The Czech transport minister has warned that Russia is trying to sabotage European rail. The minister said that Russia has made thousands of attempts to destabilise the EU and undermine critical infrastructure since the start of its war in Ukraine. It is not the first time a European official warned of Russian sabotage.
Czech transport minister Martin Kupka told the Financial Times that Russia has made “thousands of attempts to weaken our systems” since the start of its war in Ukraine. Kupka suspects that Russia intends to sabotage European rail infrastructure and to destabilise the EU.
According to Kupka, a Russian hacking campaign has targeted signalling systems and networks of the Czech national railway operator České dráhy. Earlier, attacks succeeded in taking ticketing systems offline. Moreover, there are concerns about possible accidents as a result of interference with signals.
Growing amount of attacks
Financial Times writes that NUKIB, the Czech cyber security agency, warns of a growing amount of cyber attacks in recent years. “One of last year’s prominent trends has been the growing interest of malicious attackers in the energy and transportation sectors,” according to NUKIB. Likewise, České dráhy stated that it is facing more and more cyber attacks as well.
While concerns remain, Kupka also expresses satisfaction with efforts to protect the infrastructure. “It’s definitely a difficult point, but I’m really very satisfied because we are able to defend all systems before a successful attack.”
Not a new phenomenon
Concerns about Russian infrastructure interference have been abound for a while. A 2023 report by the EU Agency for Cybersecurity also identified such cases. It stated that various Russia-affiliated hacker groups claimed responsibility for attacks in Romania, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.
Rail infrastructure is the main, but not only target of Russian sabotage. The EU Agency for Cybersecurity also identified airports, governmental and private transport organisations as targets. Dutch authorities warned in 2023 that Russia may be mapping North Sea energy infrastructure for future disruptions.
Also read:
- Another derailment along the Iron Ore Line, this time it may be sabotage
- Ukrzaliznytsia prevents attempt to destroy critical railway infrastructure
- Anti-war rail attacks lead to derailments in Russia and Crimea
