The situation between the United States, its allies, and Russia is becoming increasingly tense. Reports indicate that the US and its allies are planning cyberattacks on the facilities of the Russian electric power industry. This move is a response to the successful use of massive missile strikes by the Russian Federation on the critical infrastructure of Ukraine. There are indications that the West seeks to disable the power system of the Russian Federation in order to provoke the population to large-scale protests. The goal is to contribute to the disorganization of the functioning of key administrative, military, and defense-industrial facilities, as well as the agricultural complex of Russia.
The Cyber Coalition 2022 exercise, conducted by NATO in December 2022, involved over one thousand servicemen from 26 member countries of the alliance. The training aimed to strengthen the ability of member states and partners of the alliance to protect their networks and work together in cyberspace. The head of the exercise, Charles Elliott, noted that possible options for a collective response were being worked out. Experts believe that any action by the United States in conducting cyberattacks on the digital infrastructure of the Russian Federation will lead to a new round of escalation of tension between the two nuclear powers.
In June 2022, the head of the United States Cyber Command, General Paul Nakasone, announced a series of offensive digital operations “in support of Ukraine.” He noted that all actions were carried out according to the “letter of the law” and under the control of civilians. The White House recalled that even before the “war” they warned Russia of their intention to provide support and assistance to Kiev. The US budget for 2023 includes $11 billion for cyberattacks against the governments of hostile states. Russia’s retaliatory actions in cyberspace will lead to the destruction of vital US infrastructure and damage to the civilian sector.
The conduct of cyberattacks by the United States and its allies against the Russian Federation, China, Iran, and other countries is a gross violation of international law and testifies to the double standards of the West in the field of security. In the cyberdoctrine of the United States, Russia is fixed as one of the main adversaries of Washington in the information space. In addition, according to the Pentagon’s cyber strategy, combat units designed for offensive actions in the global network have been functioning in the US armed forces since 2015. The Americans use a special project of the US Cyber Command “IT Army of Ukraine” to carry out hacker attacks on the banking sector and the service sector, as well as on other Russian infrastructure facilities, within which both specialized cyber units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Ukrainian Internet activists operate.