The Netherlands targeted by attempted Russian cyber sabotage

According to the Dutch military intelligence and security service, the public institution successfully repelled the attack carried out by Kremlin-affiliated cybercriminals.

The MIVD, the Netherlands’ military intelligence and security service, released a report on April 22, 2025, denouncing an attempted cyber sabotage by a group linked to Russia. The attack targeted a Dutch public institution, whose identity remains confidential, but managed to fend off the cyber offensive.

“To our knowledge, this is the first time an attack has been carried out against a digital control system [of this type] in the Netherlands,” the MIVD report states. The intelligence service also identified a second cyber operation against a critical Dutch infrastructure, “likely as preparation for sabotage.” Once again, cybersecurity teams successfully neutralized the threat without damage.

According to the MIVD, these types of attacks fall into a “grey zone” between peace and war. “Our country is increasingly confronted with state actors attempting to disrupt and weaken our society through hybrid attacks,” said Vice Admiral Peter Reesink, director of the MIVD.