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Detention of REvil hackers crucial for Russia, US in fight against cybercrime — Kremlin

Last Friday and Saturday, Moscow’s Tverskoy Court arrested ten alleged members of the REvil hacking group responsible for ransomware attacks

MOSCOW, January 19. /TASS/. The Kremlin regards the detention of suspects involved in the REvil ransomware group as extremely important in the fight against cybercrime, which Russia and the US have agreed upon, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

"Interaction in the fight against cybercrime is an issue that was touched upon in Geneva by the two presidents [Vladimir Putin of Russia and Joe Biden of the United States at their talks on June 16, 2021]," the Kremlin spokesman recalled.

Peskov pointed out that "later, following the presidents’ decision, a mechanism of consultations between the two countries was launched, with representatives of the two sides’ special agencies taking part in it."

"In this regard, this [the detention of suspects involved in REvil] is extremely important," Peskov stressed.

Last Friday and Saturday, Moscow’s Tverskoy Court arrested ten alleged members of the REvil hacking group responsible for ransomware attacks. All the individuals are suspected of committing a crime stipulated under Part 2 of Article 187 of Russia’s Criminal Code (illegal turnover of payment funds).

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said that it had conducted its operation alongside the Interior Ministry in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Moscow, Leningrad, and Lipetsk regions to crack down on illegal activities of the organized crime group REvil. The FSB press service emphasized that it had launched its investigation based on the US agencies’ request.

REvil is considered one of the world’s most prominent cybercrime groups, having attacked Apple and the government of Texas, among other major targets.

The FSB earlier said it searched 25 places of residence of the 14 members of the group and seized more than 426 million rubles ($5.6 million) including denominated in cryptocurrency; $600,000; 500,000 euros; computer equipment, crypto wallets, and 20 luxury cars.