Wearable electronics like those that Israel used to blow up Hezbollah members’ pagers in Lebanon and Syria pose a threat to the security of Russia and other former Soviet states, the head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said Friday.
Speaking at a meeting of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) special services chiefs, Alexander Bortnikov said that Israel’s operation showed that “the introduction of ‘bookmarks’ can be used not only to destroy critical information infrastructure, but also to organize assassination attempts against representatives of state power using wearable electronics at the right moment.”
In late September, Israel targeted Hezbollah by remotely detonating its members’ pagers and hand-held radios across Lebanon and Syria. The attack killed at least 37 people and wounded around 3,000.
The New York Times reported that Israel’s security services had manufactured and sold the devices to the group.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a “foreign agent.”
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership.” We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you’re defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.
