union also stated that this cyber campaign has targeted 'democratic institutions, government entities, and critical infrastructure providers' across the EU and beyond. NATO reported an increase in 'hybrid attacks' by Russia against member countries in Europe. The United States imposed sanctions on two companies and four individuals related to the cyber operations of the Islamic Republic. Germany and Poland reported the arrest of several individuals involved in Russian espionage and sabotage.