Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Seven Russians sanctioned over ransomware cyber-crime

Seven Russians sanctioned over ransomware cyber-crime

Seven Russian men have been sanctioned by the UK and US for having links to recent ransomware attacks.

The UK's Foreign Office, along with US authorities, has released pictures of the men, frozen their assets and imposed travel restrictions.

US authorities have accused them of being members of loosely defined Russian-based hacking network Trickbot.

Ransomware strains Conti and Ryuk extorted at least £27m in ransoms from 149 British victims.

"This is a hugely significant moment for the UK and our collaborative efforts with the US to disrupt international cyber-criminals," said National Crime Agency director general Graeme Biggar.

"The sanctions are the first of their kind for the UK and signal the continuing campaign targeting those responsible for some of the most sophisticated and damaging ransomware that has impacted the UK and our allies," he said.

Mikhail Iskritskiy also known as (aka) Tropa and Valery Sedletski aka Strix are on the new cyber sanctions list

The National Cyber Security Centre, a part of GCHQ, has assessed that key group members are "highly likely" to have strong links to the Russian Intelligence Services from which they are sometimes directed.

No evidence was supplied to support this allegation.

The UK government categorises ransomware as a tier one national security threat with recent victims including UK schools, local authorities and firms.

The individuals sanctioned are: Vitaliy Kovalev, Valery Sedletski, Valentin Karyagin, Maksim Mikhailov, Dmitry Pleshevskiy, Mikhail Iskritskiy and Ivan Vakhromeyev.

Any arrests are impossible unless the accused leave the country.

The group behind the Conti strain has targeted hospitals, schools, businesses and local authorities, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.  It extorted $180m (£148m) in ransomware in 2021 alone, according to research from Chainalysis.

Ireland's Health Service Executive was targeted by Conti ransomware actors during the Covid pandemic, leading to disruption to blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, radiotherapy and chemotherapy appointments over 10 days. 

Another recent ransomware attack included Harrogate-based transportation and cold storage firm Reed Boardall, whose IT systems were under attack for nearly a week in 2021.

Although Conti disbanded in 2022, its members are thought to have continued their attacks under different guises.

Russia has for years denied that it is harbouring ransomware hackers, but cyber-security experts say there is compelling evidence that many of the criminal groups are co-ordinated from the country.

Many of the gangs operate on Russian-language forums, there are fewer attacks on Russian organisations, and the frequency of hacks dips during Russian public holidays.

The latest sanctions follow multinational efforts to disrupt ransomware crews, most recently by sabotaging the Hive ransomware crew and taking them offline.

Previously the US and UK worked together on sanctions issued against alleged members of cyber-crime group Evil Corp in 2020. Authorities allege that some of the men in the latest sanctions could have formerly worked for the group.

In 2021 the BBC went to Russia to try to track down the group and was told by a family member that the sanctions had made them fear for their safety.


Businesses are being held to ransom by callous Ryuk cyber-criminals


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×