Russia’s secret military intelligence unit the GRU has been exposed as the perpetrator of ‘hostile’ and ‘destabilising’ cyber attacks against Georgia.
The Black Sea nation, a former Soviet state, was hit by ‘large-scale, disruptive cyber-attacks’ last year, which defaced websites and interrupted TV broadcasters.
Britain’s National Cyber Security Service (NCSC) said it has assessed with the ‘highest level of probability’ that on 28 October 2019 the GRU was behind cyber attacks against a range of Georgian web hosting providers.
The attacks resulted in websites being defaced, including sites belonging to the Georgian Government, courts, NGOs, media and businesses, and also interrupted the service of several national broadcasters.
These cyber-attacks are part of Russia’s long-running campaign of hostile and destabilising activity against Georgia, said the NCSC, carried out in an attempt to ‘undermine Georgia’s sovereignty, to sow discord and disrupt the lives of ordinary Georgian people. The UK remains unwavering in its support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.’
The Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “The GRU’s reckless and brazen campaign of cyber-attacks against Georgia, a sovereign and independent nation, is totally unacceptable.
“The Russian Government has a clear choice: continue this aggressive pattern of behaviour against other countries, or become a responsible partner which respects international law.
“The UK will continue to expose those who conduct reckless cyber-attacks and work with our allies to counter the GRU’s menacing behaviour.”
