U.S., U.K. sanction Russia after exposing Russian cyberspies

The British government confirmed Thursday that a Russian hacker group has been targeting high-profile political figures with cyberattacks since at least 2015. Britain’s foreign office describes the attacks as failed attempts by Russia to interfere with Britain’s political system. The United States and the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the two Russians believed to be responsible. Russia’s ambassador has also been summoned over the issue. Minister for Europe Leo Docherty addressed the House of Commons on Thursday about the issue, confirming that politicians, journalists, and other civil servants were targeted. He described Russia’s actions as part of “a long-established track record of reckless, indiscriminate, and destabilizing cyber activity.”

What does Russia have to say about the attacks? The Russian Embassy in London claims there is no evidence to support Britain’s allegations. Kremlin officials have long received accusations of cyber-tampering in governments and elections around the world. Evidence remains unclear whether Kremlin hackers played a role in the 2016 Brexit vote.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Michael Cochrane’s report about Russian cyberhackers.