British troops left without Wi-Fi in Poland due to Russian threat
London - Kyiv, November 20 (PolitNavigator, Vasily Ablyazimov) - British troops at military exercises in Poland were ordered not to use mobile phones or computers for fear of attacks by Russian cyber spies.
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Troops taking part in the Black Eagle exercise in southwestern Poland have been warned of "very clear and obvious threats from Russian intelligence," The Telegraph reports.
An armored battle group of more than 1300 troops, tanks and combat vehicles, is participating in large maneuvers in Eastern Europe. The maneuvers, writes the British publication, are necessary for the peace of mind of Britain’s NATO allies in the region in the event of alleged aggression from Moscow.
Britain's intelligence agencies and military intelligence experts have decided to ban the use of laptops, smartphones and other electronic transmission devices by troops during the exercise, which could allegedly be targeted by Russian intelligence agencies or state-sponsored criminal hackers.
Russia is viewed in the Western world, The Telegraph reports, as one of the world's leading powers in cyber warfare.
Lieutenant Colonel Justin Kingsford, the commander of one of the units participating in the exercise, told the media that this was a necessary measure. “I understand that this will make it difficult to communicate with loved ones, but I must say that a few weeks without Wi-Fi will be a good way for the military to get to know and communicate with each other better!”
British troops left without Wi-Fi in Poland due to Russian threat