Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: Seven Russian military intelligence officers have been indicted for their alleged roles in a range of international cyber crimes.

An FBI-led investigation revealed that the officers in the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate–or the GRU–conducted computer hacking activities against anti-doping agencies and their members from nearly 30 countries.

The operatives committed their crimes from 2014 through May of this year.

Deputy Assistant Director Eric Welling says their motives were …

Eric Welling: … to retaliate against world anti-doping officials who publicly exposed Russian government sponsorship of doping by Russian athletes.

Halpern: The hacks were part of an influence and disinformation campaign that also allegedly targeted other interests of the Russian government, including the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

Welling: Victims targeted by nation-state hackers should not have to face the threat alone, and this indictment is an important step in standing with and seeking justice for the victims in this criminal activity.

Halpern: The FBI encourages victims to report suspected intrusions to their local field office. With FBI, This Week, I’m Mollie Halpern of the Bureau.