Russia accuses West of cyberattacks ahead of presidential elections

(MENAFN) In a significant development, a senior diplomat at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Ambassador-at-Large Gennady Askaldovich, has asserted that multiple Western countries are actively engaging in extensive cyberattacks against Russian infrastructure in the lead-up to the upcoming presidential election. During a session of the Federation Council's committee for protecting state sovereignty, Askaldovich revealed that the collective West and hackers from various nations are orchestrating and preparing mass cyber assaults. Notably, he highlighted the resilience of Russia's electoral system, citing the repulsion of approximately 170,000 cyber attacks in a single day during last year's municipal elections.

Askaldovich emphasized the intense pressure exerted by external forces on the Russian state, illustrating the magnitude of the alleged cyber offensive. Furthermore, he disclosed the Foreign Ministry's comprehensive preparations for conducting absentee voting abroad, citing successful early voting in several countries with 435 participants. The diplomat underscored the normalcy of the process and the delivery of paper ballots to 280 polling stations outside Russia.

The report delves into the potential implications of these accusations, examining the broader context of cyber warfare between nations and the impact on Russia's electoral integrity. It explores historical incidents, such as the 2018 presidential election's distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack, and underscores the significance of Russia's electoral system's isolation from the global internet in ensuring immunity against cyber threats.

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