Dutton: Huawei helping Russia beat pro-Ukraine hack attacks

The Defence Minister has called out a Chinese telco for helping Russia stabilise its internet after cyberattacks on media and military websites.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has slammed Chinese telco Huawei after reports emerged that it had helped Russia fend off cyberattacks prompted by Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine.

According to reports published on Chinese news sites that were later deleted, Huawei “rushed to Russia’s aid” to stabilise the country’s internet after attacks hit news and government web sites.

And in an indicator of the extent to which wars of the future may be fought in cyberspace, the reports added that Huawei had pledged to use its five “research centres” in Russia to train as many as 50,000 experts to fend off pro-freedom hacks.

Peter Dutton says reports Huawei has supported Russia are concerning. Picture: Nicolas Asfouri/AFP

“We’re seeing reports today that Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications company, is providing support to Russia to keep their internet up and running to sustain the attacks from hackers around the world that are attacking different infrastructure and naval and military assets of Russia,” Mr Dutton said Monday.

This was particularly concerning, he said, “when every other responsible country in the world is looking at ways that they can sanction and stop trading with Russia to keep the pressure up on President Putin to stop these horrific acts of war crimes that we’re seeing committed by Russia at the moment.”

Peter Dutton called on China to step up and push Russia to end the carnage. Picture: Taisiya Vorontsova/TASS

Mr Dutton added that China should step up as leading power with close ties to Russia to push for an end to the carnage.

“As we’ve said all along, the reality is that President Xi is the only person in the world that can bring pressure to bear on President Putin given the special relationship that Russia and China have announced,” he said.

“If we want Russia out of there as quickly as possible, I do think it’s China, the Chinese government, that can make that call.”

“They’re refusing to do it.”

Chinese President Xi has the power to pressure Putin to stop carnage.

Huawei has long been seen as dangerously close to the Chinese government, and in 2018 the Australian government became the first nation to ban the company from the construction of the nation’s 5G government.

The decision still rankles with China, and is thought to be one of the drivers of the infamous “14 points” of grievance against Australia handed down by Beijing’s embassy in Canberra in 2020.

Originally published as Dutton: Huawei helping Russia beat pro-Ukraine hack attacks