Pentagon chief orders U.S. cyber command to halt all activities against Russia

Last week, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the US Cyber Command to abandon any planning for action against Russia, including offensive digital actions. This was reported by the Record, citing sources, according to UNN.

Details

According to the sources, Hegseth relayed the instruction to the head of Cyber Command, General Timothy Ho, who then informed the organization's director of operations, Marine Corps Major General Ryan Heritage, of the new guidelines.

The sources said that the order does not apply to the National Security Agency, which is also headed by Ho, and its work on radio intelligence directed against Russia.

While the full scope of Hagel's directive to the command remains unclear, it is another indication of the White House's efforts to normalize relations with Moscow after the United States and international allies worked to isolate the Kremlin over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine,

According to the sources, the exact duration of Hegseth's order is unknown, although the command has been told that the instructions will remain in effect for the foreseeable future.

The sources said that the cyber command has already begun compiling a risk assessment for Hegseth, a report that confirms the organization's receipt of his order, lists current activities or missions that have been halted as a result of the decision, and details potential threats that continue to come from Russia.

The implications of Hagest's instructions for the command's personnel are unclear. The decision is likely to affect 5,800 people, including members of the approximately 2,000-strong National Cyber Mission Force and Cyber Mission Force. They come from the armed forces and are divided into teams that conduct offensive and defensive operations in cyberspace. It is believed that a quarter of the offensive units are concentrated in Russia,

However, if the guidance extends to areas such as intelligence and analysis or capability development, the number of those affected by the executive order is much higher. The command may have approximately 2000-3000 employees, in addition to support staff and NSA employees. The organizations share a campus in Fort Meade, Maryland.

Hegseth's instruction comes as the Cyber Command is trying to staff up to combat Mexican drug cartels, eight of which have been officially designated as terrorist groups by the administration. Trump officials have advocated military action against cartel figures and infrastructure to stop the flow of drugs across the border.

The order may also halt some of the command's missions in Ukraine.

Recall

The U.S. State Department halts USAID's investment in rebuilding Ukraine's energy system after Russian attacks. The agency is also reducing its presence in Ukraine from 64 to 8 employees.