Foreign Ministry: Romania firmly condemns Russia-coordinated hostile cyber activities targeting EU and NATO states

Romania "firmly" condemns, together with the other EU member states and allied countries, the hostile cyber activities carried out by groups controlled by Center 16 of the Russian Federation's Federal Security Service (FSB), including APT TURLA, targeting EU Member States, NATO Allies and their partners. Like other EU member states and NATO Allies, Romania has also been targeted by hostile cyber activities carried out by APT TURLA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said."These activities are part of a well-established pattern observed across the European and Euro-Atlantic area, characterised by the Russian Federation's use of a complex cyber ecosystem comprising both State institutions, including intelligence services, and non-State actors (criminal groups, hacktivists and private companies). The objectives of these destabilising activities range from the exfiltration of sensitive data to the disruption of critical infrastructure and public services," the Foreign Affairs Ministry explains in a release.The hostile cyber activities conducted by institutions of the Russian Federation, as well as the Russian State's collusion with criminal groups, "further demonstrate the Russian Federation's continued disregard for the international framework for responsible State behaviour in cyberspace, as endorsed by the United Nations," the document further notes.According to the Ministry, "the hostile cyber activities carried out by actors operating within this ecosystem constitute an important component of the hybrid campaign that the Russian Federation has been conducting with increasing intensity against EU Member States, NATO Allies and their partners. The objectives of this campaign include undermining the stability of targeted countries, creating divisions both at the national level and within NATO and the European Union, testing the unity and cohesion of the two organisations, and discouraging continued support for Ukraine.""We welcome the additional restrictive measures imposed by the European Union and the United Kingdom against entities and individuals facilitating the Russian Federation's hostile cyber activities. We call on the Russian Federation to cease these destabilising actions and to comply with its international obligations," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs underscores.Romania stands in solidarity with the other EU Member States and NATO Allies affected by these hostile cyber activities and will continue to contribute to Allied, European and international efforts to prevent, deter and counter such destabilising actions, it also says.On Monday, the High Representative of the European Union issued, on behalf of the European Union, a Declaration condemning the Russian Federation's hostile cyber ecosystem targeting the EU, its Member States and international partners.On the same day, the North Atlantic Council published a Statement condemning the hostile cyber activities of the Russian Federation.APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) TURLA, attributed to the Russian Federation's Federal Security Service (FSB), has been active since at least 2004 and has conducted some of the world's most sophisticated cyber operations. It specialises in the long-term compromise of targets of strategic interest across the government, diplomatic, military, education, research and pharmaceutical sectors, the Foreign Affairs Ministry notes.