Finland summons Russian envoy over cyber espionage

Finland on Monday summoned the Russian Ambassador to Helsinki over Russian malicious cyber ecosystem targeting the EU, its member states and international partners. Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen in a post on her social media platform X disclosed it and condemned Russias malicious cyber activities and the misuse of the cyber ecosystem. “Finland condemns Russias malicious cyber activities and the misuse of the cyber ecosystem. In response, I have summoned the Ambassador of the Russian Federation,” Valtonen wrote. She also said that the EU on Monday adopted its cyber sanctions package and exposed malicious cyber actors in Russia, including the Russias Federal Security Service (FSB). Meanwhile, the EU and its member states in a statement on Monday denounced Russias malicious cyber activities and leveraging of a cyber ecosystem encompassing state and non-state actors, ranging from intelligence services to cybercriminals groups, hacktivists and private companies. “Today (Monday), we expose the 16th Centre of Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) as controlling a variety of cyber threat groups including TURLA. For years, the FSB has conducted a wide range of malicious cyber activities with growing severity affecting the EU, its member states, as well as international partners, notably Ukraine,” said the statement, adding that these activities have included infiltration of governmental networks and sabotage of critical infrastructure.