Kremlin appoints former Rostec cyber executive reportedly linked to GRU Unit 26165 to Russian Security Council post

Russia has appointed a former cybersecurity executive reportedly tied to a military intelligence hacking unit to a senior Security Council role. The Record reports that Andrei Kozlov, formerly of Rostec's RT-Information Security and a Russian cybersecurity industry association, was named an aide to Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu; leaked data cited by The Insider allegedly links him to GRU Military Unit 26165, widely tracked as Fancy Bear or APT28, a group long accused of espionage, credential theft and influence operations.
Why it matters: This matters because it may show direct overlap between Russia's state security leadership and a unit publicly tied to past hacking and disinformation campaigns. Defenders and policymakers should treat it as contextual evidence when tracking future APT28 operations, influence activity and Russian state cyber posture.

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Kremlin appoints cyber executive with alleged GRU ties to Security Council role
2026.05.25 100% relevant
This article establishes a new story about a Russian state appointment with alleged ties to GRU Unit 26165/Fancy Bear, rather than updating an existing tracked breach, malware campaign, or policy case.
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