Russia hits back in rant about Australia after PM Scott Morrison claims to ‘stand up to bullies’

Russia has made wild claims in response to PM Scott Morrison’s claims he “stands up to bullies” and new sanctions imposed over Ukraine tensions.

Russia has hit back at Australia, accusing the Prime Minister of siding with “xenophobic bullies” in Ukraine.

In response to Australia’s strong support for sanctions, Russia has claimed Prime Minister Scott Morrison has turned a blind eye to discrimination by “the radical nationalistic regimen in Ukraine”.

“In alignment with its key partners, Canberra has played its part in supporting and encouraging the xenophobic bullies based in Kyiv” the Russian embassy in Australia said.

“Russia will from now on guarantee the right of (Donetsk and Luhansk) residents to live in peace and preserve their language and cultural identity.”

On Wednesday, the Prime Minister called the Russian government “bullies”.

“The invasion of Ukraine has effectively already begun. They’re acting like thugs and bullies,” he said.

“Australians always stand up to bullies and we will be standing up to Russia.”

Mr Morrison flatly rejected Russia’s claims.

“We have got a very large country in Russia which is bullying and threatening its neighbour and telling them the decisions that they have to make,” he said.

It comes as concern brews over Russian hackers potentially targeting Australia in a new wave of cyber attacks to retaliate over Scott Morrison’s “unwavering” support for Ukrainian sovereignty.

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Russia thinks the Scott Morrison has turned a blind eye to discrimination by “the radical nationalistic regimen in Ukraine”. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Christian Gilles

The warning follows chilling messages sent to mobile phones in Ukraine that warned all ATMs were down in an attempt to create mass panic. One message even stated: “Ukrainians! … All information about you has become public. Be afraid and expect worse. It’s your past, present and future.”

President Vladimir Putin’s “hybrid warfare” tactics have combined cyber-attacks with traditional military activity for years.

And while Russia is unlikely to respond in any direct way to Australia’s support for sanctions, companies and small business owners are now being urged to check their cyber security amid major cyber attacks overnight in Europe.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said today that Australia was “ready” for Russian cyber attack retaliation after a wave of attacks overnight after a state of emergency was declared by the Ukraine parliament.

“Cyber attacks are a real threat and they’re a present threat and that is the most likely response from Russia in terms of what we’ve done,’’ Mr Morrison told the Today Show.

“That’s why already for some time now we’ve been working, privately, with many of our big companies looking at our critical infrastructure to ensure that we can have them as best stepped up in their defences as you can.

Protesters demonstrate outside the Embassy of the Russian Federation in London amid escalating threat of Russia's full-scale military invasion into the Ukraine. Picture: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images

“But in addition to that now we’re making those warnings very public. And so I’d be encouraging people to go to the Australian Signals Directorate website and making sure that everything from the smallest business, to the largest, you’re doing a good check on your cyber security.”

In the last week, Russia is suspected of sending disturbing messages designed to create mass panic including telling people in Ukraine that ATMs have stopped working.

Overnight, Ukrainian government websites were subjected to a new wave of cyberattacks as the country declared a nationwide state of emergency.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) has issued fresh warnings that denial of service attacks in the Ukraine could have global ramifications.

“There has been a historical pattern of cyber attacks against Ukraine that have had international consequences,” it said in a new alert.

“Malicious cyber activity could impact Australian organisations through unintended disruption or uncontained malicious cyber activities.”

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has previously confirmed the Australian Government joins the United States and the United Kingdom in publicly attributing the cyber attacks against the Ukrainian banking sector on 15 and 16 February 2022 to the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU).

Mr Morrison claims Australia is “ready” for Russian cyber attack retaliation. Picture: Russian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

“The international community must not tolerate Russia’s misuse of cyberspace to undermine Ukraine’s national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity by seeking to disrupt essential services, businesses and community confidence,’’ he said.

“The global community must be prepared to shine a light on malicious cyber activity and hold the actors responsible to account. All members of the international community – including Russia – should abide by existing international law and norms of responsible state behaviour which apply in cyberspace. Australia calls on all countries to honour and uphold their commitments.”

Russia is also suspected of being involved in menacing messages sent to Ukrainian citizens in 2017.

“Ukrainian soldiers,” the messages warned, according to the AP, “they’ll find your bodies when the snow melts.”

The latest messages warn Ukrainians to leave the country and run for their lives.

“There is still time to save your life and leave the JFO zone,” the messages read, according to InformNapalm, a Ukrainian activist group, reported Focus, a Ukrainian news outlet.

Protesters have called on Putin’s oligarchs to be sanctioned. Picture: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Steve Hall, the former CIA chief of Russia operations, told The Daily Beast that the chilling messages was a classic propaganda move.

“This is the old script that the Russians used — and that all militaries used. You’re always going to prepare the battlefield with some sort of propaganda efforts,” Hall told The Daily Beast. “Whether you’re dropping leaflets behind enemy lines … now it’s much easier these days you just go on the internet and send these leaflets in electronic format … you’re preparing the battlefield, you’re preparing the battlespace so that you soften resistance.”