Russian weapons do not always need to explode. They may simply arrive in your inbox. As Moscow refines its cyber arsenal, digital espionage is increasingly the Kremlin’s weapon of choice for advancing its geopolitical ambition. Last week, the US, with international allies, issued a warning that underscores a troubling evolution in Russia’s cyber espionage playbook. A newly disclosed campaign by the Russian state-supported group Laundry Bear has “targeted and compromised Western government and commercial organizations.” The warning signs are becoming harder to ignore. In July, the United Kingdom and the European Union imposed sanctions package after attributing cyberattacks against Poland to Russian actors. The measures target Russian state entities and affiliated criminal networks accused of conducting cyber operations, interfering in democratic elections, and spreading disinformation aimed at weakening support for Ukraine across Europe. On July 13, the US issued a cybersecurity advisory urging operator of critical infrastructure to strengthen their defenses against Russian cyber threats.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Many European partners jointly wrote and published the recent warning which identified Center 16 as the group responsible for targeting Western critical infrastructure. Also known as Military Unit 71330, Center 16 belongs to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). As one of Russia’s most sophisticated cyber actors, Center 16 conducts cyber operations to gain access to online systems across the globe allowing them to collect sensitive data and cause functional disruptions to Western infrastructure. According to the advisory, Center 16 identifies and exploits vulnerabilities in Western routers to enter critical infrastructure sector networks. The unit was responsible for the attack on Poland’s energy grid in December 2025.