Russia gives 'strong response' to cyber-aggression against it - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. March 29 (Interfax) - Moscow is observing an increased number of cyberattacks on its authorities, media outlets and critical infrastructure elements and will not let them go unpunished, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Practically every day, strong blows are dealt to government agencies, mass media and critical infrastructure elements by means of advanced information and communications technologies," the ministry said.

"The unprecedented scale and coordinated nature of these actions clearly indicate that, besides the Ukrainian special technical and information forces trained by the United States and other NATO members, the cyber-war on us is increasingly engaging anonymous hackers and provocateurs acting on orders from the Western curators of the Kyiv regime," it said.

"In fact, an army of cyber-mercenaries with specific combat objectives, which often verge on all-out terrorism, is fighting against us," the ministry said.

"Our relevant agencies are effectively deterring these attacks and are giving them a strong response," it said.

"No one should doubt that the cyber-aggression unleashed against Russia will have severe consequences for its instigators and perpetrators. Sources of the attacks will be identified, and the perpetrators will be inevitably held responsible for what they have done in accordance with the law," the ministry said.