{"id":25491,"date":"2018-03-05T15:52:54","date_gmt":"2018-03-05T15:52:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/05\/deterring-russia-on-the-cyber-battlefield\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T17:58:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T17:58:22","slug":"deterring-russia-on-the-cyber-battlefield","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/commentary\/2018\/03\/05\/deterring-russia-on-the-cyber-battlefield\/","title":{"rendered":"Danish defense minister: Deterring Russia on the cyber battlefield"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The fact that Russia\u2019s aggressive<\/a> cyberattacks are primarily meant to undermine the cohesion of Western societies and our partners \u2014 and above anything else create division and a rift within both NATO and the European Union \u2014 clearly stands out as a concern from this year\u2019s Munich Security Conference<\/a>. The Russians are masters of distorting reality<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the more bizarre episodes occurred when U.S. national security adviser H.R. McMaster was asked by a Russian expert if it was time to restart dialogue on cyber with reference to the high number of cyberattacks targeting Russia that allegedly originated in the United States, saying that only a few cyberattacks targeting the U.S. originated in Russia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McMaster expressed surprise that Russian cyber experts were even available at the conference based on how active most of them were in undermining Western democracies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, a funny remark among a serious forum. McMaster added that dialogue with Russia would come when the country expressed sincerity about the topic. Until then, McMaster continued, the U.S. would continue to expose the Russian cyberattacks, which support forces whose sole purpose is to create division and strife.<\/p>\n\n\n\t