The Russian Foreign Ministry, in the wake of the Dutch government’s claims that four GRU operatives who purportedly had diplomatic passports attempted to conduct a hacker attack on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has stated that "Western spy mania is gaining momentum." According to Dutch Defense Minister Ank Bijleveld, who broke the news, the four individuals all had been expelled from the Netherlands on these grounds.
READ MORE: Moscow Responds to Washington's New Hacking Accusations: 'Dangerous Path'
Later in the day, following her statements that Washington was going to impose charges against some "Russian intelligence agents," the US Department of Justice announced an indictment charging “seven Russian military officers with violating several US criminal laws for malicious cyber activities against the United States and its allies."
#FBI investigation leads to indictment of seven Russian GRU military intelligence officers for hacking into the computer networks of U.S. and international organizations, including those cracking down on Russia’s state-sponsored doping activities. https://t.co/1XRfVLclQO
— FBI (@FBI) 4 октября 2018 г.
Among the alleged targets of the Russian intelligence officers, there were WADA, the OPCW, USADA, Westinghouse nuclear power company, which provides power to Ukraine, at least 250 athletes and sports figures from different countries as well as a Swiss lab, analyzing a toxic substance that was allegedly used against ex-GRU operative Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, UK.
However, the news bomb, the two NATO allies dropped, has received mixed reactions on social media. While some have praised the security services for doing a good job, others have questioned their integrity, pointing to a “bad record of cover-ups.”
We can't trust you. You participated in a white-wash and cover-up. https://t.co/sqUOMpATxl
— Crow (@sistercrow) 4 октября 2018 г.
Is this being released to counter intel the supreme court judge SNAFU?
— Teresa Jean Richardson 6️⃣6️⃣6️⃣ (@CrochetGeek) 4 октября 2018 г.
Some netizens have pointed out that no countries’ security service is innocent.
Good job us British don't ever do things like this isn't it. Oh wait a minute……
— Phil #GTTO (@philipjones09) 4 октября 2018 г.
The sad truth is that all sides are always doing this and always will. Doesn't make it right, but the hypocrisy on all sides is just sad.https://t.co/HWn6TFMjGH
Check the trackers. Every country is constantly trying to hack every other country, even when those countries are supposed to be friends. An awful lot of pots and kettles around these days.
— Paul Smith (@Dark_God) 4 октября 2018 г.
The only thing surprising about this story about #Russia’s #GRU (basically ex-#KGB) is that people are surprised by it. Also, the hypocrisy here! It wasn’t so long ago the #CIA got caught bugging people’s phones, including politicians. #Spies be #spying
— Upon Pillars Of Dust (@PillarsOfDust) 4 октября 2018 г.
How the services managed to get their evidence also raised some eyebrows.
Curious how they got them. Uber is now merged with government friendly Yandex… https://t.co/xHVNpM0pJn
— Pjotr Sauer (@PjotrSauer) 4 октября 2018 г.
Some have described recent events as farce and doubted their veracity.
True but it’s reality people have become sheep they choose to follow the masses and believe everything they see and hear. The anti Russian and Chinese Iran lies propaganda is gearing up for WW3 unfortunately people are to blind to see it…
— Dawud Wright (@closeprotectio) 4 октября 2018 г.
Russia also hacked their brains… who believes in this things anymore?
— Andreas Augenthaler (@DFBbear) 4 октября 2018 г.
Not buying this story.
— Lili Grapendaal (@Calicostudio12) 4 октября 2018 г.
There were even those who treated the statements as laughable, praising the “scriptwriters” of this saga.
Lol. The fantasy just keeps getting better. Someone should hire these scriptwriters to work for Eastenders, the plotline is hillarious, the narrative unbelievable to intelligent people, and BAFTA winning performances from May and her little gang of full of shitters
— Sy (@lovehatelove72) 4 октября 2018 г.
Russian Hacker on speed pic.twitter.com/pGYrqSuUNr
— ray sipe (@raysipe) 4 октября 2018 г.
