��Certain Czech institutions were the target of cyberattacks exploiting an unknown vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook from 2023,” the ministry said in a statement.

Also today, the German government summoned the chargé d'affaires of the Russian embassy in Berlin after accusing Russian secret services of a cyberattack, Olaf Scholz's executive announced today.

“It is a clear diplomatic signal to summon the chargé d'affaires to make it clear to the Russian government that we do not accept these actions,” said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted by the French news agency AFP.

The alleged attack took place in 2023 and targeted members of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Scholz, the main party of the government coalition, according to German authorities.

The European Union (EU) said today that it is ready to respond to Russia's cyberattacks against European countries in recent years with “the full range of measures” at its disposal, after Germany and the Czech Republic accused Moscow of stealing data from the social democratic party and the Czech government.

“The EU is determined to use the full range of measures to prevent, deter and respond to Russia’s malicious behaviour in cyberspace,” said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, in a statement.

The North Atlantic Council, NATO's main political decision-making body, also condemned the cyberattacks carried out by a Russian entity against the German SPD and the Czech Republic, for trying to “undermine democratic institutions”.

“We stand in solidarity with Germany following the malicious cyber campaign against a political party, in this case the SDP, and with the Czech Republic, following the malicious cyber activities against its institutions,” the body said in a statement.

In concrete terms, according to the North Atlantic Council, “Allies assess that Germany and the Czech Republic have attributed the malicious cyber activities in their respective countries to the Russian Federation-sponsored APT28 threat actor, specifically the Russian military intelligence service GRU”.

In addition, “Allies also note with concern that the same threat actor has targeted other national governmental entities, critical infrastructure operators and other entities across the Alliance, including in Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden,” said the main political decision-making body of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Precisely one day after expressing “deep concern” about Russia's hybrid attacks, disinformation and cyber interference, the North Atlantic Council says it “strongly condemns malicious cyber activities aimed at undermining our democratic institutions, national security and free societies”.

“The malicious cyber activities directed against Germany and the Czech Republic underscore that cyberspace is constantly contested. Cyber threat actors persistently seek to destabilise the Alliance,” adds NATO, ensuring its commitment to “countering the substantial, ongoing and increasing cyber threat”.

“We promote a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace. We call on all states, including Russia, to uphold their international obligations and commitments to uphold international law and to act in accordance with responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, as affirmed by all members of the United Nations,” the Atlantic Alliance also states.

In the EU, there have been successive alerts of alleged Russian interference and disinformation, namely in the electoral campaign for the European elections, scheduled for 06 to 09 June.

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