Unmasked: The 18 Russian spies who mounted series of attacks on UK

Dozens of Russian spies have been sanctioned by the federal government – together with these accountable for concentrating on Yulia Skripal 5 years earlier than her tried homicide in Salisbury.

The Overseas Workplace has introduced that three models of the Russian army intelligence company (GRU) have been hit with sanctions, alongside 18 army intelligence officers.

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GRU officers tried to homicide Yulia Skipal and her father Sergei utilizing the lethal Novichok nerve agent in Salisbury.

The 18 army intelligence officers have been focused due to a sustained marketing campaign of malicious cyber exercise over a few years, together with within the UK, the Overseas Workplace mentioned.

The federal government additionally accused the GRU of utilizing cyber and data operations to “sow chaos, division and dysfunction in Ukraine and internationally”.

One of many teams sanctioned, Unit 26165, performed on-line reconnaissance to assist goal missile strikes in opposition to Mariupol, together with the bombing of Mariupol Theatre the place tons of of civilians, together with kids, had been murdered.

Different army officers who’ve been sanctioned beforehand focused Yulia Skripal’s cell phone with malicious malware referred to as X-Agent.

The Skripals had moved to the UK after Sergei Skripal grew to become a double agent, secretly working for the UK. He was tried for prime treason and imprisoned in Russia – and later exchanged in a spy swap.

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However 5 years after Yulia’s telephone was focused, the pair had been poisoned with the nerve agent, Novichok, in Salisbury. Russia has all the time denied being concerned within the chemical assault.

Overseas Secretary David Lammy mentioned: “GRU spies are operating a marketing campaign to destabilise Europe, undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and threaten the security of British residents,” Overseas Secretary David Lammy mentioned.

“The Kremlin ought to be in little doubt: we see what they’re attempting to do within the shadows and we cannot tolerate it.”

He mentioned the UK was taking “decisive motion” with the sanctions in opposition to Russian spies.

“Putin’s hybrid threats and aggression won’t ever break our resolve. The UK and our allies’ help for Ukraine and Europe’s safety is ironclad.”

These sanctioned as we speak embody:

• Aleksandr Vladimirovich Osadchuk