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German Government Websites Return Online After Cyberattack Merkel Says Moscow Must Show Tangible Progress to Ease Ukraine Crisis
(about 3 hours later)
BERLIN — All of the German government’s official websites were fully accessible on Thursday, a day after being taken offline in an apparent effort by hackers demanding that Berlin cease its financial and political support to the government in Ukraine. BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany said on Thursday that the crisis in Ukraine could be eased only if Russia made tangible progress on all 12 points of a four-month-old agreement and that sanctions imposed on Moscow for its actions in eastern Ukraine could be lifted only if that overall progress was made.
Prime Minister Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk of Ukraine, who was to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany on Thursday, blamed the Russian secret service for funding the hacker group, which calls itself CyberBerkut. Germany has taken the lead in diplomatic efforts to end the violence in eastern Ukraine, and Ms. Merkel is scheduled to attend what she pointedly called “a possible meeting in Astana,” in Kazakhstan, with the presidents of France, Russia and Ukraine.
The group claimed responsibility for taking down the websites of the lower house of Parliament and the Foreign Ministry, as well as Ms. Merkel’s official home page. She gave no date, however, and insisted that Russia must first make “visible progress” toward meeting its obligations in the agreement known as the Minsk accord.
The accord has brought a shaky cease-fire, but no Russian withdrawal, to eastern Ukraine since it was signed Sept. 17.
“We have had road maps before, and they weren’t adhered to,” Ms. Merkel told reporters after meeting the Ukrainian prime minister, Arseniy P. Yatsenyuk.
There have been mounting calls – including from President François Hollande of France this week – for Europe to lift or ease sanctions imposed on Moscow, both for its annexation of Crimea last March and its subsequent role in eastern Ukraine.
Ms. Merkel said any action could come only if there was progress on all points of the Minsk accord, which lays down clear zones where Russia and Ukraine can operate under the eye of European monitors.
“You can’t say, we will lift 10 percent of sanctions for the line of control, or 20 percent if some other point is met,” the chancellor said. “I think we need to see the entire Minsk agreement implemented before we can say that sanctions will be lifted.”
Mr. Yatsenyuk said earlier that the Minsk accord “is not a menu; you can’t cherry-pick” which items to adhere while ignoring others. And, he told an audience at the German Council on Foreign Relations, a nongovernmental group, that “sanctions are extremely important” to keep the pressure on Russia.
On Wednesday, as the Ukrainian prime minister headed to Germany, at least three official German websites went offline after an apparent effort by hackers who demanded that Berlin cease support for the government in Kiev. All of the government’s sites were fully accessible on Thursday.
Mr. Yatsenyuk blamed the Russian secret service for funding the hacker group, which calls itself CyberBerkut.
The group claimed responsibility for taking down the websites of the lower house of Parliament and Ms. Merkel’s official home page. A Foreign Ministry official said its page was also affected.
“I strongly recommend that the Russian secret services stop spending taxpayer money for cyberattacks on the Bundestag and Chancellor Merkel’s office,” Mr. Yatsenyuk told the German television broadcaster ZDF, referring to the lower house.“I strongly recommend that the Russian secret services stop spending taxpayer money for cyberattacks on the Bundestag and Chancellor Merkel’s office,” Mr. Yatsenyuk told the German television broadcaster ZDF, referring to the lower house.
The sites were inaccessible for several hours on Wednesday. According to the country’s Office for Security in Information Technology, or B.S.I., hackers regularly try to attack government websites, including daily attempts by what the office believes to be a foreign intelligence agency. The office was investigating Wednesday’s attack. The sites were inaccessible for several hours on Wednesday. According to Germany’s Office for Security in Information Technology, or B.S.I., hackers regularly try to attack government websites, including daily attempts by what the office believes to be a foreign intelligence agency. The office was investigating the attack.
The German chancellor has been working to help mediate a simmering conflict between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces in the country’s eastern regions. Ms. Merkel gave the Ukrainian leader a warm welcome at her chancellery, and she reiterated that “Germany will continue to do everything to support Ukraine.”
The Ukrainian leader is also seeking additional credit to deal with current bailout payments, even as his country struggles to come to grips with entrenched problems such as corruption, tax evasion and lagging government asset sales. Many creditors fear Ukraine is not moving swiftly enough to enact needed economic changes. Mr. Yatsenyuk had outlined impressive overhauls, she said. The Ukrainian leader is seeking additional credit to deal with current bailout payments, even as his country struggles to come to grips with entrenched problems such as corruption, tax evasion and lagging government asset sales. Many creditors fear that Ukraine is not moving swiftly enough to enact needed economic changes.
Germany agreed on Wednesday to guarantee credit worth 500 million euros, or nearly $593 million, for Ukraine, contingent on prior approval for the specific use of the funds, said Beate Braams, a spokeswoman for the Economy Ministry. The German government is seeking prior approval to ensure that the funds are not used for any military purpose.Germany agreed on Wednesday to guarantee credit worth 500 million euros, or nearly $593 million, for Ukraine, contingent on prior approval for the specific use of the funds, said Beate Braams, a spokeswoman for the Economy Ministry. The German government is seeking prior approval to ensure that the funds are not used for any military purpose.
Mr. Yatsenyuk, in his appearance at the foreign policy society, encouraged Germans to do business in his country, lamenting that only 400 or so German firms were active in Ukraine, compared to a reported 8,000 in Romania.
He and Andriy Kobolyev, head of Ukraine’s state gas company, Naftogaz, also insisted that Ukraine is cleaning up its corrupt gas industry and encouraged more German and European involvement in that field.
Before winter, Germany and the European Union helped Russia and Ukraine negotiate a difficult agreement on natural gas deliveries from Russia, both to Ukraine and in transit to other European countries. The agreement runs until March 31.
Mr. Kobolyev said Ukraine is diversifying its energy supplies and hoped soon to meet 60 percent of its imported gas needs from Europe.