International dialogue to help counteract illegal use of information technologies for terrorist purposes – SBU deputy head

Deputy Head of State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Oleh Frolov stated this in New York during the United Nations High-level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of Member States, the SBU press service reports.

“A number of powerful and sophisticated cyber-attacks, cynical in terms of design and catastrophic in terms of possible consequences, on the computer networks of energy, banking, transport sectors and communications sphere have once again verified the aggressor's intention to use cyber-attacks as one of the instruments of geopolitical influence," he said.

In particular, the Ukrainian delegation in its report stressed the need for international consolidation of efforts in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

"A constructive international dialogue based on the principles of mutual trust and respect for international law is a key to prevent and counteract the illegal use of information technologies for terrorist purposes," Frolov noted.

According to the SBU deputy head, propaganda was one of the main components of the hybrid aggression against Ukraine, which created a favorable basis for the deployment of a whole arsenal of other classical and non-classical methods of warfare, including the use of irregular armed units, provoking internal unrest, as well as cyber-attacks and economic pressure.

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