Netherlands summons Russian ambassador over Russia's hacking of military supply routes
The Netherlands summoned the Russian ambassador Monday over suspected Russian cyberattacks. Those include the hacking of private security cameras along routes used to transport military goods to Ukraine.
Foreign Affairs Minister Tom Berendsen announced the diplomatic summons after consultations with his EU counterparts in Brussels. France, Germany, and Finland took similar action, summoning their Russian ambassadors over related espionage and sabotage concerns.
Dutch intelligence services disclosed Friday that Russian actors had compromised “a small number of cameras” on routes for military shipments to Ukraine. The breaches allowed the hackers remote viewing access, according to statements from the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) and the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD).
Berendsen delivered a clear warning to Moscow. “The message to the Russian ambassador is crystal clear. We see what you are doing. We do not accept it. Should you think this will diminish support for Ukraine: on the contrary, we continue to support Ukraine fully,” he said following the EU ministerial meeting.
He added that the Netherlands is seeing “cyber threats and hybrid threats from Russia on a larger scale.”
The Russian ambassador is scheduled to be summoned Tuesday, a ministry spokesperson said.
Earlier Monday, NATO allies issued a strong joint condemnation of Russia’s persistent malicious cyber activities. “We strongly condemn the persistent malicious cyber activities of Russia. The country uses its cyber ecosystem to attack allies and NATO partners,” the alliance said in the statement.
NATO said the activities are aimed at sabotaging infrastructure and government institutions.
Berendsen stressed that such actions will not weaken the Netherlands’ position. “We see what you are doing. We do not accept it,” he reiterated.
