Moscow accuses British hackers of cyber attacks on referendum

RUSSIA’S ambassador to the UK has accused British hackers of trying to influence the country’s recent constitutional referendum.

Andrei Kelin told the BBC’s Andrew

Marr Show that security officials in Russia had discovered “several cyber attacks” which had originated from Britain.

In his interview, Mr Kelin was careful not to accuse the British Government of being involved in the cyber attacks, nor did he specify the nature of the alleged attacks.

Two weeks ago Russians voted in favour of a series of constitutional changes, including backing a clause banning same-sex marriage and an amendment which would make it possible for Vladimir Putin to remain in power until 2036.

Mr Kelin’s remarks came against a backdrop of Downing Street accusing Russia of trying to steal Britain’s coronavirus secrets in what officials described as a “despicable operation.”

The National Cyber Security Centre said last week it had the “highest level of confidence” that the Kremlin was behind the attack. Intelligence sources said that details were known at the “highest levels” in Moscow – effectively implicating Mr Putin in the plot.

Tension has been growing between

London and Moscow for some time. The 2018 Salisbury spy poisoning, in which two Russian military intelligence officers were accused of trying to murder a defector, was followed by 23 of its diplomats being expelled from the UK.

Last week Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, said Russia had tried to influence the 2019 general election.

Moscow was held responsible for the leaking of detailed minutes of UK-US trade talks, which were used by the Labour Party during the election campaign. The allegations were denied by Mr Kelin. “I do not see any point in using this subject as a matter of interference,” Mr Kelin said.

“We do not interfere at all. We do not see any point because for us, whether it will be the Conservative Party or Labour’s party at the head of this country, we will try to settle relations and to establish better relations than now.”

The Kremlin has also been accused of other state-sponsored attacks, including an attack on the UK energy grid on the day of the 2017 general election.

Tensions could increase further next week with the publication of a longdelayed report by Parliament’s intelligence and security committee into allegations that the Russians interfered in both the 2016 Brexit referendum and the 2017 general election.