Russian envoy refutes UK claims of helping hackers target COVID-19 vaccine research

Russian ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin, has rubbished the accusations by Britain of assisting hackers to target the COVID-19 vaccine research data. In a UK television interview to be broadcast on July 19, Kelin said that the alleged link between APT29, the hacker group accused of trying to steal vaccine research, and Russian intelligence services made “no sense”.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) published an advisory on July 16, detailing tactics and techniques of a hacker group commonly known as ‘APT29’, also known as ‘the Dukes’ or ‘Cozy Bear’. The British government said that experts as NCSC are almost certain that APT29, which has targeted medical research and development organisations, is a part of the Russian Intelligence Services

According to the NCSC assessment, coordinated with Canada’s Communications Security Establishment (CSE), it is highly likely that this activity was to collect information on COVID-19 vaccine research or research into the novel coronavirus itself. The UK cybersecurity agency said that the US’ National Security Agency (NSA) has also agreed with the attribution and the details provided in the report.

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'No sense'

Kremlin told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that he doesn’t believe in the story at all and that there is no sense in it. He said that it is impossible to attribute any kind of computer hackers to any country. He also denied the separate claims of Russian interference in UK general elections held last year.

Britain has accused Russia of trying to meddle with their 2019 general elections by circulating leaked trade documents between Washington and Downing Street. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, in a written statement to the parliament, said that it is “almost certain” that Russian actors tried to interfere with the general election through the “online amplification of illicitly acquired and leaked government documents”.

"We do not interfere at all. We do not see any point in interference... we will try to settle relations and to establish better relations than now," said Kelin.

Read: UK Accuses Russian Intelligence Services Of Trying To Steal Coronavirus Vaccine Research