FSB: Foreign intelligence planted spyware on phones of Russian senior officials

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed it has uncovered an extensive operation by foreign intelligence services that installed malware on the mobile phones of senior Russian government officials. According to the FSB, the officials' conversations were being intercepted.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) stated that it has discovered a large-scale operation organized by foreign intelligence services aimed at installing spyware on smartphones belonging to senior Russian government officials and intercepting their conversations.

The FSB described the incident as a "far-reaching action by foreign special services," during which malware was installed on devices belonging to officials. The service did not specify which countries were involved in the operation or disclose how many officials' phones were compromised.

Such accusations are routine from Moscow and are often used to bolster state security rhetoric. Western intelligence services have in turn repeatedly reported on Russian cyber operations targeting the governments and institutions of foreign countries. Russia has consistently denied these allegations.