France Names Russian Intelligence Unit Targeting It
France has officially accused Russia of espionage, with a report by CERT-FR, co-signed by ANSSI and other defense and intelligence agencies, detailing the targeting and compromise of French entities by a Russian FSB operation named Turla. This attribution is supported by formal declarations from both France and the European Union, directly identifying Moscow as responsible. The detailed report specifically implicates the FSB’s 16th Center, including a unit near Saint-Petersburg, in both electromagnetic intelligence gathering and cyberattacks, with evidence of antenna orientations suggesting targeted surveillance of Europe and the United States. The Turla operation, active globally since at least 2004, has targeted France since the 2010s, compromising various ministries, the French embassy in Moscow, and even the justice sector, with malware affecting multiple operating systems.
John Q. Hosedrinker