The European Union on Monday imposed sanctions on members of a hacker group linked to the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB), which is responsible for espionage and cyberattacks targeting the EU and Ukraine since at least 2010.
According to the EU, a unit of the FSB managed the activities of the state hacker group Turla, which has attacked governments, critical infrastructure, and strategic sectors across Europe. This was stated by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs. The FSB is also noted to have coordinated attacks by cybercriminals, private companies, and so-called “hacktivists,” which “caused disruptions and financial losses.”
France will also summon the Russian ambassador regarding the hacking campaigns, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced on BFMTV Monday morning.
Expansion of sanctions and specific attacks
The latest expansion of the sanctions list occurred under the EU’s cyber sanctions regime, first applied in 2020 against officers of the Russian GRU involved in cyberattacks, including the global spread of the malicious software NotPetya and the hacking of the German Bundestag.
Brussels also expanded the list of sanctioned individuals, including additional GRU officers for cyberattacks on Estonia. Furthermore, sanctions were imposed on individuals involved in Russia’s hybrid aggression, including acts of sabotage and disinformation campaigns.
According to the French government, the Turla group in 2017 compromised non-classified email systems of the French Ministry of Defense, infiltrated the French Embassy in Moscow the following year, and in 2025 stole industrial secrets from a high-tech company. French officials also accuse the group of using third-party infrastructure, including offensive cyber capabilities linked to Iran, to conceal the origins of their operations.
“These operations target military personnel, companies, and operators and aim either to intercept communications or sabotage operations… for example, railway infrastructure, as was the case in Poland,” said Barrot. According to the EU, the FSB unit was also behind a sabotage operation against Poland’s critical infrastructure, including combined heat and power plants.
New restrictions for technology companies
The new sanctions include a travel ban and asset freeze for individuals and legal entities on the sanctions list. They also extend to Russian technology companies that support intelligence services, including Advanced System Technology (AST) and NPP Gamma, which will now be banned from doing business in the EU.
The company AST has been under U.S. sanctions since 2021. The United Kingdom also announced on Monday the imposition of sanctions against 24 individuals and legal entities linked to Russian intelligence services.
Source: Politico
