EU, France and Germany summon Russian ambassadors over cyber attacks

The European Union, France and Germany have taken coordinated diplomatic and economic action against Russia after attributing a widespread cyber‑espionage and sabotage campaign to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) and its Turla group. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced a new sanctions package targeting nine individuals and four entities – including GRU officers, cyber‑criminals and companies – that the EU says have been used to infiltrate government networks and sabotage critical infrastructure across about a dozen European states. French foreign minister Jean‑Noël Barrot said France will summon the Russian ambassador in Paris “in the coming days” and added, “we will also impose sanctions on nine individuals and four entities responsible for this cyber campaign, orchestrated by the FSB.” Germany’s foreign ministry likewise ordered the Russian ambassador in Berlin to be summoned. The United Kingdom announced parallel sanctions on 24 Russian persons and entities. The campaign is said to have targeted ministries, defence firms and operators of rail, energy and other critical services, with notable incidents such as sabotage of Polish railway infrastructure. The EU’s measures constitute its largest-ever cyber‑sanctions package, aiming to raise the cost of malicious cyber activity and signal a unified response to Russian hybrid aggression.