The European Union adopted a new sanctions package against Russia last Friday. From now on, cyber-to-suppliers are no longer allowed to supply components to the Russian military to wage cyber warfare. Furthermore, individuals and organizations involved in the Russian military and defense sector are on the sanctions list.
The Cabinet announced this on Friday after the Council of Ministers (1)
In February 2022, the first Russian tanks stormed into neighboring Ukraine. Western countries have been trying, for better or worse, to end the Russian invasion ever since. One of the means used by the EU and NATO allies to do so are sanctions. Since the war began, the West has handed out several sanctions packages.
With Russian aggression toward Ukraine not abating, Brussels has decided to impose a new package of punitive measures on Russia. Suppliers who supply components to carry out cyber attacks and other cyber operations on Ukrainian or Western companies and organizations have been placed on the sanctions list since late last week.
"The purpose of these sanctions is to discourage Russian cyber suppliers from facilitating malicious cyber behavior by Russia," the administration wrote in a press statement.
This measure was implemented not only to protect Ukraine. In this way, the government also wants to defend the Netherlands against Russian cyber attacks. To this end, the Cabinet refers to the most recent annual report of the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD). In it, the security service wrote that last year our country was continuously bombarded from Russia with digital attacks, among other things to capture confidential information.
"Russia sought through digital espionage to gain a picture of Ukrainian political and military decisions, Ukrainian troop movements and communications between army units, among other things. Russia also tried to identify Ukrainian army recruits through digital espionage. Moreover, Russia seems more willing to conduct digital spying on countries supporting Ukraine," the AIVD said in its annual report.
The intelligence service warned not to underestimate the dangers of Russian cyber attacks. After all, disruption or failure of (parts of) vital infrastructure can lead to social disruption and economic damage.
In addition to cyber-to-suppliers, the cabinet has also put organizations involved in the Russian military and defense sector on the sanctions list. These include drone manufacturers whose drones are used against civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The government has also imposed new import and export bans on certain goods, including computer chips and machinery to make computer parts and navigation instruments. Those trying to circumvent these sanctions will be punished with additional measures.
The government says the new sanctions are necessary to put "maximum pressure" on Russia. "This package responds to the Dutch commitment to address those responsible for abductions of Ukrainian children and arms producers. The package also responds to the need to address malicious Russian cyber operations against Ukraine by sanctioning cyber-suppliers to Russian intelligence services," the cabinet said.
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2023/06/23/europese-unie-elfde-sanctiepakket-nieuws-sancties
