EU and UK Impose Joint Sanctions on Russia Over Cyberattacks Targeting Europe On July 13, the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) announced coordinated sanctions against 15 individuals and one entity linked to cyberattacks and human rights violations against Ukraine. The measures, which include asset freezes and visa bans, specifically target Russia’s FSB intelligence agency, GRU military intelligence officers, and alleged state-backed cybercriminals. Among those sanctioned was Dmitry Neelov, a Russian official at the Olenivka prison in Donetsk, accused of torturing Ukrainian prisoners of war. The EU and UK accused Russia of orchestrating a years-long campaign of cyberattacks against multiple European nations, including France, Germany, Poland, and others, with the aim of stealing intelligence or disrupting critical infrastructure. A recent failed cyberattack on Poland’s power grid attributed to the FSB’s Centre 16 could have left 500,000 citizens without electricity during winter, according to the UK Foreign Office. The sanctions also address destabilization efforts tied to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Western officials warn that Russia has intensified its "hybrid" warfare tactics, combining cyber operations with other forms of sabotage to undermine European stability. The EU and UK summoned Russian diplomats in protest, with Brussels sanctioning nine individuals and four entities, while London added 24 names to its blacklist. The FSB’s Centre 16 has long been accused by Western intelligence of deploying malware for global espionage, marking the latest escalation in Russia’s digital aggression since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.