Russia accuses US of training ‘Ukrainian IT Army’, recruiting hackers for cyberattacks

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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov, while speaking to the Russian news agency TASS, said that Moscow is aware of the operations being conducted by the United States against them in the information space by recruiting hackers and providing training to Ukraine's IT army.

"It is telling that the United States is putting its aggressive policies into action. They made no attempt to conceal the fact that their cyber command is conducting operations against our country. We are well aware that Washington is aggressively recruiting hackers, training the so-called IT Army of Ukraine, and using information and communication technologies of their partners and controlled private companies to carry out cyberattacks against Russia's information infrastructure," Syromolotov said while speaking to TASS.

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He added that Washington and its allies have been supporting risky digital tactics. The Russian deputy foreign minister said that the United States is "openly moving towards the militarisation of the information domain," although the majority of United Nations member states wish that the information technologies be used peacefully.

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"They are enforcing NATO developments on cyberwarfare standards, attempting to change international law to fit them. Unfortunately, this falls within Washington's aggressive bloc-thinking, which is moving the globe toward ultimate confrontation," stated Syromolotov.

'US burned the bridges to continue cybersecurity dialogue'

Minister Syromolotov further alleged the US of "burning the bridges" to continue any kind of dialogue with Moscow over global cybersecurity issues.

"We don’t see any prerequisites for resuming dialogue on global cybersecurity with Washington at this point. I would like to reiterate that it wasn’t our choice, it was the Americans who burned the bridges. We won’t run after anyone. We aren’t interested in dialogue for the sake of dialogue. When those overseas sober up from their Russophobic frenzy and get in the mood for a constructive conversation, then we will probably think about resuming contact," he stated.

Syromolotov further stated that dialogue on the cybersecurity issue between the Kremlin and the White House was suspended by the US, citing the military operation being carried out by Russia in Ukraine.

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"Instead of constructive discussions onthe global cybersecurity issue, the Americans launched a Russophobic campaign on the international stage. US Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray’s recent address to the World Economic Forum in Davos is another vivid example of that. He sought to indiscriminately paint our country as pretty much the biggest threat to peace and security in the cyber field," the minister stated.

"All these attempts by our opponents will definitely fail. However, this politicised farce seriously impedes the operation of crucial multilateral negotiation mechanisms on the use of information and communication technologies," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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