6 PM ET, Monday, August 14, 2023
The Cipher Brief curates open source information from around the world that impacts national security. Here's a look at today's headlines, broken down by region of the world:
In the Americas
U.S. Sending $200 Million in Ukraine Security Aid. The United States announced that it will send a new $200 million dollar security assistance package to Ukraine. The aid package will include artillery rounds, air defense munitions, and additional mine-clearing equipment, according to a statement by Secretary of State Antony Blinken. U.S. officials say that Washington is working on a supplemental budget request to continue providing support to Kyiv. The new package is also the first installment in a new $6.2 billion budget that resulted from a prior DOD accounting error. In May, the Pentagon announced it had mistakenly assigned higher values to some U.S. equipment previously given to Kyiv. The accounting error, when corrected, is now working to Ukraine’s advantage due to the U.S. having more equipment from the Pentagon’s Presidential Drawdown Authority than previously thought available to send to Kyiv. Reuters CNN
US Ambassador to Russia Visits Detained WSJ Journalist. U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynne Tracy visited Evan Gershkovish, a Wall Street Journal reporter, in a Moscow prison Monday. Russian authorities detained Gershkovich on espionage charges in April. He has denied wrongdoing and the U.S. deems him wrongfully detained. A State Department spokesperson said that “Ambassador Tracy reported that Evan continues to appear in good health and remains strong, despite the circumstances.” CNN Reuters Wall Street Journal
U.S. Navy Becomes Third Military Branch Without Senate-Confirmed Leader. Retiring Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Mike Gilday relinquished his command on Monday, making the Navy the third branch of the military without a Senate-confirmed leader following the Army and Marine Corps. Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville continues to block military nominations over the Pentagon’s reproductive health policies. President Joe Biden has nominated Admiral Lisa Franchetti to lead the Navy. She will lead the Navy in an acting capacity until the Senate can confirm her. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin called the blocks to appointing senior military leadership “unprecedented… unnecessary… [and] unsafe.” Politico Reuters
Ecuador Assassination Reflects Rapid Rise of Violent Cocaine Trade. The killing of Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio last week has highlighted the destructive impact of the cocaine trade and rising gang violence have had on Ecuador. Experts say that political instability in the country has created a chaotic landscape that is fertile ground for cartels and gangs, adding that the end of U.S.-supported fumigation of coca in Colombia in 2015 and the assassination of Ecuadorian cartel leader Jorge Luis Zambrano in 2020 have caused a surge in cocaine production due to the subsequent power vacuum. Ecuadorian police have since captured six Colombian nationals suspected of being involved with the killing of Villavicencio. While police have not identified a motive for the killing, the suspects are allegedly connected to organized crime groups linked to the cocaine trade. Wall Street Journal
U.S., Japan, South Korea to Meet at Camp David. Senior U.S. administration officials say the U.S., Japan, and South Korea will launch a series of joint initiatives on technology, education, and defense at the Camp David summit this Friday. Although the summit is unlikely to produce formal security arrangements between the three countries, they are expected to agree to a mutual understanding concerning regional defense responsibilities. Additionally, officials said that the nations are set to establish a three way communication crisis “hotline.” Reuters
Western Europe
British Jets Intercept Russian Bombers North of Scotland. The British Royal Air Force deployed Typhoon jets to intercept two Russian long-range maritime patrol bombers north of Scotland on Monday morning. A Voyager tanker was also launched to provide refueling services as needed. The British Ministry of Defense said the two Russian bombers — a Tu-142 Bear-F and Tu-142 Bear-J maritime patrol aircraft, which are used for reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare — were monitored in international airspace but within NATO’s northern air policing area. The ministry added that Russian warplanes entering the UK Flight Information Region, the UK’s controlled zone of international space, could pose a threat to air traffic since they do not communicate with relevant air traffic authorities. CNN
Britain Warns of Terrorism Threat in Sweden. Britain’s foreign ministry on Sunday warned its citizens traveling to Sweden of the possible threat of terrorist attacks following Quran burnings in the Nordic country. The ministry noted that Swedish authorities have disrupted some potential threats and made arrests, but there is still a heightened threat, especially against places visited by foreigners. The U.S. also warned of the terrorism threat in Sweden in its own travel advice. The burnings are permitted in Sweden under free speech laws, but have caused outrage across Muslim communities and countries around the world. Reuters
German MP Briefly Detained in Turkey. A German lawmaker said she was detained for several hours in Turkey on Sunday due to her social media posts made in 2019. Goekay Akbulut, a far-left Die Linke party member, was detained in Antalya airport on August 3rd. An arrest warrant was issued by the Turkish public prosecutor accusing Akbulut of “terror propaganda.” Akbulut is a Turkish-born German citizen of Kurdish heritage, and she was released after contacting the German foreign ministry. Turkish authorities were not available to comment on the matter. Akbulut has previously criticized Turkey for waging a “brutal war” against the Kurdish people living there. It is not clear what posts in particular triggered the Turkish arrest warrant. Reuters
Central and Eastern Europe
Ukraine Says Defenses Holding in East. Ukraine says its defensive lines are holding and says it has prevented Russian advances in the east. Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine, Hanna Maliar, said on Monday that Russia is pushing on with its offensive in the east and intensifying its activity near Kupyansk and Lyman. “Our defenders managed to prevent the enemy’s advance and significantly reduced its offensive potential,” she said. Heavy fighting continues near Bakhmut, with Russian forces are reportedly attempting to regain lost ground. Kyiv has pushed back on criticism that their counteroffensive is not advancing quickly enough, saying that its focus has been on destroying Russia’s capability to disrupt logistics. CNN
Ukraine Reports Russian Shelling in Odesa, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian officials reported Russian shelling attacks and air strikes across Ukraine on Monday. One shelling attack hit the Ukrainian town of Kozacha Lopan in the Kharkiv region, killing one person, according to regional officials. A later Russian shelling attack on the Kharkiv village of Buhaivk injured at least two others. Elsewhere, Ukraine’s air forces said air defenses destroyed 15 drones and eight Kalibr sea-launched missiles launched at the southern port of Odesa, though debris injured three people. An earlier Russian shelling assault in Zaporizhzhia reportedly killed two civilians on Sunday, while attacks in the Kherson region injured others. Separately, Russian-appointed officials in occupied areas of the Donetsk region said Ukrainian shelling there wounded six people. CNN
Russia Says it Destroyed Drones in Belgorod Region. Russia’s defense ministry says Russian air defenses thwarted two Ukrainian drone attacks targeting the western Belgorod region on Monday. The ministry said it destroyed multiple drones and that there were no casualties or damage in the attack. Belgorod and other western Russian border regions have been hit by drone attacks or attempted drone attacks in recent months. CNN
Russia Deploys MiG-29 Jet to Intercept Norwegian Air Force Plane Over Barents Sea. Russia’s defense ministry said on Monday that it deployed a MiG-29 jet after detecting a Norwegian air force plane approaching Russian air space over the Barents Sea. The ministry said the Norwegian plane turned around as the Russian jet approached and that Russian air space was not violated in the incident. CNN
Russian Bombers Fly Over Arctic Waters. Russia’s defense ministry said on Monday that Russian strategic bombers conducted routine flights over international waters in the Arctic. The ministry said the flights followed international airspace regulations and that the longest lasted for over seven hours. Russia regularly flies Tu-160 and Tu-95MS long-range bombers, which can carry nuclear cruise missiles, over international waters. Reuters
Russia to Arm Nuclear Submarines with Hypersonic Missiles. Russia says it plans to equip its nuclear submarines with hypersonic Zircon missiles, according to the head of Russia’s largest shipbuilder. Yasen-class submarines, also known are Project 885M, are new nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines intended to replace Soviet-era nuclear attack submarines to modernize the fleet. The sea-based Zircon missiles can travel at several times the speed of sound and have a range of 560 miles. President Vladimir Putin said early this year that Russia would begin mass supplying the Zircon missiles as part of Russia’s efforts to boost its nuclear arsenal. Reuters
Latvian PM Resigns. Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins publicly announced his resignation on Monday. Karins blamed a breakdown in relations with sections of his multi-party government. He announced that this Thursday he will submit his resignation and that of the cabinet to the president. Like many of its Baltic neighbors, Latvia is leading a push in the European Union and NATO to increase pressure on Russia for the war in Ukraine. Karins’ center-right New Unity party first won 26 of 100 seats in October 2022. Karins’ blamed his coalition partners for blocking the work for “prosperity and economic growth”. The New Unity party is planning to select its candidate for prime minister on Wednesday, according to Karins. Reuters
Asia and Oceania
Taiwan VP Affirms Taiwan Strength Against Authoritarianism. Taiwanese Vice President William Lai is in New York for a transit stop in the U.S. on his way to Paraguay. Speaking to supporters on Sunday, Lai affirmed that Taiwan “will not be scared” against the threat of authoritarianism, referring to threats of Chinese action against the island. Lai is the frontrunner to be Taiwan’s next president at January elections and has described himself as a “practical worker for Taiwan independence,” which is a red line for Beijing. Despite this, Lai has pledged to maintain peace and the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and that he is “very willing” to engage with China to seek peace and stability. China is expected to launch military drills around Taiwan in response to Lai’s visit to the U.S. Reuters
China Suggests New Method Identified for Advanced Submarine Tracking. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter published a study that suggests China may have identified new methods to detect and track US submarines, considered the most advanced in the world, with existing technology. The team found that computer modeling suggested that an ultra-sensitive magnetic detector would be able to detect almost imperceptible bubbles produced by submarines when they are moving at high speeds. The turbulence created by the bubbles produces a faint electromagnetic signature that the detector can reportedly pick up. China already uses electromagnetic signals for submarine communication. There are some potential issues with this method such as the loss of signal when the submarine slows or stops or interference from other sources, so analysts say that more research is needed. However, the study shows that China could already possess a submarine tracking method that would make advanced U.S. submarines more vulnerable. South China Morning Post
Chinese Defense Minister Visiting Russia, Belarus. Chinese defense minister Li Shangfu is visiting Russia and Belarus between August 14 and 19. China’s defense ministry said Li will attend an international security meeting in Russia and meet with leaders from Russia’s national defense department. In Belarus, Li is set to meet with President Alexander Lukashenko and military leaders. The visit comes as China strengthens military ties with Russia despite the Ukraine war. Reuters South China Morning Post
Chinese Security Ministry Defends Counter-Espionage Law, Criticizes U.S. China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), which oversees the country’s counterintelligence operations, defended the new Counter-Espionage Law, saying that it protects China’s national security and directly criticized the U.S. for using it to “hype up the China threat.” The U.S. has expressed concern over the measure since it expands the definition of spying and could potentially target U.S. businesses in China since it is broad and vague. The ministry said U.S. criticism of the law is “selfish, hegemonic and disingenuous” and demonstrates double standards given what it called “America first” national security policies and operations. South China Morning Post
Pakistan Names Caretaker PM Ahead of Elections. Pakistan senator Anwaar-ul-haq Kakar was named caretaker prime minister by outgoing premier Shehbaz Sharif and opposition leader Raja Riaz. Kakar will oversee national elections, which will be held in November at the latest. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been barred from running and sentenced to jail over corruption charges. Reuters
Middle East and Northern Africa
Iran Says Committed to Diplomacy on Nuclear Issues. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told reporters on Monday that Tehran is committed to resolving nuclear issues through diplomacy, specifically saying Iran wants “a return of all parties to full compliance of the 2015 nuclear deal.” Despite little hope of reviving that particular agreement, Tehran and Washington have reportedly been engaging through indirect talks on a potential arrangement where Iran would release detained U.S. citizens and slow enrichment of uranium in exchange for the U.S. releasing Iranian assets frozen abroad. Critics of the deal say it will reward Iran for taking U.S. hostages, only accomplish a “minor pause” in nuclear enrichment and allow Tehran to continue military support for Russia and proxies in the region. Reuters
Clashes Reportedly Break Out in Tripoli. Residents in the Libyan capital Tripoli reported clashes and gunfire in the city late on Monday. The reports came shortly after Mahmoud Hamza, head of the armed 444 brigade which controls much of Tripoli, was detained at Mitgia airport by the rival Special Deterrence Force. The two factions are the most powerful in the capital. A Reuters journalist said armed men had closed off a major road in the south of Tripoli. Reuters
Sub Saharan Africa
Air Strike in Ethiopia’s Amhara Kills 26. A suspected air strike hit the town of Finote Selam in Ethiopia’s Amhara region on Sunday. Hospital officials say the strike killed at least 26 people. The attack is the latest violence between Ethiopian forces and Fano militiamen in Amhara, which has reportedly caused scores of civilian casualties. Reuters
Cyber and Tech
Chinese Paper Says Beijing To Expose ‘Global’ U.S. Cyber Espionage Operation. A Chinese state-controlled newspaper has reported that the Chinese government plans to reveal publicly “a highly secretive global reconnaissance system” run by the U.S. The exposure of a worldwide U.S. cyberespionage operation, the Global Times said, would come as the result of a “joint investigation” conducted by China’s National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center (CVERC) and the Qihoo 360 cybersecurity firm, which earlier reported an alleged U.S. attempt to breach an earthquake monitoring system in Wuhan. Xiao Xinguang, a member of a Chinese Communist Party advisory body and the chief software architect at Antiy Labs, an anti-virus company, told the newspaper that seismological data had “significant intelligence value for judging geological terrain, analyzing weapons system tests, and nuclear tests.” A senior CVERC engineer, Du Zhenhua, alleged that U.S. military intelligence agencies that leverage their IT advantage to attack civilian infrastructure are committing criminal acts “in clear violation of international law, seriously infringing on China's national security and public interest.” Du said that if the Wuhan earthquake monitoring system has been damaged, it could degrade early warning and disaster assessments, “leading to more severe loss of life and property.” He added, “even more dangerous is that if the attackers tamper with the earthquake monitoring data, triggering false alarms, it could lead to social panic and disorder, resulting in casualties among innocent people.” The Record
Colorado, Oregon Medical Firms Say MOVEit Breaches Expose Health Data of Millions. More than four million individuals are being contacted by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) to warn them of a data breach impacting their personal data and health information. The breach is part of the ongoing Clop ransomware exploitation of the MOVEit file transfer system vulnerability that has plagued health, educational, and other organizations worldwide. HCPF explained that its systems were not directly compromised, but the breach occurred as the result of an attack on MOVEit software used by IBM, HCPF’s contractor. The Clop gang extracted a wide range of personal information, including social security and Medicare numbers, income information, and clinical data such as diagnoses, lab results, and prescriptions. Meanwhile, an Oregon-based company, PH TECH, reported a compromise of the MOVEit software on its systems that has resulted in the exposure of highly sensitive personal information – including healthcare records – of 1.7 million individuals. PH TECH provides health plans and manages benefits, contracts with providers, medical decisions, and care management. PH TECH notified the FBI and Oregon State Police and is working with a cybersecurity firm on breach details and remedies. Information possibly exposed by the compromise includes social security numbers and diagnosis and procedure codes. BleepingComputer CyberNews
CISA, TSA Chiefs Describe Chinese Threat to U.S. Infrastructure Linked to Taiwan Conflict. CISA Director Jen Easterly, speaking at the Def Con conference in Las Vegas over the weekend, said that U.S. involvement in defense of Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion would prod Beijing to consider significant cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure, including pipelines and rail systems. Easterly confirmed concerns raised previously by the White House over potential destructive Chinese cyberattacks that were expressed in a New York Times article in July. That report described U.S. efforts to uncover Chinese hacker access to domestic and foreign power grids, communications systems and water supplies that serve U.S. military bases. Easterly said in light of this threat she hoped “people are taking seriously a pretty stark warning about the potential for China to use their very formidable capabilities” against U.S. infrastructure in the event of a Taiwan conflict. Speaking alongside Easterly, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) administrator David Pekoske noted that “time is not our friend in this quest. We need to move very, very quickly. That’s why we’ve moved so quickly and so have our industry partners" to prepare critical infrastructure for the possibility of destructive cyberattacks. The Record YahooNews
Previously Unknown Russian, Chinese Breach of UK Foreign Office Systems Reported. Russian and Chinese cyberattacks on the Foreign Office are endangering UK national security, according to Sir David Omand, former director of GCHQ. Omand described the two nations’ cyber campaigns as “persistent” and added that, if successful, the loss of sensitive information would be “very damaging” to Britain. Omand’s comments follow reports last week that Russian and Chinese hackers accessed Foreign Office internal systems in 2021 in a previously undisclosed breach. GCHQ and Foreign Office sources said the attacks were enabled through a staff member “probably accidentally” downloading malware implanted in an email, resulting in the exposure of unclassified emails and routine documentation. “At one point we believe both (Russia and China)” had intruded on the Foreign Office systems, a GCHQ source said, adding “it was very embarrassing and caused great stir in government because they didn’t know whether they should admit it or not.” GCHQ’s former chief said that even unclassified or low-classification information extracted from the Foreign Office “would be bound to help fill in gaps in understanding on the part of an adversary intelligence agency.” That point was reiterated by a former Foreign Office intelligence officer who said, “the reality is that there is always a balance between security risk and the sheer convenience of being able to communicate rapidly. So from time to time some sensitive material is almost bound to end up on email systems which have no more than standard security protection.” iNews MetroNews
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