EU sanctions nine people, four entities over Russian cyber espionage campaign

Brussels,UPDATED: Jul 13, 2026 15:32 IST

The European Union has imposed sanctions on nine people and four entities over what it described as a years-long Russian cyber espionage campaign aimed at undermining the bloc. The action targets people and companies accused of links to an online spying network that the EU said has targeted governments and carried out sabotage operations against critical infrastructure, including heating and power plants, since 2010.

In a statement, the European Council said those targeted “contribute to Russia's efforts to destabilise the EU, its member states and international partners”. It said the espionage and attacks have taken place in at least nine countries, including France, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania and Finland, “among others”.

The statement did not list the names of the individuals and entities involved. The EU said its measures were focused on the 16th Centre of Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB. It said the FSB has been “controlling a variety of cyber threat groups” and “has conducted a wide range of malicious cyber activities with growing severity”.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France intends to summon the Russian ambassador in the coming days. He told BFM television that the aim of the cyber activities is “either to capture information, or sabotage the operation, for example, of railway infrastructures as it was the case in Poland”.

Some countries have accused Russia of using cyberattacks and propaganda to interfere with elections. In April, Sweden said a pro-Russian group with links to Russia's security and intelligence services was behind a cyberattack on a heating plant last year. The EU announcement came after officials in Poland, Norway, Denmark and Latvia warned that Russia is attacking critical infrastructure across Europe.

Overall, the EU's sanctions target people and entities it says are linked to Russian cyber operations that have spanned several countries, hit key infrastructure and formed part of broader efforts to destabilise Europe.

With PTI Inputs

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