EU sanctions 3 GRU members for cyberattacks against Estonia

The European Union on Monday (January 27) imposed sanctions on three members of Russia's military intelligence (GRU), who conducted a cyberattack against Estonia in May 2020.
Estonia named the three GRU members – Yuri Denisov, Nikolay Korchagin and Vitali Shevchenko – last autumn after an investigation. It then declared them international fugitives.
The men are members of GRU's Unit 29155 which targets government entities, EU and NATO critical infrastructure, and aims to disrupt support to Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
This was the first time Estonia attributed cyberattacks against the state to specific perpetrators.
Today, EU-wide restrictive measures are imposed on the three men under its cyber sanctions regime.
Russia is trying to undermine Western unity with hybrid actions, and sow fear and chaos in society, Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) said on Monday at a foreign ministers meeting in Brussels.
"One of the tools of the aggressor is cyberattacks against contemporary countries – including Estonia – where a large part of services are digital," Tsahkna said. "We are not blind and we can see through this pattern."
Tsahkna added, that in cooperation with international partners, Estonia will continue working to uphold safety, security, and values: "Estonia also stands for all countries respecting international law in cyberspace."
In May 2019, the European Union established a sanctions framework which allows it to apply targeted restrictive measures to prevent and respond to cyberattacks if they pose an external threat to the EU or its member states.
The sanctions regime covers cyberattacks that have a significant impact and come from outside the EU; use infrastructure located outside the EU; are committed by individuals or entities operating outside the EU; or are conducted with support from individuals or entities operating outside the EU.
Restrictive measures include a ban on travelling to the EU, and an asset freeze for individuals or entities.
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Editor: Helen Wright