France Accuses Russian Military Intelligence of Decade-Long Cyberattacks

France on Tuesday publicly accused Russian military intelligence of conducting a persistent campaign of cyberattacks against the country over the past decade, including a high-profile assault on President Emmanuel Macron’s first presidential campaign in 2017.

In a statement issued by the French foreign ministry, officials pointed directly at a branch of Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, alleging it has engaged in “malicious cyber operations” targeting French institutions and critical sectors since at least 2017.

The ministry said the operations were part of a broader disinformation and destabilization campaign orchestrated by the Kremlin.

“France condemns these actions, which are unacceptable and contrary to the principles of international law,” the statement read. “We reaffirm our full support for the protection of our democratic institutions and the resilience of our economy and defence sector.”

According to the ministry, the cyberattacks escalated in scope and sophistication beginning in 2021, with a GRU unit identified as APT28, also known as “Fancy Bear”, allegedly launching multiple incursions into French networks.

These efforts targeted entities in the defense, finance, and economic sectors, including attempts to breach sensitive government data and disrupt public services.

The accusations were accompanied by a detailed technical report released by France’s cybersecurity agency, ANSSI (Agence nationale de la sécurité des systèmes d’information), which outlined the tools, methods, and infrastructure used in the attacks.

Investigators linked them to a long-standing campaign attributed to the GRU, citing similarities with past operations against the United States1, Germany, and Ukraine.

The most notable of these was the interference in Macron’s 2017 presidential campaign, during which a massive email leak known as “MacronLeaks” occurred just days before the election.

French intelligence agencies have long believed the leak to be the work of Russian operatives attempting to sway the vote in favor of far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.

While the Kremlin has consistently denied involvement in foreign cyber operations, the French government said the accumulated evidence leaves little room for doubt.

“These are not isolated incidents,” the foreign ministry emphasized. “They are part of a sustained strategy to undermine democratic nations and their institutions.”

French officials said they are coordinating with European and NATO allies to share intelligence and develop countermeasures against future attacks.

The foreign ministry also hinted that retaliatory diplomatic steps could be considered, although no specific sanctions or expulsions were announced on Tuesday.

In response, the Russian embassy in Paris rejected the accusations, calling them “unfounded and politically motivated.”

In a brief statement, it said, “The Russian Federation has never engaged in cyber aggression against France or any other state. We urge French officials to cease inflammatory rhetoric and return to constructive dialogue.”

The latest revelation adds to rising tensions between Western governments and Moscow, already strained by the war in Ukraine and recent allegations of election meddling across Europe.

As France gears up for the 2027 presidential race and continues to invest in digital infrastructure, cybersecurity experts warn that hostile foreign interference is likely to remain a persistent threat.

“The playbook hasn’t changed,” said Julien Nocetti, a French cyber policy analyst. “We need to be more resilient, more transparent, and more coordinated with allies to defend our digital sovereignty.”

This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members