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The Daily Vertical: Pot, Meet Cyber-Kettle (Transcript)


The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL.

So Maria Zakharova is suggesting that the United States is engaging is "state-sponsored cyberterrorism" against Russia.

Well that's pretty rich. Pot meet kettle, and all that.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman was responding to media reports claiming U.S. military hackers have penetrated Russia's electric grid, telecommunications networks, and the Kremlin's command system.

According to the report by NBC News that cites senior U.S. intelligence officials, the moves were a precaution allowing the United States to strike back in case Russia launches cyberattacks to disrupt the U.S. presidential election this week.

WATCH: Today's Daily Vertical

And by leaking this information to the media, Washington appears to be deploying a bit of a psy-op of its own against Moscow.

In other words, Russia is getting a taste of its own medicine -- and it doesn't seem to like it one bit.

And this is probably the shape of things to come.

For years, Moscow has been using active measures, psy-ops, and asymmetrical tactics against the West.

It's been hacking. It's been backing extremist parties. It's been exporting corruption to build networks of influence.

The Kremlin has been using these stealth tactics as part of a nonkinetic war aimed at undermining public trust and democratic institutions in Europe and in the United States.

And now a consensus is emerging that the time has come to contain the threat -- and to strike back if necessary.

Things are about to get pretty interesting.

Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page.

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