Ukraine War: US Warns Allies Of Russian Sabotage Threat To Global Shipping
The United States has warned its allies that Russia is targeting freight companies in an attempt to disrupt Ukraine’s partners, according to people familiar with the matter.
While Russia has previously focused cyberattacks and other hybrid measures on shipping companies and ports, its hostilities are evolving into heightened sabotage as Moscow’s appetite for more risk grows, the sources said. The sources requested anonymity because they are private ratings. They declined to provide details or scope of Russia’s potential targets.
A U.S. official said new information about potential threats is shared with allies as it emerges.
A spokesman for the National Security Council declined to comment, and the Russian Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
Officials previously told Bloomberg News that Russian intelligence agencies have targeted multiple European countries for sabotage attacks, often employing local criminals. Its cyber and disinformation operations have long focused on the United States and Europe.
Moscow-inspired incidents have escalated in recent months, including arson, sabotage, jamming GPS signals and a failed plot to assassinate the CEO of a German weapons company. Russia denies it is attacking the West with acts of sabotage.
Last year, pro-Russian pirates attacked ports in Europe and Japan. The Asian country’s largest seaport was hit by a ransomware attack (hackers use ransomware to block access to files or systems unless payment is made), causing service disruptions at container terminals and shipping delays. Several Dutch ports’ websites also fell victim to ransomware attacks. The pirates are allied with Russia.
German authorities last month issued a security notice to logistics and airlines warning them of the delivery of “unconventional incendiary devices” via shipping services. This follows several incidents in which parcels sent by individuals in Europe were set on fire. The German news agency reported that the notice did not mention Russia.
Bloomberg previously reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent threats to NATO countries over the possibility that Ukraine could use Western-made missiles to attack Russian military targets could include increased sabotage, cyberattacks, and other hybrid attacks.
