The British government has blamed the Russian military for a virus attack that crippled Ukrainian businesses and spread worldwide last year.
The June 2017 NotPetya cyberattack targeted mainly Ukrainian firms but spread globally, affecting shipping giant FedEx, Maersk and Russia's Rosneft. It is estimated to have caused a total of $900 million in damages.
“The UK Government judges that the Russian government, specifically the Russian military, was responsible for the destructive NotPetya cyberattack,” the Foreign Office said in a statement published Thursday.
"Primary targets were Ukrainian financial, energy and government sectors. Its indiscriminate design caused it to spread further, affecting other European and Russian business."
The government’s national cybersecurity center has confirmed the Russian military was “almost certainly” behind the NotPetya attack, the statement added.
London’s formal accusations come half a year after Ukrainian security services attributed NotPetya to the Kremlin, which has dismissed the claims as unfounded.
The CIA has determined with “high confidence” that Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) deployed the virus, the Washington Post reported last month.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
