Peskov Rejects Claims of Russian Involvement in European Refrigeration System Attacks
Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov has described as absurd the accusations that Russia was involved in cyberattacks on industrial refrigeration systems in Europe. Speaking to Interfax, Peskov stated that the claims lack any supporting evidence or argumentation and represent a persistent trend of unsubstantiated allegations against Russia by European countries.
The incidents took place during the night of 2 November and affected refrigeration equipment in nine countries, including Estonia, Belgium, Sweden, Ireland, United Kingdom, Finland and Luxembourg. Attackers remotely altered temperature settings, in some cases raising them to +50 °C, effectively turning cooling units into heaters and risking spoilage of stored goods. British media reported that the UK incidents primarily impacted meat producers rather than retail supermarkets.
An earlier wave of similar attacks occurred in France in October. Industrial refrigeration systems are frequently connected to the internet to enable remote servicing and automated alerts for malfunctions. When unauthorized parties obtain access, this connectivity allows them to disrupt operations and damage perishable inventory.
No group has claimed responsibility for either the October or November attacks. Consequently, any attribution to specific actors remains speculative and cannot be presented as established fact.
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