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This article has been translated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The news agency is not responsible for the content of the translated article. The original was published by Belga.

European Union has new sanctions regime against Russian destabilization operations

by AI | 09.Oct 2024 | Europe in brief AI

Just now that a number of Belgian government websites are being targeted by Russian hackers, the member states of the European Union have approved a new sanctions regime to punish Russian destabilization operations.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell (Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP/dpa)

The new regime allows, among other things, to impose sanctions on individuals or organizations engaged in undermining electoral processes and democratic institutions and disinformation campaigns, but also economic sabotage, malicious cyber activities, and the instrumentalization of migrants.

As with other European sanction regimes, individuals or organizations on this list risk having their assets in the EU blocked. European citizens and companies are also prohibited from providing them with funds. An entry ban will also be issued against the physical persons.

The sanction regime was proposed by the High Representative of the European Foreign Policy Josep Borrell. In a communication, Borrell denounces on Tuesday the “increasing number” of destabilization actions from Russia. These range from cyberattacks to the sabotage of essential infrastructure to the disruption of satellite communication. According to him, they are part of “a broad, coordinated hybrid campaign led by Russia in an attempt to divide our society.”

This week, in the run-up to the local and provincial elections on Sunday, numerous websites of local authorities in Belgium have been targeted by pro-Russian hackers. They also targeted our country due to its support for Ukraine.