UK sanctions Russian and Chinese firms, warns of cyber threats and hybrid warfare
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper says dangers range from disinformation campaigns to physical attacks and sabotage
Britain announced sanctions against Russian media and ideas outlets on Tuesday as the UKs top diplomat warned Western nations must raise their game to combat information warfare from “malign foreign states”.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK was imposing sanctions on the microblogging Telegram channel Rybar and its co-owner Mikhail Sergeevich Zvinchuk, as well as the Centre for Geopolitical Expertise and the Foundation for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad .
The centre is a think tank run by Russian ultranationalist ideologue Alexander Dugin, while the foundation – also known as Pravfond – has been described by Estonian intelligence as a front for the GRU spy agency.
Two China-based firms – i-Soon and the Integrity Technology Group – also were sanctioned “for their vast and indiscriminate cyber activities against the UK and its allies”, Cooper said.
In a speech at the foreign office in London, Cooper said Britain and its allies face escalating “hybrid threats … designed to weaken critical national infrastructure, undermine our interests and interfere in our democracies”.
“We should call this out for what it is: Russian information warfare. And we are defending ourselves,” Cooper said.
