The Corner

The Russian Cyberattack on America Is a Breakdown of Deterrence

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Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 11, 2025.

Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via Reuters

Recently unsealed grand jury records helpfully flagged by investigative journalist Michael Weiss implicate the Russian government in the execution of hostile cyberattacks against American civilian infrastructure.

The unredacted portions of the charging documents detail an operation that came online in March 2022, less than one month after Moscow embarked on its second invasion of Ukraine. It culminated in botnet attacks on U.S. government websites and those of its allies and partners, efforts to cripple American utilities providers and undermine the integrity of the 2024 elections, and the disruption of operations of American food distributors.

Noah Rothman

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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