DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Exclusive: Russia-linked smear campaign against Hunter Biden began earlier than previously thought
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The man pushing the thumb drive was a citizen of an Eastern European country and a guest of Claremont. That evening, Rollie passed a thumb drive containing disinformation about Hunter Biden and Burisma to a Pompeo aide. Smirnov was indicted last week for lying to the FBI about Hunter Biden. The revelation about Rollie's thumb drive comes shortly after the indictment of Smirnov, for allegedly making false statements about Hunter Biden in June 2020. Like Smirnov, Rollie's materials accuse Hunter Biden of involving his father in Burisma's business and committing a vast off-the-books fraud.

Persons: Mike Pompeo, Hunter Biden, Rollie, Pompeo, Burisma, BI Rollie, I'm, Rollie's, Biden's, Josef, Johnathan Buma, Donald Trump, Joe Biden's, Peter Schweizer, Rudy Giuliani, John Solomon, Hunter, Giuliani, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Biden, David Weiss, Smirnov's, Joe Biden, GOP Sen, Charles Grassley, MAGA, Jack Posobiec, Buma, Anastasiia Carrier Organizations: Claremont Institute's, Claremont, Business, BI, KGB, Department, Claremont Institute, FBI, New York Times, Prosecutors, GOP, State Department, Justice Department, Anastasiia Locations: Russia, Ukrainian, Beverly Hills, Eastern, Soviet, Los Angeles, Russian, Delaware, Ukraine, The Hill, East, West, Eastern Europe

☆ Fox News hyped the bogus FBI informant claims against Biden. Now its refusing to walk them back
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Days after explosive bribery claims about President Joe Biden came ripping apart at the seams, Fox News and the broader MAGA Media universe have declined to walk back their factually-challenged narrative. (Photo by Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images) Erik McGregor/LightRocket/Getty ImagesThe lack of a retraction or any real sign of contrition comes as the Smirnov allegations continue to implode in spectacular fashion. The network functions as the main organ in the right-wing media universe and has tremendous influence over the Republican Party base. By refusing to fully acknowledge the false claims and press GOP lawmakers on their relentless promotion of it, Fox News is effectively giving GOP lawmakers permission to continue doing so. A Fox News spokesperson did not off me a comment on the network’s coverage of the revelations surrounding the informant.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, David Weiss, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, ”, Jesse Watters, baselessly, Sean Hannity, Hannity, Weiss, Donald Trump, Brooke Singman, Erik McGregor, contrition, ” Weiss, Harris Faulkner, ” Faulkner, Rupert, Lachlan Murdoch, Lachlan, Tim Miller, “, ” Miller Organizations: New York CNN, Fox News, MAGA Media, Republican, Capitol, ” Fox News, Trump, FBI, Getty, Wednesday, Republican Party, Fox, Dominion Voting Systems, U.S . Capitol, MSNBC Locations: New York, Trump Russia, Democratic, United States

☆ Putin looms over a third successive US election
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —“Russia, Russia, Russia.”Ex-President Donald Trump’s scathing catch phrase for a torrent of investigations during his administration also serves as an apt catch-all for the current meltdown over Moscow roiling US politics. But Russia and its leader, whom President Joe Biden described as a “crazy S.O.B.” at a Wednesday fundraiser, won’t go away. All the ways Putin is playing in US politicsPutin is advancing Russian interests against the US on multiple fronts. Putin recently formalized his warming ties with North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Un by presenting him with a new limousine. The Russian leader was particularly incensed by the US-led operation to topple Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Donald Trump’s, Joe Biden, won’t, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Ukraine –, –, Alexander Smirnov, “, Trump, Smirnov, Biden, it’s, Putin can’t, ” Douglas, Alexey Navalny, Biden lambasts Trump, ” Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ronald Reagan, Mikhail Gorbachev, he’s, he’d, Mike Turner, Ksenia, Paul Whelan –, Evan Gershkovich, Geopolitically, Kim Jong Un, George W, Bush, Barack Obama, Moammar Gadhafi, Hillary Clinton, Robert Mueller, “ We’ll, Mueller Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, United States, European NATO, ”, Moscow, House Republicans, GOP, CIA, NATO, Republican Party, Republicans, Republican, Trump, Marine, Wall Street, Putin, Biden, US, Democratic Locations: Russia, Moscow, United States, China, Soviet, East Germany, United, Ukraine, Russian, European, Washington, Asia, Sweden, Finland, Berlin –, Europe, Ukrainian, California, North Korea, Iran, Crimea, Helsinki, Geneva

☆ Indicted ex-FBI informant admitted Russian intelligence officials passed along the Hunter Biden bribery story, prosecutors say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Smirnov said Russian intelligence passed along the story of the bribery claims, per a court filing. The memo also indicates that Smirnov met with Russian intelligence officials as recently as December of 2023. What this shows is that the misinformation he is spreading is not confined to 2020," the prosecutor's memo in favor of detention reads. "He is actively peddling new lies that could impact US elections after meeting with Russian intelligence officials in November. Impact of Smirnov's indictmentSmirnov's indictment and arrest may have an impact on unrelated gun charges facing Hunter Biden.

Persons: Biden, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, —, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Obama, General, Harry Reid, David Weiss, Smirnov's, Weiss Organizations: Burisma Holdings, Service, ex, FBI, GOP, White, Business, Ukrainian, Biden, Burisma, Public, Harry, Harry Reid International, Government, Central District of, CNN, Lawyers Locations: Ukrainian, Las Vegas, Central District, Central District of California, United States

☆ Turkey didn't get the F-35, but the new fifth-generation fighter jet it's been working on just made its first flight
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Turkey's first domestically made fighter jet successfully completed its maiden flight, and a new video captured the moment for the new fifth-generation aircraft. It's a major step forward for Turkey's efforts to acquire a fifth-generation fighter. The country was previously kicked out of the US-led F-35 program in 2019 as a consequence for purchasing S-400 air-defense systems from Russia. Turkey's aim is to field fifth-generation fighter jets that will eventually replace the country's F-16 fleet. Wednesday's flight heralds a promising step forward for Turkey, especially after it was expelled from the US-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.

Persons: —, Turkey's, yerli, Temel Kotil, Recep Erdogan, Samuel King Jr, Fielding Organizations: Service, Turkish Aerospace Industries, Turkish Air Force, Eglin Air Force Base, US Air Force, senior Defense Department, Pentagon Locations: Russia, Turkey, Russian, NATO, Turkish

☆ Republicans to grill James Biden behind closed doors in critical interview as GOP looks for lifeline in impeachment probe
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Annie Grayer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Hunter Biden is expected to show for his closed-door interview next week, after intense deliberations that almost collapsed. The first check Republicans revealed went to Joe Biden in 2018 for $200,000 from James Biden and James’ wife Sara Biden. What other Biden family business associates have saidBeyond Fox and Langston, Republicans have recently interviewed a number of key Biden family business associates. Walker also attended a 2017 business meeting with Hunter Biden and Chinese business associates, where Joe Biden made an appearance. Another longtime Biden family business associate, Eric Schwerin, performed administrative and bookkeeping tasks for then-Vice President Joe Biden from 2009 to 2017.

Persons: Joe Biden, Hunter, James, Wednesday, Biden, Hunter Biden, Mike Johnson, —, David Weiss, Hunter Biden’s, Alexander Smirnov, Robert Hur’s, Biden’s, James Biden, James ’, Sara Biden, ”, James Comer, Comer, Carol Fox, ‘ Biden, ’, Fox, James Biden’s, Joseph Langston, Langston, “, “ Jimmy Biden, ” Langston, Rob Walker, Walker, Biden —, ” Walker, ‘, ’ ”, Eric Schwerin, ” Schwerin, Mervyn Yan, Kevin Morris, Tony Bobulinski, Georges Bergès, White, Bergès, ” Bergès Organizations: Republicans, GOP, CNN, FBI, Burisma Holdings, undercutting, White, Democratic, Banking, Republican, Biden, Kentucky Republican, Fox, Langston, “, White House Locations: South Korea, Washington ,, China, Kentucky, Americore, Romania, American

☆ Alexander Smirnov told investigators he got Hunter Biden dirt from Russian intelligence officials
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The former FBI informant charged with lying about the Bidens’ dealings in Ukraine told investigators after his arrest that Russian intelligence officials were involved in passing information to him about Hunter Biden, prosecutors said Tuesday in a new court filing, noting that the information was false. They said he previously told the FBI that he has longstanding and extensive contacts with Russian spies, including individuals he said were high-level intelligence officers or command Russian assassins abroad. The story, prosecutors noted, matches the story Smirnov told his handler about Hunter Biden being recorded in a foreign hotel. And, prosecutors wrote, Smirnov claims to have met with Russian intelligence officials as recently as November and December 2023. “He is actively peddling new lies that could impact U.S. elections after meeting with Russian intelligence officials in November.

Persons: Hunter Biden, Prosecutors, Alexander Smirnov, ” Smirnov, David Weiss ’, Smirnov, “ Smirnov, Joe Biden’s, Smirnov’s, Weiss, “ Mr, ”, “, CNN’s Holmes Lybrand, Cheri Mossburg Organizations: CNN, FBI, Prosecutors, House Republicans, ” Prosecutors Locations: Ukraine, Russia, United States, Kyiv, Russian

☆ Estonia thwarts ‘shadow war’ attack, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tells CNN
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jim Sciutto | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Estonia has thwarted a Russian-directed influence operation on its territory, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has told CNN. The Estonian Internal Security Service arrested 10 individuals, including both Russian and Estonian nationals. “There’s a shadow war going on against our societies,” Prime Minister Kallas told CNN. “The aim of Russia’s influence operations is to influence our democratic decision making. The Kremlin is also directly involved in shaping Russian influence operations in neighboring countries, according to Presidential Administration documents leaked last year.

Persons: Kaja Kallas, Kallas, ” Kallas Organizations: CNN, Estonian, Estonian Internal Security Service, ”, Intelligence, SVR, Administration, Moldovan, NATO, European Union Locations: Estonia, Russian, Russia, –, NATO, Europe, Baltic States, Moldova

☆ Ex-Informant Accused of Lying About Bidens Said He Had Russian Contacts
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Glenn Thrush | Alan Feuer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

informant accused of making false bribery claims about President Biden and his son Hunter — which were widely publicized by Republicans — claimed to have been fed information by Russian intelligence, according to a court filing on Tuesday. But Mr. Smirnov told federal investigators that “officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing a story” about Hunter Biden. Those disclosures, including Mr. Smirnov’s unverifiable claim that he met with Russian intelligence officials as recently as three months ago, made him a flight risk and endangered national security, Justice Department officials said. Mr. Smirnov had been held in custody in Las Vegas, where he has lived since 2022, since his arrest last week. He was released from custody on Tuesday on a personal recognizance bond after a detention hearing, said his lawyers, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld.

Persons: Biden, Hunter —, Republicans —, Alexander Smirnov, Smirnov, Hunter Biden, David Chesnoff, Richard Schonfeld Organizations: Republicans, Justice Locations: Las Vegas

☆ Live updates: Russia advances in Ukraine as Navalny's family demand answers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Christian Edwards | Antoinette Radford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Yulia Navalnaya, wife of late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, attends the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on February 16. Kai Pfaffenbach/ReutersYulia Navalnaya said Monday that the Russian authorities are hiding her husband's body and “lying pathetically,” while waiting for traces of poisoning to disappear. A CNN and Bellingcat investigation later uncovered that a Russian intelligence service squad planted the poison on his underwear. Navalny returned to Russia in 2021 after being treated in Germany for Novichok poisoning. Even today, no country outside of Russia is known to have developed the substance.

Persons: Yulia Navalnaya, Alexey Navalny, Kai Pfaffenbach, Reuters Yulia Navalnaya, Vladimir, Putin’s, Navalny, ” Organizations: Reuters, CNN Locations: Munich, Germany, Russian, Russia, Soviet Union, Soviet

☆ Julian Assange’s Extradition and the Espionage Act Charges Against Him - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( James Kirchick | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Fourteen years ago, at a human rights conference in Oslo, I met Julian Assange. From the moment I encountered the wraithlike WikiLeaks founder, I sensed that he might be a morally dubious character. Though Mr. Assange insisted that his purpose was to expose American abuses, the leaks were also a boon to the Taliban and other authoritarian forces around the world. “Well, they’re informants,” Mr. Assange defiantly told them. In 2012, Mr. Assange hosted a talk show on RT (formerly Russia Today), the Kremlin-funded propaganda network that beams conspiracy theories and anti-Western narratives around the world.

Persons: I, Julian Assange, Assange, ” Mr, they’ve, Edward Snowden, Hillary Clinton Organizations: WikiLeaks, The Guardian, Russia Today, Kremlin, National Security Agency, Democratic Locations: Oslo, Israel, Iran, China, Russian, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine

☆ US Justice Department Says It Disrupted Russian Intelligence Hacking Network
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday it disrupted a Russian intelligence hacking network. "The Justice Department is accelerating our efforts to disrupt the Russian government's cyber campaigns against the United States and our allies, including Ukraine," U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. "In this case, Russian intelligence services turned to criminal groups to help them target home and office routers, but the Justice Department disabled their scheme," he added. The Latest Photos From Ukraine View All 91 Images(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington)Photos You Should See View All 22 Images

Persons: General Merrick Garland, Kanishka Singh Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S . Justice, Department, U.S, Justice Department Locations: United States, Ukraine, Washington

☆ Here's another sign our go-to cybersecurity stock should climb even higher in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Investors just received another reason to like Palo Alto Networks — the Club's favorite cybersecurity stock, which has been on fire. As these threats intensify for businesses, more customers are seeking out products and services like those offered by Palo Alto. "If the worst cybersecurity stock does well, what does it say about the best? Buy Palo Alto Networks," he said. Palo Alto Networks became the first cybersecurity stock to top a $100 billion market value late last year — a long-held goal by management.

Persons: there's, Nikesh Arora, Jim Cramer, Wall, Wednesday's Homestretch, Jim, hasn't, Jim Cramer's Organizations: Palo Alto Networks, Palo, Palo Alto, CNBC, Microsoft, Wall Street, JPMorgan, Alto Networks Locations: Palo Alto's, Palo, Russian

☆ Fortinet financials boost cybersecurity stocks after past outlook misses slammed the group
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CNBC's Jim Cramer sees a turnaround brewing for cybersecurity firm Fortinet . Shares of Fortinet rose 3.5% after the company reported beats on fourth-quarter earnings and revenue. This was a relief after Fortinet dropped outlook bombs in November and August, which had dragged down the whole group back then. Shares of Palo Alto Networks rallied 6.5% Wednesday to another all-time high, while other competitors including Okta and Zscaler were higher as well. Palo Alto Networks is a holding in Cramer's Charitable Portfolio Trust, which is used as the portfolio for the CNBC Investing Club .

Persons: CNBC's Jim Cramer, Fortinet, billings, Cramer, Jim Organizations: Palo Alto Networks, Trust, CNBC, Club, Microsoft Locations: Palo, Russian

The recordings immediately went viral on social media, and the candidate, who is pro-NATO and aligned with Western interests, was defeated in September by an opponent who supported closer ties to Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin. AI images that falsely depicted former President Donald Trump sitting with teenage girls on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane circulated on social media last month. And once a deepfake appears on social media, it can be nearly impossible to stop its spread. Šimečka said his team and others complained to social media platforms and law enforcement. He said social media platforms need to “put measures in place” to prevent attempts to meddle with an election.

Persons: he’d, Vladimir Putin, ”, Joe Biden’s, Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein’s, Trump, “, Subrahmanian, Alex Curtas, Curtas, Jared DeMarinis, ’, ” DeMarinis, Chelsea Carattini, Ilana Beller, haven’t, ” Beller, Paul Vallas, Sean R, Clark, ” Vallas, Vallas, Brandon Johnson, ” “ We’ll, Slovakia Michal Šimečka, ” Šimečka, Šimečka, ” Daniel Milo, Milo, it’s, ” Milo, Janis Sarts, ” Sarts Organizations: CNN, NATO, Northwestern University, Senior, Twitter, Democratic, Chicago, Political, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Public Citizen, State’s, Republican Party, Commission, Progressive, YouTube, Facebook, Slovakia’s Ministry, Meta, NATO Strategic Communications, of Excellence, Foreign Intelligence Service, Russian Intelligence Locations: Slovakia, Moscow, Europe, States, New Hampshire, Russia, China, Russian, Northwestern, American, California , Michigan, Minnesota , Texas, Washington, New Mexico, Idaho, Chicago, Progressive Slovakia, Slovakia’s, Latvia

☆ Exclusive: Xi promised Biden China wouldn’t interfere in 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In a meeting this past weekend in Bangkok with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan again brought up the topic. Wang offered Sullivan the same assurance Xi had given Biden months prior — that Beijing would not meddle in the American election this fall, the source said. The White House National Security Council declined to comment on whether election interference came up in the Biden-Xi and Sullivan-Wang meetings. CNN has reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment. Last week, a senior National Security Agency official told reporters that the agency had not yet seen signs of any notable new foreign influence operations aimed at the 2024 election.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Xi, Biden, Wang Yi, Jake Sullivan, Wang, Sullivan, Hillary Clinton’s, ”, “, Chris Krebs, ” Krebs, Brendan Smialowski, Antony Blinken, CNN’s Natasha Bertrand Organizations: CNN, Chinese Foreign, Democratic National Committee, FBI, Justice Department, White House National Security, Biden, Chinese Foreign Ministry, Microsoft, of, National Security Agency, US, Infrastructure Security, Economic Cooperation, APEC, Getty Locations: China, California, Bangkok, Beijing, Taiwan, Russia, Iran, Asia, Woodside , California, AFP, Washington, Chinese

☆ HPE hacked by same Russian intelligence group that hit Microsoft
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Antonio Neri, president and chief executive officer of Hewitt Packerd Enterprise (HPE), speaks during the HPE Discovery CIO Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., on Tuesday, June 19, 2018. HPE said that it is still investigating the hack, which it believes was related to another incident that occurred in June 2023. During that event, the hackers managed to compromise "a limited number of SharePoint files as early as May 2023," HPE wrote in the filing. "Upon undertaking such actions, we determined that such activity did not materially impact the Company." In 2020, this same Russian intelligence-linked hacking group also conducted the infamous breach of government supplier SolarWinds.

Persons: Antonio Neri, Hewitt, Bridget Bennett, Bear, HPE Organizations: Enterprise, Bloomberg, Getty, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Microsoft, SolarWinds Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Russian

☆ CrowdStrike CEO talks Microsoft's security breach and explains why Russian hackers are hard to beat
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In a Monday interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz discussed Microsoft 's high-profile security breach by a Russian intelligence group, saying these adversaries have a determined "low and slow" approach to hacking that's especially tough to beat. Thought to be part of the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR, Nobelium is also known as Midnight Blizzard and Cozy Bear. Nobelium has tried to breach the systems of U.S. allies as well as the Department of Defense. He said CrowdStrike uses its algorithms to string together these "low signals" and identify such adversaries. Kurtz added that CrowdStrike has been able to stop the group in the past, saying that some of Microsoft's customers seek additional support from his company.

Persons: CNBC's Jim Cramer, George Kurtz, Cozy Bear, Kurtz, it's, Nobelium, CrowdStrike Organizations: Microsoft, Nobelium, Midnight, Cozy, Department of Defense, SolarWinds Locations: Russian, U.S, China

☆ What Microsoft’s hack means for its $20 billion cybersecurity franchise and its rivals
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Microsoft 's hacking disclosure could be a challenge for its $20 billion-a-year cybersecurity franchise but bullish news for fellow portfolio name and rival Palo Alto Networks. Microsoft stock was trading modestly lower Monday but has climbed more than 5% since the start of 2024 following last year's 56% gains. Microsoft's cybersecurity incident doesn't leave us any less bullish on the mega-cap name. While its cybersecurity business pulls in about $20 billion in annual sales, Microsoft's revenue jumped 7% in 2023 to nearly $212 billion. The Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) new disclosure rules around cybersecurity attacks could be another catalyst for Palo Alto, Jim added.

Persons: hasn't, Nobelium, Jim Cramer, Jim, Palo, Exchange Commission's, Nikesh Arora, Estee Lauder, Clorox, Okta, Jim Cramer's, Satya Nadella, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, Wall, SolarWinds, Apple, JPMorgan, Securities, Exchange, SEC, Palo Alto, Corporations, Palo, CNBC, MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment Locations: Russian, Palo, Palo Alto, Davos, Switzerland, San Francisco

☆ Microsoft hack could've been the start of a 'pretty significant campaign': SentinelOne's Alex Stamos
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMicrosoft hack could've been the start of a 'pretty significant campaign': SentinelOne's Alex StamosAlex Stamos, SentinelOne chief trust officer, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the recent Microsoft hack by Russian intelligence group, what it means for the cybersecurity landscape at large, and more.

Persons: Alex Stamos Alex Stamos Organizations: Microsoft

Microsoft said in a Friday regulatory filing that a Russian intelligence group accessed some of the software maker's top executives' email accounts. The company said a group called Nobelium carried out the attack, which it detected last week. Microsoft and the U.S. government consider Nobelium to be a part of the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR. The hacking group was responsible for one of the most prolific breaches in U.S. history, when it breached government supplier SolarWinds in 2020. It was also implicated alongside another Russian hacking group in the 2016 breach of the Democratic National Committee's systems.

Persons: Amy Hood, Brad Smith, Satya Nadella, Nobelium Organizations: Microsoft, Infrastructure Security Agency, U.S, SolarWinds, Department of Defense, Democratic National Locations: Russian, U.S

☆ Fact Check: Washington Post headline about Ukraine and Hamas weapon supply is fake
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Washington Post did not publish a report saying that weapons supply from Ukraine to Hamas had tripled, a spokesperson for the news outlet said in response to a fabricated screenshot of the purported article circulating online. The fake article, with the headline, “Ukraine's arms supply to Hamas has tripled in the last month,” is dated November 2, 2023 and attributed to Chris Moltisanti in its byline. However, a Washington Post spokesperson said in an email that the news outlet had not published the story shown in the screenshot and that Chris Moltisanti is not associated with the Post. A search for the purported headline and the byline Chris Moltisanti yielded no results on the news outlet’s website. The Washington Post did not publish a headline saying that Hamas’ supply of weapons from Ukraine had tripled.

Persons: ”, Chris Moltisanti, Christopher Moltisanti, Michael Imperioli, Ali Baraka, Read Organizations: Washington Post, Hamas, Facebook, HBO, Ukrainian Defence, ”, Reuters, Israel Defense Forces, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, ” Ukraine

☆ Collusion vs. Stop the Steal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Holman W. Jenkins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Donald Trump and Joe Biden Photo: morry gash/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesA recent column observed disconcertingly that election denial appears to have been a successful strategy for Donald Trump. Larry Kudlow , his former White House economic adviser, points out that many voters like Trump policies, which is true. How does “stop the steal” advance their cause? One might also ask how and why collusion continues to work for Democrats. My inbox is as revealing about collusion as it is about stop the steal, with some Democrats clinging to whatever they heard first, including the legend of the Moscow hotel room, long since debunked by the U.S. Justice Department.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Larry Kudlow, “ Didn’t Trump, Natalia Veselnitskaya, didn’t Mike Flynn, didn’t Organizations: Agence France, White, U.S . Justice Department, Trump Locations: Moscow, Russia, Russian, Hillary

The statement said the lawmaker “carried out information-subversive activities in favor of the Russian Federation” intended to destabilize and discredit Ukraine. When Giuliani went to Ukraine in 2019 to try to dig up dirt on then-candidate Biden and his son Hunter Biden, Dubinsky was one of the people he met with. Giuliani traveled to Ukraine in December 2019 to meet with several Ukrainian officials in an effort to defend Trump against House Democrats' impeachment inquiry. The US and Ukrainian governments have now both said these three Ukrainian officials participated in the Kremlin’s efforts to interfere with the 2020 US election. They also promoted the untrue conspiracy theory that Ukraine meddled in the 2016 US presidential election to undermine Trump, contrasting with the reality that Russia meddled to help Trump win.

Persons: CNN —, Rudy Giuliani, Joe Biden, Oleksandr Dubinsky, “, Russian Federation ”, Andrii Derkach, Kostiantyn Kulyk, Giuliani, Donald Trump, Biden, Trump, Hunter Biden, Dubinsky, Derkach, Kulyk, Hunter, Trump’s, impeaching Biden, SBU, Leah Millis, Igor Kolesnikov, Kolesnikov, ”, Russia meddled, denigrate Biden, Volodymyr Zelensky, Andriy Yermak, ” Dubinsky Organizations: CNN, Bureau of Investigation, Security Service of Ukraine, Russian Federation, Trump, Biden, Moscow, House Republicans, GOP, House Democrats, Reuters, GRU, Kremlin Locations: Ukraine’s, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Russian, Moscow

☆ Ukraine Indicts Officials Linked to Efforts to Investigate the Bidens
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Andrew E. Kramer | More About Andrew E. Kramer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Those accused include Kostyantyn Kulyk, a former Ukrainian deputy prosecutor general who had drafted a memo in 2019 suggesting Ukraine investigate Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, for his role serving on the board of a Ukrainian energy company. Also implicated were a current member of Ukraine’s Parliament, Oleksandr Dubinsky, and a former member, Andriy Derkach, who had publicly advocated for an investigation in Ukraine into Hunter Biden. They had also promoted a spurious theory that it was Ukraine, and not Russia, that had meddled in the 2016 presidential election in the United States. The three were indicted on charges of treason and belonging to a criminal organization. The charges refer to “information-subversive activities” and focus on actions in 2019 before the American presidential election.

Persons: Rudolph W, Giuliani, Biden, Kostyantyn, Hunter Biden, Biden’s, Oleksandr Dubinsky, Andriy Derkach Organizations: Hunter Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russia, United States

Search resuls for: "Russian Intelligence"

25 mentions found