UK sanctions Russian spies over ‘malicious activity’
Desk report: A string of Russian spies and their units have been exposed by Britain’s security services over their years-long campaign of cyber hacking, arson and sabotage.
Spies who targeted the daughter of the former double agent Sergei Skripal, five years before both were nearly killed in the Salisbury novichok incident, are among 18 Russian military intelligence officers who have been sanctioned.
Others have been unmasked for a “sustained campaign of malicious cyber activity”, covert bombings and arson attacks in Britain and Europe, in an effort to destabilise the West and try to derail support for Ukraine.
The Foreign Office announced on Friday the sanctioning of three units of the GRU, the notorious Russian military intelligence agency, and 18 of its officers.
David Lammy, the foreign secretary, said: “GRU spies are running a campaign to destabilise Europe, undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and threaten the safety of British citizens.” He added that Russia had also targeted media outlets, telecommunications providers, energy infrastructure and political and democratic institutions.
This month three men were convicted over an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked business in London, which police said was carried out at the behest of the Wagner mercenary group.
Moscow has rejected such accusations, saying they were politically motivated and that it posed no threat to Britain.
Among the individuals sanctioned are Ivan Yermakov and Aleksey Lukashev, members of GRU Unit 26165, who targeted email accounts belonging to Yulia Skripal with malware in 2013, five years before the poisoning.
The Foreign Office said the three GRU units targeted by sanctions had “known cyber capabilities”.
They include Units 26165 and 74455, which “represent an advanced, comprehensive cyber capability which Russia deploys for the achievement of military and foreign policy objectives”, and Unit 29155, known as the 161st Specialist Training Center, which carries out operations targeting Ukraine, European partners and Nato allies.
