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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E668-E669]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RUSSIAN CYBER ATTACKS ON COVID RESEARCH CENTERS
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HON. RICHARD HUDSON
of north carolina
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 23, 2020
Mr. HUDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to strongly condemn the
recently reported Russian cyberattacks on United States, United Kingdom
and Canadian COVID-19 research centers.
As the world continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, Vladimir
Putin's regime has once again lived up to its reputation for
lawlessness and cynicism by targeting vaccine research and development
organizations with ``the intention of stealing information and
intellectual property relating to the development and testing of COVID-
19 vaccines,'' as assessed by U.S., British and Canadian intelligence
agencies.
Sadly, neither this appalling cyberattack, nor the pitiful Kremlin
denials which followed, are too surprising to those of us who watch
Russia closely.
As a Member of the U.S. Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe--the OSCE PA--
and Chairman of the Committee on Political Affairs and Security, I
regularly participate in difficult discussions with Russian political
leaders about Moscow's geopolitical misconduct. The Kremlin's campaign
across the OSCE space and beyond is aimed at destabilizing and
undermining the international order by any means necessary, to include
the invasion and occupation of OSCE participating States, the
assassination of political opponents abroad, disinformation and more.
On July 7, 2020, I communicated directly to the OSCE PA which
included the presence of the Russian head of delegation how seriously
the United States is taking reports of Russian monetary bounties to
Taliban-linked insurgents for the killing of American and NATO soldiers
in Afghanistan. The fact of Kremlin support to the Taliban had already
surfaced in a hearing of the United States Helsinki Commission which I
chaired on June 12, 2019, in open testimony by former Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Russia Michael Carpenter.
Madam Speaker, I will continue to work with colleagues here at home
and across the Atlantic to ensure the Kremlin's bald-faced denials of
its malign actions are countered, and that Vladimir Putin's regime
faces the appropriate consequences for its actions. The
[[Page E669]]
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has proven time and again its value as a
forum to counter disinformation and foster cooperation to counter
common threats. A result of these most recent reports, I intend to
advocate for that body to prioritize results-oriented discussions on
state-sponsored cyberattacks in our region in its upcoming work
session.
Madam Speaker, please join me in condemning the Kremlin's latest
despicable actions.
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