Media: US halted cyberattacks on Russia briefly for diplomatic talks

US Cyber Command halted offensive cyber operations targeting Russia for a single day earlier this year as part of a broader diplomatic effort, according to House Armed Services Committee cyber subcommittee chair Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.).

Bacon confirmed the brief pause during a subcommittee hearing on May 16 focused on the Pentagon’s cyber posture, Caliber.Az reports, citing POLITICO.

The pause reportedly took place in the context of delicate negotiations with Moscow, and came to light after media reports in late February suggested that Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had directed Cyber Command to cease all planning related to Russia, including offensive cyber activity. The reports prompted confusion and outrage among Democratic lawmakers and some European officials, who viewed the alleged halt as a concession to Russia amid ongoing talks aimed at resolving the war in Ukraine.

At the time, the Pentagon issued a firm denial, stating that no stand-down order had been given. The Department of Defence’s Rapid Response account wrote in early March that Secretary Hegseth had “neither cancelled nor delayed any cyber operations directed against malicious Russian targets, and there has been no stand down order whatsoever from that priority.”

However, Rep. Bacon offered a different version of events at the May 16 hearing.

“I dug into this whole matter,” Bacon said. “There was a one-day pause, which is typical for negotiations — that’s about as much as I can say, a one-day pause.”

While Bacon did not specify what negotiations were involved, the pause is believed to have occurred around the time of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington. During that trip, Zelenskyy sought to finalise a critical minerals agreement with President Donald Trump — a deal that ultimately collapsed following a tense meeting in the Oval Office.

Neither the Pentagon nor Cyber Command responded immediately to requests for comment on Bacon’s statement.

During the hearing, Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-Va.), a subcommittee member, referenced the March tweet from the Department of Defence and called it misleading in light of Bacon’s admission.

“That is an outright lie,” Vindman said. “That is not what the American people deserve, and that will be something I intend to follow up with the secretary when he actually shows up.”

Bacon, who has become a sharp critic of Defence Secretary Hegseth in recent months, has previously objected to Hegseth’s use of the encrypted messaging app Signal to coordinate sensitive military operations in Yemen. He also called for Hegseth’s dismissal last month.

On Friday, Bacon criticised Hegseth again — this time over the recent firing of Gen. Timothy Haugh, who until recently headed both US Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. Haugh was removed from his post abruptly, reportedly following unverified allegations brought to Trump by far-right activist Laura Loomer.

“When the secretary of defence comes to the Armed Services Committee, he will have to answer for this,” Bacon said, referring to Haugh’s dismissal.

By Tamilla Hasanova