Putin convenes top Russian officials to discuss cybersecurity

Russian President Vladimir Putin was due to meet senior officials on Wednesday to discuss cybersecurity, the Kremlin said, describing the issue as increasingly pressing while denying the meeting was prompted by recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian data centres.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was due to meet senior officials on Wednesday to discuss cybersecurity, the Kremlin said, describing the issue as increasingly pressing while denying the meeting was prompted by recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian data centres.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the meeting would address wider security challenges, including the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a weapon.

“Artificial intelligence technologies bring many benefits and advantages, boosting efficiency. But at the same time, of course, attempts by various states to weaponize these new technologies… pose threats to entire sectors of any country’s economy,” Peskov told reporters.

“Naturally, we are no exception, and we must be prepared for these challenges. That is why the president is holding this meeting today,” he said.

Ukrainian drones struck four Russian data centres in the past week, including three belonging to technology group Yandex and one operated by Sberbank, according to reports.

Asked whether the meeting was linked to those attacks, Peskov rejected the suggestion.

“No, this is a much more systemic meeting. It is not connected to those specific, isolated attacks,” he said.

Participants were expected to include government ministers, senior security officials, Sberbank’s chief executive and Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Peskov said.