Rumors spread that the US Defense Secretary ordered a halt to cyber attacks targeting Russia

The New York Times on the evening of March 2 quoted several sources revealing that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the US Cyber Command to stop cyber attacks against Russia.

Hegseth's order is part of a broader review of U.S.-Russian relations and the Ukraine conflict, but it is clearly part of a broader effort to address the issue, according to The New York Times .

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at an event in Washington DC on February 24.

According to the US newspaper, Mr. Hegseth's new directive has not been clearly explained, but was issued before US President Donald Trump publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office of the White House on February 28.

Some former US officials say civilian leaders often order a halt to military operations during sensitive diplomatic negotiations to avoid derailing the talks.

But for President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth, stopping cyberattacks against Russia is a big gamble, according to The New York Times . In making this move, the US is believed to hope that Russia will reciprocate by ending what many have called an ongoing "covert war" against the US and its traditional allies in Europe.

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US officials say Russia continued to try to penetrate US networks, even in the first weeks of the Trump administration, but that was only part of a broader Russian campaign.

The Pentagon and US Cyber Command declined to comment on Hegseth's order, but a senior defense official said Hegseth "has no greater priority" than the safety of military personnel, including cyber operations.

There is also no information yet on Russia's reaction to the information from The New York Times .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ro-tin-bo-truong-quoc-phong-my-lenh-dung-tan-cong-mang-nham-vao-nga-185250303113630136.htm