The European Union has taken decisive action against VK, the prominent Russian technology firm behind the social media platform VKontakte, alongside its subsidiary that develops the national messaging application MAX. These sanctions were formalized by the Council of the European Union on July 13 and subsequently published in the EU’s Official Journal.
Details of the Sanctions
In a comprehensive move, the Council has expanded its sanctions list to include various individuals and entities, citing their involvement in a range of cyber activities. These include cyberattacks, cyber espionage, and other aggressive cyber operations purportedly executed on behalf of the Russian state. The Council’s findings indicate that VK has been complicit in providing Russian authorities with personal data from users who expressed dissent against the war in Ukraine or shared content deemed illegal under Russian legislation.
Moreover, the development of the MAX messaging application has been reported to occur under the oversight of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), further complicating VK’s standing in the international arena.
Coordinated International Response
This latest round of sanctions aligns with a broader coordinated effort by the European Union and the United Kingdom, which recently unveiled a sanctions package targeting 24 individuals and entities linked to Russia’s cyber operations and disinformation campaigns across Europe. The UK government has articulated that these measures aim to counter what it describes as Russia’s “persistent and increasingly reckless attempts to sow chaos and division across Europe.”
Among those sanctioned are individuals and organizations allegedly connected to cyberattacks and hybrid operations, including networks of cybercriminals acting in concert with Russian intelligence services. This move follows Apple’s decision to remove VK applications from its App Store, a development that has drawn attention from the Kremlin. Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Russian government, indicated that authorities would seek clarification from Apple regarding this action before contemplating any potential countermeasures.
