Russian cyberattacks: France will summon the Russian ambassador and sanction several officials

France will summon the Russian ambassador "in the coming days" following the discovery of a vast cyberattack campaign attributed to Russian intelligence services. The announcement was made Monday by Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who denounced sabotage and espionage operations targeting around ten European countries, including France.

Paris also plans to impose sanctions on nine individuals and four entities accused of participating in this campaign orchestrated by the FSB, the Russian Federal Security Service. Among those targeted are members of a group that claimed responsibility for destabilizing actions against the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

A campaign targeting ministries and infrastructure

According to Jean-Noël Barrot, the cyberattacks aimed to steal sensitive information and disrupt the operation of critical infrastructure. Ministries, businesses, and several strategic operators were among the targets. The minister specifically cited attacks targeting railway infrastructure in Poland as an example of the methods used.

The French Foreign Ministry attributes these operations to the "Turla" modus operandi, used by the FSB, and more specifically to its Unit 61240, which specializes in operations directed against France. French authorities point out that this unit is suspected of having targeted email accounts belonging to the Ministry of the Armed Forces as early as 2017, as well as the network of the French Embassy in Moscow in 2018.

Coordinated sanctions with European allies

France is acting in concert with its European partners. The United Kingdom has announced sanctions against 24 individuals and entities linked to Russian intelligence services, while the European Union has adopted measures targeting 13 people and organizations, including several officers of Russian military intelligence (GRU).

French authorities also indicate that in February 2025, a research institute working on sensitive technologies for the defense industry was the victim of a cyberattack attributed to the 16th Center of the FSB, which led to the exfiltration of a large volume of data.

Paris emphasizes the strengthening of its defense capabilities

Jean-Noël Barrot asserted that France had significantly strengthened its capabilities to protect itself against digital threats. He specifically praised the work of Viginum, tasked with combating foreign digital interference, as well as that of the National Cybersecurity Agency of France (ANSSI), which intervenes to detect cyberattacks and prevent disinformation campaigns likely to disrupt democratic processes.

According to the ministry, Russia is continuing to develop its cyber-offensive capabilities while relying on a network of non-state actors, including groups presenting themselves as "hacktivists", in order to conduct destabilization operations against Ukraine and the countries that support it.