In the next few days, the European Union is expected to formally adopt sanctions against the 85th Main Centre of Special Services (MCS) of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces (GRU) - also known as Military Unit 26165 - its Director, Igor Kostyukov, and one of its officers, Dmitry Badin, according to documents obtained by EUROPE.
Therefore, the EU considers that “these people and this body are responsible for or have been involved in cyberattacks with a significant effect and constituting an external threat to the EU or its Member States, in particular the cyberattack against the German Federal Parliament (Deutscher Bundestag), which took place in April and May 2015”.
According to the EU, Mr Kostyukov and the 85th Centre may also be responsible for the attempted cyberattack on the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in April 2018.
These two Russians and this unit should be subject to an asset freeze and both men should also be subject to an EU travel ban. EU citizens and entities are also prohibited from making funds available to these sanctioned persons and entities.
A European source told EUROPE that these sanctions could be adopted on 22 October, but the written procedure has not yet been launched.
This is not the first time that the EU has adopted sanctions against the GRU with regard to cyberattacks. Since 30 July this year (see EUROPE 12539/2), the Main Centre for Special Technologies (MCTS) of the GRU’s General Intelligence Directorate, deemed responsible for the ‘NotPetya’ cyberattack, has been the subject of measures, as have three GRU officers who, according to the EU, participated in the attempted cyberattack against the OPCW.
Three Chinese citizens and two companies, based in China and North Korea respectively, are also subject to sanctions in connection with the cyberattacks. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)