Russia announced that it will give an “appropriate response” after the United Kingdom and the European Union announced new sanctions over alleged Russian cyber and hybrid operations. The Russian Foreign Ministry gave this warning to state news agency RIA on July 13, 2026.
The UK and EU announced the new sanctions. The measures target 24 individuals and companies behind Russian cyber and hybrid attacks against Europe. The UK described these attacks as part of Russia’s efforts to spread disorder and division across the continent.
Three senior leaders inside Russia’s military spy unit, known as the GRU, now face sanctions. The UK named Vyacheslav Stafeyev, Ivan Senin, and Ivan Kasyanenko as the men who directed GRU cyber and hybrid threat operations. A special division within the GRU called Unit 29155 worked with cybercriminals and a company called IMPULS to hire hackers from Russian universities and training schools.
The UK also placed sanctions on 10 people behind a media company called Rybar LLC. The Russian government funds this group. Rybar creates and spreads false stories about Ukraine and has tried to interfere in elections in countries like Moldova and Armenia.
The UK confirmed that Russia used a malware tool called Lumma Stealer to spy on targets around the world. The UK’s National Crime Agency said this tool hit at least 2,100 victims in the UK alone in the last six months. Criminals use Lumma Stealer to steal passwords and sensitive data from devices it infects.
The EU joined the UK and named Russia’s FSB intelligence agency as responsible for attacks on governments and critical infrastructure like heating and power plants across at least nine countries since 2010. The EU specifically pointed to FSB Centre 16 as the group behind an attack on Poland’s energy grid. France said it plans to summon the Russian ambassador over these activities.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper spoke firmly about the new measures, saying Britain and its partners will keep calling out this behavior and standing behind Ukraine. she said “This will not deter us from supporting Ukraine,”
The UK has now placed sanctions on more than 3,400 individuals and entities connected to Russia’s war effort and hybrid threat campaigns since the conflict in Ukraine began. These new measures add to an already long list.
Russia runs these cyber campaigns partly through criminal groups rather than using its own military directly. The UK said this gives Russia a way to hide its role. By using hackers and private companies, the Kremlin tries to avoid direct blame while still causing damage across Europe.
Officials in Poland, Norway, Denmark, and Latvia have all warned in recent months that Russian attacks on their infrastructure are getting worse. The latest UK and EU sanctions respond directly to that growing threat.
Russia’s warning of an “appropriate response” did not include specific details. Moscow has made similar statements after past rounds of Western sanctions but has not always followed through with visible action.
