Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the U.S. military to cease conducting cyberattacks against Russia, according to reports from the Pentagon. Although the details of the instructions have not been made known, according to the New York Times they were issued prior to the heated argument between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance on Friday.
The order to halt cyberattacks is likely part of the administration’s broader goal to defuse American tensions with the Russian Federation and engage President Vladimir Putin in talks to end the war in Ukraine. Cyberattacks from both sides have been a common feature of the war since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022. Russian cyberattackers have targeted countries engaged in supporting the Ukrainian war effort, particularly in Europe, while Americans and other partner nations have targeted Russian networks for infiltration, espionage and more.
Hegseth’s orders do not apply to the NSA, which may continue its cyberoperations in the field for the present time.
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