UK and EU impose new sanctions against Russia for carrying out cyberattacks across Europe

The United Kingdom and the European Union have jointly imposed sanctions against 24 Russian nationals and entities that are held responsible for destructive cyberattacks and hybrid operations to sow chaos and division across Europe.

According to the UK government, Russia and its criminal networks are responsible for orchestrating cyberattacks, interfering in elections, and spreading malicious anti-Ukraine narratives across Europe.

The UK disclosed that the sanctions target 24 individuals and entities, including GRU senior leadership figures such as Vyacheslav Stafeyev, Ivan Senin, and Ivan Kasyanenko, for their role in directing cyber operations.

The UK is also sanctioning Russian nationals responsible for deploying Lumma Stealer, malware designed to steal login credentials from unsuspecting victims. According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), at least 2,100 people have become victims of the malicious software in the past six months.

On top of that, the EU has sanctioned eight individuals and four organizations connected to Russia’s cyber ecosystem.

As part of the sanctions, the assets of the companies concerned within the EU are frozen, and the individuals involved are prohibited from traveling to EU countries. Doing business with these individuals and companies is prohibited effective immediately.

“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,” Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, says in a statement.

The Dutch National Police and the Public Prosecution Service made a significant contribution to the implementation of the sanctions imposed by the UK and the EU.

“Criminals operate across borders. A coordinated European approach, with systematic information-sharing between Member States and EU institutions, is essential. We are committed to finding innovative ways to combat cybercriminals, even when these companies and individuals are based in countries where they believe themselves to be relatively safe,” Hieke Buist, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Public Prosecution Service, says in response.