Europe Is Russian To Sanction Putin's Pals Over 'hybrid' Threats

The European Union has sanctioned Russia-linked entities it says jammed GPS signals, sabotaged undersea cables, and ran a web hosting business that aided "information manipulation interference and cyber-attacks."

The EU announced the sanctions Tuesday, laying the smackdown on Moscow-backed organizations that participated in what it called "hybrid threats" and "destabilizing activities" directed at the bloc.

Europe hopes to stop such activities by freezing the assets of outfits it thinks do Putin's bidding, banning them from traveling in the territory, and forbidding them from operating in Europe and from doing any business with member states.

One entity targeted is web-hosting biz Stark Industries, run by Moldovan brothers Iurie and Ivan Neculiti. The business was incorporated in the UK two weeks before the Russian army rolled into Ukraine. Infosec watchers claim the company's infrastructure was used to launch denial-of-service attacks against European and world targets, and helped the Fin7 online espionage gang and other criminal groups who work in Russia's interests.

Researchers also alleged Stark was a key player in spreading Marstech1 malware for North Korea, a close ally of Putin and a supporter of the Ukrainian invasion. Stark was named in January as hosting operations for Pyongyang's Lazarus Group as it pursued supply-chain attacks against Western businesses.

Also sanctioned is Russian outfit the General Radio Frequency Center and its boss Ruslan Nesterenko, whom the EU accuses of masterminding a GPS jamming campaign from Kaliningrad on the Baltic coast.

GPS signal failures in several European countries have been linked to electronic warfare activities from Kaliningrad, including jamming and spoofing of GPS signals, primarily affecting the Baltic States

"Recently, GPS signal failures in several European countries have been linked to electronic warfare activities from Kaliningrad, including jamming and spoofing of GPS signals, primarily affecting the Baltic States," states the EU's detailed explanation of the new sanctions package. "These activities have disrupted civil aviation. The repression of GPS signals requires the permission of the GRFC."

Two Russian fishing (no, not phishing) businesses - Norebo JSC and Murman Sea Food – are also subject to sanctions. The EU accuses both of participating in ”a Russia-state sponsored surveillance campaign that have conducted espionage missions and sabotage on critical infrastructure, including undersea cables.” Readers may recall the November 2024 drama in which unknown entities damaged two submarine data cables in the Baltic Sea.

Norebo JSC is one of Russia’s biggest fishing operations in the world and its ships stand accused of loitering around EU military bases in a manner "inconsistent with regular economic practices and fishing activities." One of the company’s ships has been banned from the Netherlands for espionage.

A trawler with Murman Sea Food's fleet has been accused of meddling with cabling in the North Sea. Icelandic news reports it knackered a cable between the island and Svalbard, and the EU said the ship seriously damaged an undersea cable off Norway after it was spotted sailing backwards and forwards over the site.

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The sanctions list also includes Alik Khuchbarov and Ilya Bocharov, two claimed members of the Russian military's intelligence arm, the GRU. They are accused of trying to influence Estonian politics by attacking anti-Russian politicians' property and defacing World War Two memorials.

"The aim of the operation was to create fear, panic and tension in Estonian society, and to intimidate persons critical of Russian actions and policies," the EU said.

Also sanctioned are two media outfits - Voice of Europe, and International African Media – that are accused of spewing pro-Putin propaganda. At the time of writing, both outlets' websites are not available. The list also identifies several bloggers.

Dealing with nefarious Russian operatives is a bit like trying to slay the legendary hydra - cut one off one head, and two more pop up in their place. But the shuttering of Stark and the two media platforms can be seen as a significant step forward. ®