The United States plans to provide Ukraine $ 8 million for cybersecurity. This is stated in the message of the US State Department following a meeting with the Ukrainian side in Kiev.
“As a demonstration of its continued commitment to supporting cybersecurity, the United States announced that the Department of State will allocate another $ 8 million to provide assistance in the field of cybersecurity in addition to the $ 10 million promised in 2017,” the statement said on the official website of the foreign ministry.
At the same time, it is specified that part of these funds “will be directed to support the new project of the US Agency for International Development in the field of cybersecurity, in which it is planned to invest up to $ 38 million over four years” with the aim of “strengthening the capabilities of Ukraine in the field of cybersecurity by supporting legislative and regulatory reform, training in the cyber industry and engaging the private sector. ”
However, according to experts, such steps by Washington “can in no way affect the Ukrainian security institute.”
“This is absolute window dressing. The money allocated is not even enough to create a good security system for state authorities, ”political scientist Sergei Sudakov, a correspondent at the Academy of Military Sciences, said in an interview with RT.
He also emphasized that Washington gives “help” to Kiev solely in order “to demonstrate certain loyalty and not spend any substantial funds at the same time”.
“In the USA, they understand that a significant part of this money will still be stolen anyway. Therefore, they allocate exactly as much as can be recorded in the report. And the Ukrainian authorities will shout that these are huge funds, which will be enough to ensure security throughout Ukraine, ”said the analyst.
According to him, "if something remains of this amount, it will go to propaganda work, bloggers and the denigration of Russia."
“Money will be directed precisely to this. And everyone will soon forget about cybersecurity, ”the expert added.
Impact lever
At the same time, Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics of the Moscow State Pedagogical University, in an interview with RT drew attention to the fact that "$ 8 million alone does not seem to be a significant amount, but if you count all the money that the US allocates to Ukraine in such projects, it turns out impressive figure. "
Experts remind that the cybersphere is far from the only area financing which, "Washington is trying to get additional leverage over Kiev."
- State Department
- © Alex Wong / Getty Images / AFP
So, in February, the United States Embassy in Ukraine invited the "independent media" of the republic to apply for participation in projects "to strengthen institutional capacity."
According to the description of the grant, which was reviewed by RT, the diplomatic mission announced the possibility of applying for participation in projects to create a program for "expanding the dialogue within the Ukrainian audience" on important issues of politics, economy and society, which play a key role in the framework of the "Euro-Atlantic development vector ”of the state. The State Department intends to allocate up to $ 500 thousand for the implementation of such a program.
It is also noted that more promising applications will be devoted to programs for conducting elections in Ukraine, implementing anti-corruption reforms and ensuring human rights.
Earlier, the State Department announced the acceptance of grant applications in the field of organizing training of “opinion leaders” in the field of digital media in Ukraine to successfully counter “Russian misinformation”.
In addition, the US Agency for International Development intends to allocate $ 38 million in order to “instill” in Ukrainian youth a sense of responsibility for the European future of the country and develop “democratic values”. The project is designed for Ukrainians aged ten to 35 years.
Vladimir Shapovalov noted that all these funds are usually allocated "for hostile purposes against Russia."
“At the same time, the reasons can be different - from the fight against cybercrime, as it is now, to ensuring the sovereignty of the state and guarantees of free elections. In fact, Washington thus draws Kiev into actions directed against Moscow, ”the expert emphasized.
"Outpost of the struggle against Russia"
Analysts note that additional funds that should go to strengthen the cybersecurity of Ukraine will also be directed against the Russian Federation.
Recall that the United States has repeatedly accused Moscow of various kinds of “interventions”, as well as of “cybergurosis” emanating from it.
Analysts emphasize that the most recently in the United States began to play the card of the "Russian trace" in the 2020 election race.
So, at the end of February, Vermont senator and Democratic Party presidential candidate Bernie Sanders urged Russia to "stay away from the US election." He stated this in an interview with The Washington Post, which previously, citing unnamed sources, wrote about Moscow’s plans to "intervene in the elections" in 2020.
- Super Tuesday in San Diego, USA, March 3, 2020
- Reuters
- © Mike Blake
“Honestly, I don’t care who Putin wants to see as president (USA. - RT ). My message to Putin is clear: stay away from the US election, as president, I will take care of this, ”the publication quotes Sanders.
A few days later, the Axios portal announced the Democrats' intentions to send a letter to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asking them to introduce new anti-Russian sanctions "for trying to influence the 2020 presidential election."
In turn, the Russian embassy in the United States has expressed concern about the allegations of "Russian interference" in the US election.
“The Russian Embassy in the United States expresses its deep concern over the promotion of a new spiral of speculation about Russia's alleged“ interference ”in the US elections ... Our position is simple and understandable. Russia does not interfere in the internal processes of other countries. We urge politicians to stop the allegations, ”the agency said in a statement on Facebook.
The Russian embassy added that American politicians use accusations against Russia in order to achieve their goals.
Also on February 20, the United States accused Moscow of a large-scale cyber attack on Georgian Internet sites carried out on October 28, 2019. Among the goals of hackers were portals of the presidential administration, government, courts and television channels.
At the same time, the American side did not provide any evidence of Russia's involvement in the incident. Instead, Secretary of State Pompeo blamed the General Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Federation for the cyber attack.
And in mid-January, the American company Area 1 Security published a report stating that the Russian government allegedly tried to “access” the servers of the Ukrainian company Burisma. The authors of the document did not indicate evidence of involvement in Moscow, but the American media still disseminated this information.
Recall, Burisma was at the epicenter of a major corruption scandal in the United States, the main defendants of which were former US Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. "Ukrainian History" was very interested in Donald Trump, who tried to use it to his advantage on the eve of the election, but his actions became the reason for the launch of the impeachment proceedings against the American leader.
According to Vladimir Shapovalov, amid such accusations, "the relevance of Ukraine as an outpost of the struggle against Russia is increasing many times."
“The new tranche, supposedly aimed at ensuring cybersecurity in Ukraine, is actually intended to conduct the information war of Kiev against Moscow under the leadership and dictation of the United States. It is also about countering Russian journalists, limiting the ability to disseminate information through social networks, ”Shapovalov said.
In addition, he believes that the new project of the US Agency for International Development in the field of cybersecurity may include "creating a network of agents of influence in Ukraine under the control of the United States, which will deal with information attacks, including against Russia."