UK May Use Cyber Threat Allegations to Endorse Anti-Russian Attack - Moscow

Russian Foreign Ministry has commented on UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's earlier claims that Moscow is likely to retailiate to pressure from the Western countries with cyberattacks.

"It seems that by exploiting the alleged "cyber threat from Russia," the British government is preparing its own citizens for approving London's massive anti-Russian cyber attack, which — in case of implementation — will in fact be an aggressive and unprovoked action," the statemenet of the Russian Foreign Ministry reads.

The ministry has also demanded from London to provide evidence of Moscow's involvement in alleged cyber attacks on the UK.

READ MORE: Embassy: Moscow's "Involvement" in Cyberattacks on London Anti-Russia Campaign

The statement came in the wake of UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's interview on Monday, in which he warned that Russia could retaliate to sanctions and joint Western strikes in Syria with cyberattacks against UK networks and infrastructure.

The Russian embassy to the United Kingdom said earlier this week that London's accusations of the allegedly growing cyberthreat from Russia were instances of London’s provocative and groundless policy toward Moscow.

The Russian Embassy, responding to unfounded accusations of cyberthreats allegedly emanating from Moscow, stated that London is "frightening its population with an imaginary "Russian threat" instead of engaging in army planning" and added that the UK government is just seeking to get money from taxpayers.

READ MORE: 'Reckless Policy': Russian Embassy Slams UK Growing Russian Cyberthreat Claims

Realation between the UK and Russia has deteriorated significantly over London's unfounded claims that Moscow is behind the alleged poison attack against former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, which occurred on March 4.

On March 12 and 14, during the meetings in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, some lawmakers called on British government to use the country’s cyber capabilities against Russia. Later, the report by The Times stated that London could target Russia in a secret cyber operation in retaliation for the alleged poisoning of the Skripals, blamed on Moscow. Russian Embassy stressed that such threats "amount to calls to take military action against Russia in cyberspace."

According to the embassy, Russia has made several proposals to the UK to establish bilateral mechanisms of cooperation in the sphere of information security, including in December 2017, when Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s met with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, however, the proposals from the Russian side had been ignored by London.