The Pentagon has denied media reports that it has ordered a halt to offensive cyber operations against Russia, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing a senior US ministry official.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not canceled or delayed any cyber operations against Russian targets, an official told Bloomberg.
Hegseth's alleged decision was reported last week by the cybersecurity website The Record. On Sunday, CBS News reported it, citing sources in the U.S. administration. The information was later confirmed by the New York Times and the Washington Post, citing their own government sources.
It was not clear how long the order would remain in effect or why it was introduced.
After reports of the Pentagon's decision, Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized it as an attempt by a “desperate Trump” to gain favor with a “thug like Vladimir Putin.” He described the US president's action as “unilateral disarmament” by the US and “a critical strategic mistake by Trump,” Bloomberg recalled.
Bloomberg noted that if the information about the suspension of offensive cyber operations against Russia is confirmed, it would mean that the decision in this matter was made before Trump's Friday meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who engaged in a public dispute. It could have been a means of persuading Russia to join the peace negotiations. (PAP)
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