Intelligence warns Russia seeking cyber attack targets

(LONDON) – A UK intelligence chief has warned that Russia is pursuing cyber targets and bringing in mercenaries to support a stalled military campaign in Ukraine.

Jeremy Fleming, head of the UK’s spy agency GCHQ, said Russian President Vladimir Putin had “highly misjudged” his chances of a quick military victory in Ukraine.

In a speech in Australia, Fleming praised Ukraine’s “intelligence operation” for effectively resisting Russia’s large-scale disinformation campaign about the war.

While Russia was expected to launch a major cyber-attack as part of its military campaign, Fleming said the move was never part of the Moscow book.

But Fleming warned that “cyber-actors in Russia are looking for targets in countries that oppose their actions.”