London's Anger Over Moscow's 'Cyber Espionage' Campaign; UK Summons Russian Ambassador

The British government, in response to what it called the 'cyber actions and ongoing, albeit unsuccessful' efforts of Russian spies to interfere in British politics, summoned the Russian ambassador and imposed sanctions on two individuals. The UK Foreign Office announced on Thursday, December 7, that a hacking group referred to by cybersecurity researchers as 'Cold River,' which operates on behalf of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), has targeted British politicians, journalists, and non-profit organizations for several years. Moscow, which typically dismisses cyber espionage allegations against it as a 'false accusation from the West,' has not immediately responded to the UK's statement. The Russian Foreign Ministry had previously rejected a Reuters report about 'Cold River,' calling it anti-Russian propaganda. This group, also known as 'Callisto' and 'Star Blizzard,' first came under scrutiny from intelligence experts after targeting the UK Foreign Office in 2016. The group was also involved in the leak of private emails belonging to Richard Dearlove, the former head of British intelligence, in 2022. Reuters reported last year that 'Cold River' targeted three nuclear research laboratories in the United States. Many of the victims of this hacking group have been critics of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Source: Reuters.