Russian Nationals Indicted for Hacking US Intelligence Officials and Meddling in UK Election

Two Russian individuals have been charged by the US Justice Department for carrying out a lengthy cyber-espionage operation targeting current and former US government officials, as well as interfering in a national election in the UK. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has reported that the Russian operatives were involved in sustained, unsuccessful attempts to interfere in UK political processes by hacking politicians, civil servants, and journalists over several years. In response, the UK has summoned the Russian ambassador and denounced the alleged interference activity.

The US indictment unsealed in federal court in San Francisco reveals that Ruslan Aleksandrovich Peretyatko, an officer with the FSB intelligence service, and IT worker Andrey Stanislavovich Korinets, attempted to hack numerous current and former US intelligence and Defense Department employees, as well as those at the State and Energy Department, from 2016 to 2022. This is part of ongoing efforts by the US and its allies to expose alleged Russian hacking and influence operations, aimed at reducing their impact. These efforts are particularly important as US officials prepare for sustained foreign interference in the upcoming 2024 US presidential election.

The extent of the hacking efforts by US officials and the specific officials targeted were not immediately evident. The indictment did not disclose their identities.

The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Peretyatko and Korinets, and the State Department offered a $10 million reward for any information that could help identify and locate the two men. According to US officials, the men reside in Russia, making it unlikely that they will face trial in a US court.

The Russian embassy in Washington, DC, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.