Western spies targeted phones of Russian officials FSB

RT.com
02 Jun 2026, 10:51 GMT+10

AI had been deployed to analyze vast troves of data obtained by foreign intelligence, the agency has said

Western intelligence agencies hacked the phones of Russian officials and other people with access to sensitive information, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has said.

Devices belonging to Russian diplomats, politicians, high-ranking officers and journalists were allegedly compromised, allowing foreign spies to record everything around them and collect vast amounts of data, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.

The access to the gadgets had been obtained through a so-called zero-day vulnerability, a security hole in software unknown to its developers, according to the FSB.

The sheer volume of information gathered by Western spy agencies would have been impossible for humans to process just a few years ago, but AI is now being used to analyze it within minutes, the agency stressed.

According to the FSB, the investigation began in 2023 after experts at Russian cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab detected unusual network activity on employees' Apple devices.

The US has been developing its cyber-espionage infrastructure for decades, particularly since the adoption of the Patriot Act in 2001. Introduced in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the legislation gave American intelligence agencies broad powers to demand information from IT companies in the name of national security.

Washington's surveillance activities have not been limited to rival nations. In 2013, the US was caught spying on then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

(RT.com)

Watch latest videos

News RELEASES

Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Broadcast Communications.

More Information

Business

Section

AI startup Anthropic takes first step toward public listing

SAN FRANCISCO, California: Artificial intelligence company Anthropic has confidentially filed for a U.S. initial public offering, becoming...

Nasdaq Composite edges up 114 points in cautious start to week

NEW YORK, New York - Major U.S. stock markets closed on a cautious but positive note on Monday, with technology shares powering the...

UMG board says Ackman offer undervalues company

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Universal Music Group has rejected an unsolicited takeover proposal from billionaire investor Bill Ackman's...

Pizza Hut sale discussions advance with private equity firm

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky: Yum Brands is in exclusive negotiations to sell its Pizza Hut business to private-equity firm LongRange Capital,...

Microsoft, Nvidia to unveil Arm-based Windows computers

SAN FRANCISCO, California: Microsoft and Nvidia are expected to unveil the first Windows personal computers powered by Nvidia-designed...

Beijing broadens digital yuan use in payments and trade

BEIJING, China: China is stepping up efforts to expand the use of its digital yuan both domestically and internationally, according...

Sectors - Broadcasting

Section

Larry Fitzgerald Sr., sportswriter and Hall of Famer's dad, dies at 71

(Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images) Larry Fitzgerald Sr., the father of Hall of Fame wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and a...

"Excited to bring world's biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences": Zee CEO Punit Goenka after securing FIFA broadcasting rights till 2034

New Delhi [India], June 1 (ANI): Zee Entertainment Enterprises CEO Punit Goenka on Monday expressed excitement over the company's strategic...

Pakistan's poor infrastructure leaves Naran tourists and residents stranded in heavy snowfall

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], June 1 (ANI): Heavy snowfall and deteriorating road conditions in the region have prompted district...

"Will not approve any agreement until we have taken rights of our people": Iranian Parliament Speaker on peace deal with US

Tehran [Iran], May 31 (ANI): Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf on Sunday said Iran will not approve any agreement...

Iran slams Washington's attempt to divide Iran and force it to surrender as "false dream"

Tehran [Iran], May 31 (ANI): Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf on Sunday accused the United States of attempting to...

Update: China's non-manufacturing PMI up to 50.1 in May

BEIJING, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 50.1 in May, an increase...