US to Cease All Offensive Cyberoperations Against Russia
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered US Cyber Command to halt offensive cyberoperations against Russia as part of what analysts say is a wider move to draw Vladimir Putin into negotiations over Ukraine. The Mail has more.
Donald Trump has signalled both publicly and privately that he no longer considers Russia a major cyber threat to US national security and critical infrastructure.
The shift, which starkly contradicts years of warnings from intelligence officials, has raised alarm among cybersecurity experts who fear that the United States is leaving itself exposed to Russian cyberattacks just as global tensions reach boiling point.
On Sunday night, it was reported that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered US Cyber Command to cease all offensive cyberoperations against Russia.
Critics warn the policy reversal appears to be driven by the administration’s warming relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Trump moves to realign US foreign policy in a way that increasingly mirrors Moscow’s interests.
“Russia and China are our biggest adversaries. With all the cuts being made to different agencies, a lot of cybersecurity personnel have been fired. Our systems are not going to be protected and our adversaries know this,” a person familiar with the shift told the Guardian.
“People are saying Russia is winning. Putin is on the inside now,” they added.
According to a current official and two former officials briefed on the classified directive, the abrupt halt is reportedly part of a broader strategic effort to lure Putin into negotiations over Ukraine and reset relations with the US.
The decision marks a significant shift in the US cyber posture against an adversary known for its aggressive digital warfare, election interference and relentless hacking campaigns.
While some insiders argue the move is a necessary step in diplomacy, critics warn that it represents a dangerous retreat that could embolden Moscow to escalate its cyberattacks on the US and its allies.
“It’s incomprehensible to give a speech about threats in cyberspace and not mention Russia and it’s delusional to think this will turn Russia and the FSB [the Russian security agency] into our friends,” James Lewis, a veteran cyber expert, told the Guardian.
“They hate the US and are still mad about losing the cold war. Pretending otherwise won’t change this.”
Hegseth’s directive, which is part of a broader reassessment of all US military operations against Russia, has yet to be publicly explained.
However, the timing of the order which was given before President Trump’s Oval Office blowup with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are apparently part of an effort to draw Russia into talks on the war.
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It is inevitable that Russia could achieve ALL its goals on the battlefield.
It would have to be a very good “deal” in Russia’s favour for them to halt their “liberation” of the east and south of Ukraine.
Your boss, Putin, could well emerge the winner here. Either Trump has lost his marbles, or Putin has something on him.
Not something I know anything about, other than to ask whether to keep up to speed with defensive cyber-capability, do you need to keep pushing the envelope of offensive capability?
Can’t have one without the other? Which presumably U.S. Intelligence Services will continue to prosecute against cyber-troublemakers other than Russia?
As evidenced by what exactly?
This is yet another one of those things that we keep being told are happening and yet are unobservable. Like catastrophic climate change or rampant racism or millions of covid deaths, or millions of people saved by jabs.
Am I alone in feeling like I’m constantly being subjected to psyops by our establishment?
In any case, they’re only announcing the end of OFFENSIVE action, not defensive action. Supposedly.
Was just coming to say the exact same thing. As you say it’s unobservable and why would I believe anything they say after the propaganda of the last few years, which is also still going on.
Or as Neil Oliver would say…’it’s not always about what they say it’s about.’
I’ve not seen any evidence of any of those things. Presumably someone somewhere has produced such evidence as justification for the money and power they are given to respond to the supposed threat, but whether that evidence is accurate or not is unknown to me.
I wonder what our own intelligence services think about this, but I suppose they’re not allowed to give their true opinions.
Well, I’m shocked. Who would have believed that USA engaged in the sort of activities that we are told is a signature of the Russian security forces.
Grow up. Everyone does it.
Yes this fact here has been spoken about for some time. Why do we never see any footage of this war? Contrast this with the Gulf war, for instance. Strange; ”Why is the Ukraine/Russia war the first un-televised war in the modern era? This is highly abnormal, particularly so given the technology of 2025 compared to the WWI Pathe News cameramen who produced more war footage then than now. The answer, of course, is that the people behind the war don’t want us to know the truth about it. Zelensky has just taken part in an emergency summit with Starmer and EU leaders who promise to take over the war-horse reins now Trump has effectively side-lined Ukraine. Why are they so keen on perpetuating this strangely invisible war? Why are they gambling on a potential WW3 with so little apparent concern? Aside from personal financial enrichment – and there is a LOT of that – I believe it has to do with the UN Agenda 2030. We are rapidly approaching that date, but the Globalist infrastructure is struggling to develop as Western citizenry increasingly resist what they see as a future tyranny. WW3 would overcome this. Out of global chaos… Read more »
I agree. Why isn’t Russian TV showing this stuff?:
https://x.com/wartranslated/status/1896628718099202503?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet
But someone did make a movie:
https://meduza.io/feature/2025/02/27/chuzhaya-voyna-dokumentalnyy-film-o-soldatah-rodom-iz-kyrgyzstana-pogibshih-v-ukraine
Trust has completely been destroyed by our government agencies after the revelations of the last 5 years. They are continuing to be exposed for their lies and self-serving, immoral and unethical behaviour. The degree of falsehoods is very hard to digest it is so extreme. I don’t believe a single thing that any agency associated with the industrial military and intelligence complex says, period. They are a threat to humanity.
Our Government is a far greater threat to our well being than Russia. Our Prime Minister, like the last 6 or so, are all World Economic Forum puppets. They have not had our security or best interests at heart. From the lockdowns and lies about safety and efficacy, to thought police, hate crimes and censorship, our enemy has given us open borders, 150,000 illegal immigrants, unaffordable energy and housing, a useless health service and a crumbling economy. Of course they want to send our sons and daughters into war. We have a Government that despises the people.