Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/1537 of 22 October 2020 amending Decision (CFSP) 2019/797 concerning restrictive measures against cyber-attacks threatening the Union or its Member States
Date: 2020-10-22
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU restrictive measure, computer crime, data protection, economic sanctions, information security, information system, information warfare, international sanctions, legal person, natural person








LI2020351EN.01000501.xml










22.10.2020   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


LI 351/5








            COUNCIL DECISION (CFSP) 2020/1537
of 22 October 2020
         
amending Decision (CFSP) 2019/797 concerning restrictive measures against cyber-attacks threatening the Union or its Member States


THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 29 thereof,


Having regard to the proposal from the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Whereas:







(1)


On 17 May 2019 the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2019/797 (1).












(2)


Targeted restrictive measures against cyber-attacks with a significant effect which constitute an external threat to the Union or its Member States are among the measures included in the Union’s framework for a joint diplomatic response to malicious cyber activities (the cyber diplomacy toolbox) and are a vital instrument to deter and respond to such activities.












(3)


In order to prevent, discourage, deter and respond to continuing and increasing malicious behaviour in cyberspace, two natural persons and one body should be included in the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2019/797. Those persons and that body are responsible for or were involved in cyber-attacks with a significant effect which constitute an external threat to the Union or its Member States, in particular the cyber-attack against the German federal parliament (Deutscher Bundestag) which took place in April and May 2015.












(4)


Decision (CFSP) 2019/797 should therefore be amended accordingly,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2019/797 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Decision.


Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




Done at Brussels, 22 October 2020.


For the Council


The President

M. ROTH
            





(1)  Council Decision (CFSP) 2019/797 of 17 May 2019 concerning restrictive measures against cyber-attacks threatening the Union or its Member States (OJ L 129 I, 17.5.2019, p. 13).




ANNEX
The following entries are added to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies set out in the Annex to Decision (CFSP) 2019/797:






A.


Natural persons









 


Name


Identifying information


Reasons


Date of listing




‘7.


Dmitry Sergeyevich BADIN


Дмитрий Сергеевич БАДИН
Date of birth: 15 November 1990
Place of birth: Kursk, Russian SFSR (now Russian Federation)
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Dmitry Badin took part in a cyber-attack with a significant effect against the German federal parliament (Deutscher Bundestag).
As a military intelligence officer of the 85th Main Centre for Special Services (GTsSS) of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GU/GRU), Dmitry Badin was part of a team of Russian military intelligence officers which conducted a cyber-attack against the German federal parliament (Deutscher Bundestag) in April and May 2015. This cyber-attack targeted the parliament’s information system and affected its operation for several days. A significant amount of data was stolen and the email accounts of several MPs as well as of Chancellor Angela Merkel were affected.


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8.


Igor Olegovich KOSTYUKOV


Игорь Олегович КОСТЮКОВ
Date of birth: 21 February 1961
Nationality: Russian
Gender: male


Igor Kostyukov is the current Head of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GU/GRU), where he previously served as First Deputy Head. One of the units under his command is the 85th Main Centre for Special Services (GTsSS), also known as “military unit 26165” (industry nicknames: “APT28”, “Fancy Bear”, “Sofacy Group”, “Pawn Storm” and “Strontium”).
In this capacity, Igor Kostyukov is responsible for cyber-attacks carried out by the GTsSS, including those with a significant effect constituting an external threat to the Union or its Member States.
In particular, military intelligence officers of the GTsSS took part in the cyber-attack against the German federal parliament (Deutscher Bundestag) which took place in April and May 2015 and the attempted cyber-attack aimed at hacking into the Wi-Fi network of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the Netherlands in April 2018.
The cyber-attack against the German federal parliament targeted the parliament’s information system and affected its operation for several days. A significant amount of data was stolen and email accounts of several MPs as well as of Chancellor Angela Merkel were affected.


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B.


Legal persons, entities and bodies









 


Name


Identifying information


Reasons


Date of listing




‘4.


85th Main Centre for Special Services (GTsSS) of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GU/GRU)


Address: Komsomol’skiy Prospekt, 20, Moscow, 119146, Russian Federation


The 85th Main Centre for Special Services (GTsSS) of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GU/GRU), also known as “military unit 26165” (industry nicknames: “APT28”, “Fancy Bear”, “Sofacy Group”, “Pawn Storm” and “Strontium”), is responsible for cyber-attacks with a significant effect constituting an external threat to the Union or its Member States.
In particular, military intelligence officers of the GTsSS took part in the cyber-attack against the German federal parliament (Deutscher Bundestag) which took place in April and May 2015 and the attempted cyber-attack aimed at hacking into the Wi-Fi network of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the Netherlands in April 2018.
The cyber-attack against the German federal parliament targeted the parliament’s information system and affected its operation for several days. A significant amount of data was stolen and email accounts of several MPs as well as of Chancellor Angela Merkel were affected.


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