Italy FM says pro-Russian hackers targeted him over Ukraine
The gist
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said pro-Russian hackers published his personal data on the dark web.
The leak ties Rome's Ukraine backing to cyber retaliation, and he wants G7 coordination.
How it unfolded
- Nov 7, 2026Tajani said his personal data had been published on the dark web by what he described as pro-Russian hackers, linking it to Italy's support for Ukraine.
- Nov 7, 2026In a post on X, Tajani said backing the freedom and independence of a sovereign state had made him a target, and that the hackers were seeking more information about him and his family and willing to pay for it.
- Nov 7, 2026Screenshots seen by Reuters showed Tajani's picture among a list of 18 "citizens hostile to the Russian Federation", which also included cybersecurity experts.
Key terms
- dark web
- Part of the web hosted on darknets that requires special software, configurations, or authorization to access, allowing anonymous communication.
- G7
- An intergovernmental forum of seven major advanced economies plus the EU, coordinating on political and economic issues.
- hybrid warfare
- A military strategy blending conventional, irregular, and cyber warfare with political, informational, and other influence methods to achieve goals.
Source: Wikipedia