LONDON, July 19, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – British Foreign Secretary Dominic
Raab said on Sunday he was “absolutely confident” in allegations by
the UK and its allies that Russia targeted labs conducting coronavirus
research, branding the behaviour “outrageous and reprehensible”.
Britain, the United States and Canada on Thursday accused a hacking
group called APT29 of spearheading the online attacks on various
organisations involved in COVID-19 vaccine development.
They said the collective is “almost certainly” linked to Russian
intelligence, and intended to steal information and intellectual
property.
Moscow quickly rejected the accusations as “groundless”, and its
ambassador to London said in a British television interview Sunday the
claims made “no sense”.
However, Raab reiterated that the trio’s conclusions were based on
assessments by Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and its
counterparts in the US and Canada.
“We’re absolutely confident that the Russian intelligence agencies
were engaged in a cyber attack on research and development efforts in
organisations in this country and internationally with a view either
to sabotage or to profit,” he told Sky News.
“At the time that the world has come together to try and tackle
COVID-19… I think it’s outrageous and reprehensible that the Russian
government is engaged in this activity.”
However Andrei Kelin, who was appointed Moscow’s top envoy in
Britain last November, ridiculed the claims in a BBC interview.
“I don’t believe in this story at all, there is no sense in it,” he
told the Andrew Marr Show, adding he had learned about the hacking
collective’s existence from British media reports.
“In this world, to attribute any kind of computer hackers to any
country, it is impossible.”
– ‘Spy story’ –
Kelin also rejected a separate claim by London that “Russian
actors” sought to disrupt last year’s UK general election.
Raab said Thursday that perpetrators in Russia had circulated
leaked trade documents between Britain and the United States, in a bid
to sow greater division in the contest.
“I do not see any point in using this subject as a matter of
interference,” Kelin said.
“We do not interfere at all. We do not see any point in
interference… we will try to settle relations and to establish
better relations than now.”
Russia and Britain have been at loggerheads since Moscow was
accused of trying to kill double agent Sergei Skripal with a powerful
military-grade nerve agent in 2018.
The attack in Salisbury, southwest England, came 12 years after the
radiation poisoning of former spy Alexander Litvinenko in London.
Again, Russia has denied involvement and Kelin said the country is
ready to move on from the controversies.
“We still don’t understand why some spy story should disrupt this
important business relationship,” he added.
“We are prepared to turn the page and we are prepared to do
business with Britain.”