Putin Convenes Top Russian Officials to Discuss Cybersecurity

By Reuters Oct. 14, 2026 kremlin.ru Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss cybersecurity with top officials on Wednesday, the Kremlin said, describing it as an increasingly pressing issue but denying the meeting was prompted by a spate of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian data centers. "Artificial intelligence technologies bring many benefits and advantages, boosting efficiency. But at the same time, of course, attempts by various states to weaponize these new technologies... pose threats to entire sectors of any country's economy," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "Naturally, we are no exception, and we must be prepared for these challenges. That is why the president is holding this meeting today." Peskov said the meeting was not connected with Ukrainian drone strikes in the past week on four Russian data centers — three belonging to tech group Yandex and one to Sberbank. "No, this is a much more systemic meeting. It is not connected to those specific, isolated attacks," he said. The participants will include government ministers, top security officials, the head of Sberbank and Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, Peskov added. Read more about: Cybersecurity , Kremlin , Putin Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. 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 Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Feature ‘Make the Young Fall in Love With Putin’: Young Russians Pressured to Vote as Kremlin Demands Record Turnout The goal is "to make the West understand that our young people are for Putin, not for runaway oppositionists and certainly not for Navalny." 4 Min read Feature Russian Election Authorities Pick Pro-War Symbol, Putin’s Favorite Slogan for Presidential Campaign Promo The design was chosen to show that the vote’s main purpose is “to re-elect the boss [Putin],” two government officials told The Moscow Times. 4 Min read Kremlin Welcomes Biden Call for Dialogue, Criticizes Sanctions The Kremlin said it was still considering the offer for a Putin-Biden summit the day after the U.S. announced a new round of Russia sanctions. opinion Gleb Pavlovsky Russia's Leadership Is Facing a Succession Dilemma (Op-ed) Putin is no longer the solution to any of Russia's problems, even the problem of picking his own successor.