ISTANBUL

A Russian diplomat has claimed that the West is actively recruiting hackers to carry out operations against Moscow to allegedly cover its own actions against the country.

“We believe that it is no longer a secret to anyone what dictated the methodical attempts of the US and its allies to promote the topic of ‘Russian hackers’ and ‘Russian cyber aggression’. This is done with the sole purpose of hiding their own destructive actions in the information space,” Irina Tyazhlova, a Russian representative, claimed during a meeting of the UN open-ended working group on cybersecurity on Monday, according to the state news agency TASS.

Tyazhlova further claimed that NATO countries are openly moving to militarize cyberspace by building up their arsenal and by improving methods of carrying out cyberattacks, which she said has “numerous documented evidence” from confessions by high-ranking officials that have been made public.

"Russia’s information facilities keep facing massive cyberattacks, which have increased tenfold since the launch of the special operation,” Tyazhlova said, noting that “detailed instructions on the implementation and coordination of cyberattacks, and target lists that include specific government agencies, critical facilities, the media and financial structures" are published in open access on specialized forums and social networks.

Tyazhlova also said the West has unleashed a full-scale campaign against Russia since the start of Moscow’s war against Kyiv, with the intention to test the strength of the country’s economy, financial and energy sectors, as well as its main industries.

"Ukraine in this scenario is assigned the role of a testing ground. The West pumps in significant financial resources, trains personnel, provides technical assistance in building up the offensive information and communication potential of the Kyiv regime," she further claimed.