Operation of the century in Moscow: Was the Kremlin being wiretapped?

“The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation has uncovered and documented a large-scale operation by foreign intelligence agencies aimed at implanting and deploying software on mobile communication devices of senior Russian officials,” the FSB Public Relations Center said on Tuesday.

According to the FSB, the software is used “to extract existing data, intercept ongoing conversations, and conduct covert audio and video surveillance of the environment near electronic devices, with the aim of obtaining sensitive information.”

“Using the technical capabilities of large international IT corporations and mobile communications, representatives of foreign intelligence agencies carried out covert and unauthorized collection of various types of information from devices targeted in cyberattacks,” the Public Security Center stated.

The FSB Investigation Department has opened a criminal case under Articles 272 (illegal access to computer information) and 273 (creation, use, and distribution of malicious computer programs) of the Russian Criminal Code, Interfax reported.