US and European powers thrash Russia over global cyber attacks

The US Justice Department Thursday indicted seven agents of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency as part of a joint crackdown with Britain and the Netherlands on a series of major hacking plots attributed to Russia.

John Demers, US Assistant Attorney General for National Security, said the hacking targets included the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), global sports bodies as well as the US nuclear energy company Westinghouse.

"Nations like Russia and others that engage in malicious and norm-shattering cyber and influence activities should understand the continuing and steadfast resolve of the United States and its allies to prevent, disrupt and deter such unaccountable conduct," Demers told a news conference.

(With inputs from agencies.)