Tuesday, June 27, 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. Gathered, Closely Guarded Intelligence on Wagner Mutiny Plans. CNN reports that U.S. intelligence officials were reportedly able to gather extremely detailed information on Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plans for his mutiny against the Kremlin. Sources said that this information included where and how Prigozhin would act, but not exactly when. They also said that this intelligence was closely guarded and only shared with the most senior administration officials and the Gang of Eight members of Congress, as well as a select few senior British officials. The information was not shared with NATO to avoid exposing sources, nor with Ukraine over fears of interception by adversaries. Sources added that the U.S. has been tracking the Wagner Group’s feud with the Russian military leadership for months. However, despite this intelligence, it was still surprising how successful the mutiny was. Sources say Russian President Vladimir Putin was caught off guard from the rebellion, but they also said intelligence showed Prigozhin would decisively lose if he tried to take Moscow. Officials say the Biden administration stayed silent on the matter and urged both Western allies and Ukraine to do the same to not give Moscow any room to blame Prigozhin’s acts on Washington, Kyiv or NATO. CNN
Biden Maintains U.S., Allies Not Behind Wagner Mutiny. U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized on Monday the Wagner Group’s uprising against the Kremlin was a part of the internal struggle within the Russian system and that the U.S. and allies were not involved in it. Biden’s comments came as Russian state media reported Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying that Russian intelligence services were investigating any Western involvement in the mutiny. Biden added in his remarks that he spoke with key allies in a video call to ensure that every party was coordinated in response, saying that they “agreed with me that we had to make sure that we gave Putin no excuse… to blame this on the West and blame this on NATO.” Separately, Biden also spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday and plans to speak again on Monday and Tuesday to ensure that they were “on the same page” as well. Al Jazeera New York Times Reuters
U.S. to Announce $500 Million in Ukraine Military Aid. The U.S. is set to announce a new $500 million military aid package for Ukraine. The package will reportedly include 30 Bradley fighting vehicles and 25 Stryker armored personnel carriers, as well HIMARS munitions, Patriot and Stinger munitions, and anti-tank weapons like Javelins. The package is being funded with the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which pulls from U.S. stockpiles. The package will be the 41st from the U.S. for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022, bringing U.S. military aid for Kyiv since then to over $40 billion. Reuters
US Treasury Secretary Planning Visit to Beijing. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is planning to visit Beijing in early July for the first high-level economic talks with her new Chinese counterpart, He Lifeng, China’s vice premier responsible for economic policy. The timing of Yellen’s trip has yet to be officially confirmed. Her trip would follow U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent trip as part of U.S. efforts to manage relations with China. Bloomberg
U.S. Acknowledges AUKUS Challenges, But Remains Confident. U.S. officials said on Monday that Washington is aware of the challenges in ensuring the AUKUS submarine deal, which aims to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The project is meant to culminate with British and Australian production and operation of a new SSN-AUKUS submarine class that includes “cutting edge” U.S. technologies by the late 2030s or early 2040s. Before then, the U.S. is expected to sell three U.S. Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia, with the option for Canberra to buy two more. The multi-year project faces issues including strict curbs on U.S. technology sharing, constraints from limited U.S. production capacity, and the risk of varying levels of political will with different administrations in participating countries. U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday said the U.S. is working to increase U.S. submarine production, saying that the U.S. is “aspirational” on the goal of building two Virginia-class vessels a year, adding that the priority now is still the production of Columbia-class submarines to fulfill U.S. Navy needs. Gilday also said that there is “huge potential” for other countries to become involved in weapons development in the second pillar of AUKUS, depending on their technology and level of U.S. trust. U.S. Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell echoed Gilday, saying that allies or partners could contribute in “either direct or niche areas” like hypersonics, cybersecurity, and anti-submarine warfare. He also said that there was “every indication” that the AUKUS project would be sustained politically in the U.S. and Australia. Reuters
Guyana Resists OPEC Enlistment. Guyana, a nascent oil-producing country, is resisting efforts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to get the small South American country to become the cartel’s newest member. Guyanese Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo told the Wall Street Journal that Guyana would rather focus on maximizing production of oil in the short-term since oil demand is set to decline in coming decades. Jagdeo said that joining OPEC would counter this goal as it risks subjecting Guyana to decisions by Saudi Arabia and other members to curb global oil supplies. OPEC wants Guyana to join as part of efforts to get new members amid competition from non-OPEC producers. Guyana is set to become one of the world’s largest oil producers per capita and is expected to pump out one million barrels a day by 2028. An Exxon Mobil Corp-led consortium currently controls all offshore output in Guyana under a production and sharing agreement. Reuters Wall Street Journal
Western Europe
EU Expands Ukraine Military Fund By 3.5 Billion Euros. The EU agreed to increase the maximum size of its military fund for Ukraine by 3.5 billion euros to a total of 12 billion. EU countries contribute to the fund, named the European Peace Facility (EPF), according to the size of their economies. It has already allocated 4.6 billion euros for Ukrainian military aid. The EPF is separate from the EU’s total budget as the bloc is not allowed to finance military operations. Separate to the EPF expansion, Hungary reiterated that it would not lift a block on a 500-million-euro Ukraine aid package until Kyiv removes a Hungarian bank from a list of companies it alleges are “international sponsors” of the Russian invasion. Reuters
Germany Preparing to Station 4,000 Troops in Lithuania. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Monday that Germany is ready to permanently deploy 4,000 troops to Lithuania. The deployment would reinforce the German-led NATO multinational battle group of 1,000 troops already in Lithuania. Pistorius said the move shows Germany’s commitment for the “protection of the eastern flank.” However, he added that necessary infrastructure needs to be prepared for the deployment, saying that the force will be sent “step-by-step” over the years it takes Lithuania to build barracks, housing for families, depots and training grounds needed for the brigade. He also said the deployment will be done in coordination compatible with NATO regional planning. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nuaseda said his country plans to finish the infrastructure necessary for the deployment by 2026. Associated Press Reuters
Denmark Meeting on Ukraine ‘Peace Summit’ Makes Progress, But Real Change is Months Away. Officials say Ukraine’s efforts with allies to drum up international support for a peace plan has advanced, but real progress for a “peace summit” to endorse a formal document, is still months away. Top officials from G7 nations, the EU, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Brazil, India, and South Africa met in Denmark on Saturday to discuss a blueprint for peace. China was invited to the meeting but did not attend. Officials said the meeting aimed to find common ground for a potential peace plan, namely concerning a “peace summit” proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told journalists on Monday that the unrest in Russia could possibly convince more nations to become involved in the proposed peace summit, saying that "it is my interpretation that Putin is weakened, to some extent at least. And hopefully that could also have an impact on the rest of the world's willingness to discuss a post-war situation in Ukraine." A top European Commision authority said that the peace formula “has to be based on principles of the U.N. Charter, such as territorial integrity and sovereignty." Because there is still much work to be done, according to officials, the proposed “peace summit” will most likely take place later in the year despite Zelensky’s proposal of a July date. Reuters
Switzerland Warns Russian Spies Posing as Diplomats Running Rife. Switzerland’s NDB intelligence agency warned on Monday that there are still dozens of Russian spies posing as diplomats in the Swiss capital Bern. In its annual report, the NDB said at least a third of the 220 Russian diplomatic and support staff in Switzerland are working for Russian intelligence agencies. The report added that Switzerland is one of the European countries with the most Russian spies posing as diplomats, given Switzerland’s “role as a host country for international organizations.” The NBD added that China likely has many spies in Switzerland too, but less than Russia and more in journalistic, academic and business circles. Associated Press
EU Sanctions 7 Iranians for Human Rights Violations. The European Council announced on Monday that it is adding seven individuals in Iran to the EU sanctions list for human rights violations. The listings include prosecutors in trials against executed protestors and a regional commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps who oversaw actions against protesters. Reuters
Central and Eastern Europe
Prigozhin Defends ‘March for Justice’ on Moscow. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, released his first message after his aborted mutiny over the weekend. Prigozhin maintained that his “March for Justice” was not aimed at overthrowing Russian President Vladimir Putin, but was instead a show of force directed at the Russian military leadership. He said the mutiny was in response to an attack by Russian forces on the Wagner Group in which 30 of his mercenaries died. He added that the attack occurred ahead of the Wagner Group’s planned transfer of military equipment to the Russian Ministry of Defense in Rostov on July 1, as part of the Russian military’s plan to have the Wagner Group integrate into Russian forces. Prigozhin also said that the success of his mutiny underscored huge problems in Russia’s internal security, highlighting that Wagner forces faced basically no resistance on their way up to Moscow. He also noted widespread public support for Wagner during the mutiny. Moving forward, Prigozhin said that Wagner will now operate from Belarus. He also acknowledged that the Wagner Group shot down Russian military helicopters and a plane during the mutiny, expressing regret for attacking the aircraft but saying they had bombed his convoys. Associated Press Washington Post Wall Street Journal
Putin Tries to Project Strength, Stability After Wagner Mutiny. Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the Russian people on Monday after the rebellion led by Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin over the weekend. He maintained that he acted to “avoid serious bloodshed” and allowed the mutiny to unfold to “give those who had made a mistake a chance to come to their senses.” While criticizing the organizers of the mutiny for betraying Russia, he said the unity of Russian society helped end the crisis. He praised the majority of the Wagner Group for being patriots, acknowledging their fighting in Ukraine and claiming that most of the mercenaries declined to participate in “fratricidal bloodshed.” Putin also appeared to uphold terms of the deal to end the mutiny, saying Wagner Group mercenaries could either sign contracts with the army under Russia’s Defense Ministry, be decommissioned or relocate to Belarus. He did not name Prigozhin in his speech. Putin also acknowledged Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s role in mediating the deal that ended the mutiny. As for foreign involvement, Putin said the West wanted Russians to “kill each other” and said any attempt to incite unrest in Russia is “doomed to fail.” Associated Press BBC Reuters
Western Experts Urge Caution After Wagner Uprising in Russia. The Wagner mutiny in Russia has proven to be the greatest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s authority after decades of rule. Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst said that “Putin has been diminished for all time by this affair,” which will prove to have lasting ramifications for the rest of the world. While the challenge to Putin’s power may be exciting, experts caution that it further complicates matters. Retired General David Petraeus, former CIA Director and Cipher Brief expert, said that he doesn’t think we should want Russia to “come apart at the seams,” echoing remarks by other officials and experts that an unstable Russia — with its nuclear arsenal and array of armed groups — would be dangerous. In addition, experts caution that a successor to Putin would likely be another dictatorial figure who could be even harder for the West to contend with. More short-term, it is unclear how the internal strife in Russia will impact Ukraine. Many in Kyiv likely hope that the chaos in Russia will offer an opening for Ukraine, further distracting and demoralizing Russian invading Russian forces. And yet, Putin could also turn to more extreme measures to turn the war in Russia’s favor to avoid allowing the conflict to further threaten his power. Western allies of Kyiv have largely agreed to distance themselves from the Wagner mutiny and to focus on ensuring continued support for Ukraine as it watches Putin’s next moves. As Petraeus described, there are still “many, many unknowns” on what to expect out of Russia going forward. CNN
Ukraine Claims Liberation of Another Village from Russian Forces. Ukraine claimed that its forces had retaken the southeastern village of Rivnopil, the latest reported advancement in its counteroffensive. Rivnopil, which is in the western Donetsk region, appears to be the ninth village recaptured by Ukraine this month. It is unclear when Ukrainian forces entered the village, which is just west of several other villages Ukraine said it recently liberated. A military spokesperson said that no civilians were present in the village and that it had been almost totally destroyed and mined on all sides. Separately, the spokesperson also said that Ukrainian troops advanced 1.5 kilometers, or around a mile, towards Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhia region. Reuters Wall Street Journal
Zelensky Visits Ukraine Front Lines. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spent Monday on the front lines in southern and eastern Ukraine to praise Ukrainian troops, who he said are advancing “in all sectors” as part of Ukraine’s counteroffensive. The Ukrainian president’s office released footage of Zelensky’s trip, which included videos of him in the eastern Donetsk region; the southern Berdiansk sector where Ukraine has reportedly liberated several villages; and another location on the southern front, further west. One of the videos showed him handing out awards to troops and poring over maps with the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi. The reported visits coincided with Ukraine's announcement that it recaptured the village of Rivnopil, the ninth village liberated in Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Reuters
Ukraine Reports Russian Artillery Strike Killed Two. Ukrainian officials report that Russian artillery strikes hit the southeastern city of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Monday, killing two civilians and injuring another. Officials say the attack targeted a private business. Ukraine is working to restore water supplies to the city, which were cut as a result of the draining of Kakhovka Reservoir after the collapse of the Kakhova Dam. Yahoo News
Belarus Neighbors Bolster Border Defenses After Wagner Mutiny. Neighbors of Belarus announced plans to coordinate and strengthen border security following Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin’s reported exile there after his aborted mutiny in Russia over the weekend. Polish Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Monday that Poland has strengthened borders with Belarus and the Königsberg region, saying “we are responding by anticipating attacks.” He added that Poland has been dealing with a “hybrid attack” from Belarus for years, referencing efforts by Minsk to send migrants over the Polish border to pressure Warsaw. Meanwhile, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia announced coordinated measures to strengthen border crossings with Belarus and Russia. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Sunday urged NATO to “reinforce” its eastern flank in response to Wagner’s movement to Belarus, which Germany appeared to address by announcing plans to permanently deploy 4,000 troops to the Baltic country. Euronews Kyiv Independent
Russia Conducts Baltic Sea Jet Drills, Claims Interception of UK Jets Over Black Sea. The Russian Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday that it is conducting tactical fighter jet exercises over the Baltic Sea. The ministry said the drills involved Su-27 fighter jets firing cruise missiles to test combat readiness, adding that the jets are on “round-the-clock combat duty” guarding Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. The drills came after the ministry claimed on Monday that it scrambled two fighter jets to intercept two British jets and a reconnaissance aircraft as they approached Russian airspace above the Black Sea. The ministry said the British planes turned from the Russian border when the Russian warplanes approached and that “there was no violation of the Russian border.” Interactions between Russian and Western aircraft over the Black Sea and Baltic Sea have increased in recent months. The British Ministry of Defense said on Sunday that NATO has scrambled jets six times in the last three days to intercept 21 Russian aircraft. Sky News Times of Israel UK Government
U.S. Aircraft Carrier Visits Croatia. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS General R. Ford arrived in Split, Croatia on Monday for a scheduled port visit. The visit is the carrier’s second stop while deployed in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations. The U.S. Navy said the visit will allow for U.S.-Croatia engagement. The Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier. U.S. Fleet Forces Command
Serbia Releases Kosovo Police Officers Arrested Amid Heightened Tensions. Serbia released three Kosovar police officers who were detained in mid-June along the disputed Serbia-Kosovo border. A Serbian court freed them, though Serbia’s chief negotiator with Kosovo said an investigation and possible further prosecution will continue. Serbian authorities claim the officers crossed into Serbian territory and charged them with illegal possession of weapons and explosive devices. Kosovo maintains that the officers were “kidnapped” in Kosovo and taken to a Serbian prison by force. The U.S and E.U. have worked to mediate the issue to avoid escalating already heightened tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, namely after recent ethnic Serb protests against the election of ethnic Albanian mayors in northern Kosovo. Kosovo’s president, Vjosa Osmani, thanked Western states for helping secure the release of the police officers but is insisting those responsible be “reprimanded” for human rights violations. Associated Press ABC News
Asia and Oceania
Chinese Premier Li Meets Vietnam Counterpart. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Monday, where the two discussed South China Sea tensions and bilateral cooperation. Li and Chinh agreed to support increased cooperation and manage their disagreements through dialogue, and Li said that China is open to hastening negotiations on a Code of Conduct for the South China Sea. Li added that “[we] should avoid taking any actions that would complicate and escalate the situation” of tension. The two supervised the signing of various agreements, including one on maritime cooperation, which was especially important as the two nations have clashed often over maritime territorial disputes and disagreements over oil and fishing rights. Li also told Chinh that Beijing is interested in aiding Hanoi in its development projects like the Belt and Road Initiative. Chinh is attending the World Economic Forum in Tianjin from Tuesday to Thursday, where he will lead a delegation of top government officials. Li’s trip marks the first time a Vietnamese prime minister has visited China in seven years, and comes after a US aircraft carrier docked in the central Vietnamese port of Danang on Sunday. South China Morning Post
New Zealand, Chinese Foreign Ministers Held ‘Very Robust’ Meeting. New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said Tuesday that she had a “very robust” discussion with Chinese Qin Gang in March, in a meeting that an Australian newspaper previously described as contentious. The report said that Mahuta endured an "almighty dressing down" and an "epic haranguing" during her meeting with her Chinese counterpart. Mahuta told journalists that China “is very assertive in the way that it conveys its interests," but maintained that China-New Zealand relations are “mature” due to “the fact that we can have robust discussions and still be able to take a trade delegation over there." New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins is currently in Beijing leading a delegation of New Zealand’s largest businesses, and is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday. Reuters
Philippines Calls for UN Intervention in South China Sea Disputes With Beijing. More Philippine senators are calling for the UN to intervene in maritime disputes between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. Outspoken China critic Senator Risa Hontiveros introduced a resolution calling on the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs to get the UN to push China to accept a 2016 international arbitral ruling that invalidates most of Beijing’s claims to the waterway and recognizes the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the region. Supporters of the measure say it is needed to expand Manila’s diplomatic strategies to safeguard the Philippines’ maritime rights. Critics say going through the UN General Assembly will simply escalate tensions and are instead calling for continued bilateral engagement with China, with help from Western partners. The debate underscores the challenge Manila faces in managing relations with China. South China Morning Post
Pakistan Summons U.S. Deputy Mission Chief Over U.S.-India Statement on Counterterrorism. Pakistan’s foreign ministry on Monday summoned the US embassy’s deputy chief of mission to protest comments last week from US President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging Pakistan to guarantee that militant groups do not use its land for cross-border terrorist attacks. Pakistan has denounced the statement from the two leaders, who met at the White House on Friday, and its foreign ministry said that the US “should refrain from issuing statements that may be construed as an encouragement of India's baseless and politically motivated narrative against Pakistan." The Pakistani foreign ministry added that counter-terrorism coordination between the U.S. and Pakistan has been progressing, and that “trust and understanding” is needed for further cooperation between Washington and Islamabad. A U.S. State Department spokesperson told journalists that though Pakistan has initiated steps to oppose terrorist forces, Washington has called for greater effort “to permanently dismantle” such groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Reuters
Senior Pakistan Army Officers Sacked Over Pro-Khan Protests. The Pakistani army fired three senior army officers on Monday over their failure to prevent violent attacks on public property and military installations in early May after the arrest of ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan. A top general, Major General Ahmad Sharif, was one of the senior officers who were fired. An additional 15 army officers were also sacked over the attacks. It is believed that 5,000 civilians were arrested in connection to the attacks by supporters of Khan in protest of his arrest. Khan has blamed the vote of no confidence that ousted him last year on the Pakistani military’s generals, which the army denies. Reuters Associated Press
First Military-Affiliated Ethnic Militia in Myanmar Joins Pro-Democracy Movement. The first ethnic militia units affiliated with Myanmar’s military junta have reportedly switched sides and joined the country’s pro-democracy movement. Local resistance forces reported that two Border Guard Forces units in Kayah state defected to their side. The two units have around 600 men. Resistance forces say they joined in attacks on four army outposts and a township police station in Mese in southeastern Kayah, where the local guerilla force is headquartered. The military government reportedly responded to the defections by bombing on one of the border guard bases and by sending troops into Mese, though resistance forces say they still control most of the town. Associated Press ABC News
Middle East and Northern Africa
Putin Speaks With UAE, Qatar, Iran Leaders After Wagner Mutiny. The Kremlin said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone calls with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iran following the Wagner rebellion over the weekend. The Kremlin said UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahayan was interested in “hearing assessments of the situation in Russia” and offered his “full support” for Moscow’s actions. UAE state media said the two leaders discussed bilateral relations and reaffirmed the need for stability in Russia. Qatari state media said Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani likewise offered support for Russia, though he also affirmed Doha’s “position of calling for resolving differences through dialogue and diplomatic means” and called for the “need to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” Lastly the Kremlin said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi also offered his “full support” to Putin and Russian sovereignty. Al Jazeera CNN Reuters
Israel Approves 5,000 New Homes in West Bank Settlements. The Israeli government has approved the building of 5,700 new homes for Jewish settlements in the West Bank. The units are reportedly at different stages of planning, so it is unclear when construction will start. The Israeli Defense Ministry planning committee that oversees construction of the settlements did not comment on the matter. The U.S. State Department and National Security Council said Washington is “deeply troubled” by the move, reiterating that the settlements complicate efforts to achieve a negotiated two-state solution. Despite the displeasure, the U.S. has taken minor action to protest Israel’s recent expansion of settlements in the West Bank, limiting response to not inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit following his recent election victory, as well as cutting off funding to Israeli institutions conducting science and technology research projects in the West Bank. Al Jazeera Associated Press Reuters
Israel Reports Rocket Launches from Jenin in West Bank. The Israeli military reported two rocket launches from the West Bank city of Jenin on Monday. The Israeli military stated that the two rockets traveled about 80 meters (265 feet) before crashing down back into Palestinian territory. The rockets were not considered a threat to the communities in the area and no injuries have been reported. The rocket fire came amid mounting tensions over Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Al Jazeera Reuters
Sub Saharan Africa
Sudan RSF Commander Declares Eid Unilateral Truce. Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo announced a unilateral trace to observe the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Adha. The truce will be in effect on Tuesday and Wednesday. Reuters
Russia’s Lavrov Says Wagner Group to Continue Africa Operations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Wagner Group mercenaries will remain in Africa and continue their activities in the continent despite the group’s recent attempted mutiny and exile of the group’s head, Yevgeny Prigozhin, to Belarus. Lavrov said the situation in Europe "will not affect the relationship between Moscow and its African friends,” and reported that the Wagner forces are doing a “good job” by providing security to governments in exchange for the use of natural resources such as mines. According to Lavrov, several hundred Wagner mercenaries are currently operating as instructors in coordination with the governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic (CAR). Western allies maintain that the mercenaries are spreading Russian influence in the continent, and have accused them of torture and the exploitation of natural resources. France is closely monitoring their operations, as the group has in the past used cyberwarfare and disinformation to interfere with French interests in Africa. EuroNews Politico
Cyber and Tech
Canadian Oil Giant Suncor Hit by Cyberattack. Canadian oil giant Suncor confirmed on Sunday that it was hit by a cyberattack that caused disruptions to services from Petro-Canada, a gas station chain owned by Suncor, in several major Canadian cities. Suncor said the attack downed the app and website of Petro-Canada and caused some of the chain’s gas pumps to not be able to accept cards for payment. Suncor did not say if the cyber incident was a ransomware attack. It also said that it is unclear if any customer, supplier or employee data was compromised in the cyber incident and that it is investigating the attack with relevant authorities. The Record
New York City Department of Education MOVEit Breach Exposes Data of 45,000 Students. The New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) said hackers accessed around 19,000 files with personal information of 45,000 students and DOE staff through a breach of the department’s MOVEit Transfer server. NYC DOE said around 9,000 Social Security Numbers were exposed in the attack. The department added that it has since patched servers to address the breach and is working with the NYPD and FBI to assess the extent of the attack. The incident is the latest zero-day attack that has taken advantage of vulnerabilities in the widely used MOVEit software, which is used to securely transfer data and documents. The Clop ransomware gang has claimed responsibility for past MOVEit data theft attacks. BleepingComputer
Fort Worth City Government Confirms Cyber Incident. The municipal government of Fort Worth, Texas confirmed one if its websites was breached in a cyber attack but denied any leak of sensitive information. The confirmation came after a hacking group called SiegedSec claimed on Friday that it stole 500,000 files from the government of the city. The group said it stole 180GB of data, including police reports, internal government documents, employee lists and information, and camera footage. The group said it launched the attack over Texas policies on transgender healthcare. The Fort Worth city government confirmed the attack on Saturday, but said it impacted a website used for maintenance activities rather than the city’s “public facing intranet website,” adding that no information leaked in the attack was “sensitive in nature.” City officials added that the hackers stole login credentials to launch the attack. SiegedSec has previously claimed to have hacked the governments of Arkansas and Kentucky, though officials later said they simply accessed publicly available record data. The Record
Biden Announces $42.5 Billion To Expand High-Speed Broadband Internet Services.
President Joe Biden announced that he is making $42.5 billion available to states over the next two years to develop high-speed broadband internet infrastructure. Projects with the new funding are set to start in 2024. The funding from the Broadband Equity Access and Development program will come from the $1 trillion infrastructure law passed in 2021. Around $3.3 billion of funding will go to Texas, $1.9 billion will go to California, and significant sums will go to states with smaller population centers like Alaska, Montana and West Virginia. Notably, the funding will only go to projects that support strong enough internet connections for modern demands like telehealth and videoconferencing, and older copper phone lines and satellite-based internet services have largely been excluded from inclusion. The funding , aiming to support efforts to connect all Americans to affordable, high-speed internet by 2030 and close the “digital divide” in connectivity. Hundreds of thousands of homes, businesses and other locations in the U.S. remain unserved, and the government estimates around 7 percent of the U.S. does not have internet service that meets minimum government standards. Wall Street Journal Washington Post
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