Germany: Russia Must Pay in Cyberattack05/03 06:12

   

   SYDNEY (AP) -- German's top diplomat on Friday said Russia will face 
consequences after accusing its military intelligence service of masterminding 
an "absolutely intolerable" cyberattack.

   Relations between the two European countries were already tense, with 
Germany providing military support to Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.

   German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russian state hackers were 
behind a cyberattack last year that targeted the Social Democrats, the leading 
party in the governing coalition.

   "Russian state hackers attacked Germany in cyberspace," she said at a news 
conference in the Australian city of Adelaide. "We can attribute this attack to 
the group called APT28, which is steered by the military intelligence service 
of Russia."

   "This is absolutely intolerable and unacceptable and will have 
consequences," she said.

   Baerbock is visiting Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, with the trip focusing 
on security policy as China pushes for influence in the Pacific region.

   "The defense cooperation between Germany and Australia is close and we would 
like to deepen it further and together expand it, because we are in a situation 
where we face similar threats," said Baerbock, who is the first German foreign 
minister to visit Australia in 13 years.

   Discussions between Baerbock and Australia counterpart Penny Wong centered 
on the conflict in Gaza. "I think we all understand that the only path out of 
this cycle of violence that we see in the Middle East at such great cost is one 
that ultimately ensures a two-state solution," Wong said.