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Russia-Linked Hackers Pose as Journalists in Cyberattack on UK Ministry of Defense

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Amira Barkhush
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Russia-Linked Hackers Pose as Journalists in Cyberattack on UK Ministry of Defense
Britain’s Defence Secretary John Healey attends a press conference following a deal on the Chagos Islands at Northwood Military Headquarters on May 22, 2025, in London, England. (Source: Getty Images)

Russia-linked hackers, masquerading as journalists, attempted to target staff at the UK Ministry of Defense in a cyber espionage campaign that has since been detected and blocked.

This was reported by Sky News on May 29, citing the British government.

The revelation came as Defense Secretary John Healey announced that the UK military is strengthening its offensive cyber capabilities and establishing a Cyber and Electromagnetic Command.

“The nature of warfare is changing,” Healey told journalists. “The keyboard is now a weapon of war, and we are responding to that.”

The UK government also announced plans to invest over £1 billion to enhance its ability to detect, track, and strike battlefield targets using advanced digital technologies.

“In future conflict, those that prevail will be those who are not just better equipped and better trained, but better connected and also capable of innovating ahead of adversaries,” Healey said.

On May 27, it was reported that a pro-Russian hacker group has been conducting cyber espionage operations aimed at gathering information on Western military production and procurement, including systems designated for Ukraine.

Over the past year, numerous acts of sabotage linked to Russia have been confirmed by EU authorities. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský reported on December 4, 2024, that Russia is believed to be connected to nearly 100 incidents across Europe in 2024, categorized as hybrid attacks, espionage, or influence operations.

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