Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday blamed pro-Russian hackers for stealing Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's personal data and posting it on the dark web. She called the breach a matter of grave concern.
Tajani, who is also deputy prime minister, disclosed the leak in a post on X. He said cybercriminals had been spreading his information for days and were looking for more, exposing him to fresh threats and intimidation. He added that they were willing to pay for details about his family.
He did not say what kind of information had been exposed. He suggested the activity was still under way.
Tajani linked the attack to Italy's stance on Ukraine, calling it the political reason he was singled out. Unlike Meloni, he did not say who he believed was behind it.
Defending the freedom of a sovereign state, taking a clear stand in support of a nation’s democracy and independence, is dangerous in the eyes of these criminal entities
Antonio Tajani, Italian foreign minister
He also suggested the hackers may be reacting to government efforts to harden the Foreign Ministry's digital defenses. On Jan. 1, he created a cyber directorate to guard against foreign actors linked to hostile countries or criminal groups.
Tajani said he would not be intimidated. He said the ministry was treating the threats seriously and coordinating its response with allied countries.
Meloni said selling confidential information about institutional representatives must be confronted with the utmost determination. She also criticized the spread of false images shared by members of Italy's opposition, warning that free expression must not become a breeding ground for disinformation.
Italy, like other European Union and NATO members, has sent humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine as it resists a Russian invasion now nearly five years old.
The leak comes as Europe faces a string of suspected hybrid attacks thought to be orchestrated by the Kremlin. They include drone incursions, sabotage, hoax bomb threats that have forced flights to be canceled or diverted, security alerts at broadcasters and tampering with supermarket refrigeration systems.
