The UK is spending millions of pounds in strengthening Ukraine’s cyber defences, protecting the country’s critical infrastructure and public services against malicious attacks, the government has revealed.
In response to a rising “tempo” of Russian cyber activity after President Vladimir Putin’s invasion in February, an initial £6.35 million ($7.2m) package was introduced..
But it has been kept quiet until now for security reasons, the government said.
It came after the National Cyber Security Centre, part of the intelligence organisation GCHQ, published its annual review, finding that the cyber security threat to the UK has “evolved significantly” over the past year, with 18 ransomware incidents requiring a nationally co-ordinated response.
These included attacks on a National Health Service supplier and a water utility company, it said.
So far, the Ukraine scheme has provided incident response support, helped to harden critical infrastructure against future attacks, and delivered frontline cyber-security systems including firewalls and forensic capabilities, to offer an extra layer of protection and understanding.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly warned that Russia’s assault on Ukraine is “not limited to its horrific land invasion”, as Moscow has “persistently attempted to invade Ukraine’s cyber space, threatening critical information, services and infrastructure”.
The government said Russian actors had a “long history of hostile and destabilising activity” against Ukraine, with past targets claimed to include the country’s electricity grid, finance and energy sectors, and Kyiv’s metro and Odesa’s airport.
Ukraine war latest - in pictures
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Smoke rises on the outskirts of the city during a Russian missile attack in Kyiv. Reuters -
Workers surround the Monument to the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred with sandbags against damage from shelling in Mykolaiv. EPA -
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev for talks before a meeting between the Russian president and the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi, Russia. AFP -
People take water from a water pump in Kyiv. EPA -
A woman walks past a damaged building in the town of Nova Kakhovka. Reuters -
A woman outside her home, which was destroyed during battles at the start of the conflict, in Yahidne, Chernihiv. Getty Images -
People shelter inside a subway station during a Russian missile attack in Kyiv. Reuters -
Firefighters at the site of a drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. AP -
A woman walks past the site of a Russian missile strike in the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv. Reuters -
Rescuer workers at a building destroyed in an attack in Mykolaiv. Reuters -
Parts of a drone lie on a street in Kyiv. Reuters -
A drone flies over the Ukrainian capital during an attack. AFP -
Ukrainian servicemen tow a captured Russian armoured vehicle in Rudneve village, Kharkiv. EPA -
A partially destroyed residential building in Saltivka, in Kharkiv. AP -
Ukrainian servicemen fire a captured Russian howitzer on a front line near Kupyansk city, Kharkiv. EPA -
Ukrainian servicemen near the recently retaken town of Lyman in Donetsk region. AFP -
An officer from a Ukrainian national police emergency demining team prepares to detonate collected anti-tank mines and explosives near Lyman, in the Donetsk region. AFP -
A boy playing on a destroyed Russian tank on display in Kyiv. AFP -
A young couple hiding underground during an air alert in Zaporizhzhia. AFP -
Ukrainian firefighters looking for survivors after a strike in Zaporizhzhia. AFP -
Workers fix a banner reading 'Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson - Russia!' to the State Historical Museum near Red Square in Moscow. AFP -
Residents try to cross a destroyed bridge in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. AFP -
Alyona Kishinskaya helps to clean up a shop as it prepares to reopen in Balakiya, Ukraine, after a six-month Russian occupation. Getty Images -
Alla, 12, has a swinging time in Balakiya, Ukraine, as life goes on despite the war. Getty Images -
Ukrainian flags in the town square in Balakiya. Getty Images -
A destroyed Russian command centre in Izium, Ukraine. Getty Images -
In what may be a final farewell, young Russian recruits - escorted by their wives - walk to a train station in Volgograd before being sent to war in Ukraine. AP -
Russian recruits board the train to Ukraine in Volgograd. AP -
Ukrainian soliders drive a tank at the recently retaken eastern side of the Oskil River in Kharkiv region, Ukraine. AFP -
Volunteers pass boxes of food aid on a destroyed bridge over the Oskil River. AFP -
Ukrainian soliders rest on an armoured personnel carrier. AFP -
A sign warns of landmines in Izyum, eastern Ukraine. AFP -
This crater was left after a missile strike in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. AFP
The NCSC has previously said it has “high confidence” that Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency was “almost certainly” behind some of these attacks, including the disruption to the transport system.
Moscow has denied involvement in cyber strikes on Ukraine in the past.
“The UK’s support to Ukraine is not limited to military aid," Mr Cleverly said. "We are drawing on Britain’s world-leading expertise to support Ukraine’s cyber defences.
“Together, we will ensure that the Kremlin is defeated in every sphere: on land, in the air and in cyber space.”
NCSC chief executive Lindy Cameron said: “The NCSC is proud to have played a part in supporting Ukraine’s cyber defenders.
“They have mounted an impressive defence against Russian aggression in cyber space, just as they have done on the physical battlefield.
“The threat remains real and the UK’s support package is undoubtedly bolstering Ukraine’s defences further.”
Ukraine capital Kyiv hit by kamikaze drones - in pictures
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Firefighters in action after a drone fired on buildings in Kyiv, Ukraine. AP -
A drone approaches for an attack in the Ukraine capital. AFP -
A police officer fires at a drone flying overhead. AFP -
Smoke rises from a building after a drone attack. AFP -
A Ukrainian serviceman takes cover as an air-raid siren sounds. Reuters -
Debris near the site of a drone attack. AFP -
Police stand guard as smoke rises from buildings. Reuters -
A drone in the sky seconds before it fired on buildings. AP -
Plumes of smoke rise after a Russian drone strike. Reuters
On Tuesday, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said battlefield momentum remained with Ukraine, with Crimea expected to come within range of Ukrainian artillery by the end of November.
“The direction of travel is that I think it is likely that by the end of this month, the northern part of Kherson will be depleted of Russians or the Russians will have left that part, which brings into range parts of Crimea from long-range artillery that the Ukraine held or the Himars-type [multiple rocket launcher] systems,” Mr Wallace told a House of Lords committee.
Kherson, in southern Ukraine, is under Russian occupation and Russian-installed local authorities have sought to move civilians from the area in anticipation of a Ukrainian offensive.
Mr Wallace said Russian forces continued to suffer from a lack of equipment and poor morale, and said he expected fighting to continue through the winter.
Boris Johnson suspects Putin will not resort to nuclear strike in war with Ukraine
Former UK prime minister Boris Johnson has said he does not believe Mr Putin will use a tactical nuclear weapon in the conflict with Ukraine, as it would be “crazy” to wreak “total disaster” on his own country.
He said he suspected it would start an “absolutely hysterical reaction” in Russia.
“I don’t think he will. I think he’d be crazy to do so," Mr Johnson told Sky News.
“I think what would happen is that he would immediately tender Russia’s resignation from the club of civilised nations. It would be a total disaster for his country.
“So the current economic punishment that the West has been able to dish out would be massively intensified. Russia would be put into a kind of cryogenic economic freeze.”
Boris Johnson delivers farewell speech at 10 Downing Street - in pictures
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Boris Johnson makes a speech outside 10 Downing Street, London, on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, before leaving for Balmoral in Scotland for an audience with Queen Elizabeth II to formally resign as Britain's prime minister. PA -
Mr Johnson paid tribute to his successor Liz Truss, saying with her at the helm of 'this compassionate Conservative government', everything would be done to get people through the cost of living crisis this winter. He added that 'this country will endure it and we will win'. Getty -
Mr Johnson highlighted his government’s record on delivering Brexit, supporting Ukraine and the Covid-19 vaccine campaign, watched by a group of loyal Conservative MPs, members of staff and his wife Carrie. PA -
While Mr Johnson urged Conservative Party members to reunite behind the new leader Ms Truss, he could not resist making a dig at those who ousted him, saying 'they changed the rules half way through, never mind that now'. Reuters -
Mr Johnson and his wife Carrie after the speech. AFP -
Mr Johnson and his wife Carrie depart No 10 Downing Street. Photo: No 10 Downing Street -
Conservative MPs gather to listen to Mr Johnson's speech. AFP -
Mr Johnson joked about his post-prime ministerial future, alluding to plans for a getaway, but pledged to offer Ms Truss's government 'my most fervent support'. Photo: No 10 Downing Street -
Britain's former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, centre, and Mr Johnson's sister Rachel, centre right, stand with Conservative MPs and staff as they gather to listen to the speech. AFP -
Preparations for Mr Johnson's speech take place. PA -
Journalists gather before Mr Johnson's speech. The queen will appoint Ms Truss, 47, as the 15th prime minister of her 70-year reign on Tuesday, after Mr Johnson formally tenders his resignation. EPA -
Ms Dorries, left, and Mr Johnson's sister Rachel, right, arrive at Downing Street before the prime minister's departure. Getty
Mr Johnson said Mr Putin would also lose a lot of the “kind of middle ground of global tacit acquiescence that he’s had”.
“There’s a lot of willingness to give Putin the benefit of the doubt. That will go the minute he does anything like that,” he said.
“He would also, crucially, I think, lose the patronage of the Chinese. And above all in his own country, I think he would trigger an absolutely hysterical reaction.”
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson said he did not think it was “credible” for Mr Putin to retain the territory his troops still hold in regions such as Kherson, in southern Ukraine.
“I don’t think that’s credible for him any more,” he said.
