Romanian President Nicusor Dan said NATO, the EU and the UK have all confirmed that Russia carried out coordinated cyberattacks targeting the country’s electoral process in 2024.

Dan made the statement at a joint press conference in Bucharest, south Romania, on 21 July, following his consultations with NATO leadership and EU officials. The head of state said the attacks had significantly disrupted internet infrastructure and online information flows during the first round of the annulled 2024 presidential election.

“These were not just general disinformation campaigns. Romania was subjected to a hybrid attack from Russia, as confirmed by NATO, the EU and the UK,” he said.

Over 85,000 cyberattacks carried out

The Romanian Supreme National Defence Council earlier declassified intelligence indicating that more than 85,000 cyberattacks occurred during the November 2024 vote, targeting state institutions and election servers.

Chinese social media platform TikTok was also used to amplify far-right content and artificially boost support for then-candidate Calin Georgescu, prompting Romania’s Constitutional Court to annul the first-round result on 4 December 2024, it revealed.

The French Foreign Ministry issued a statement on 18 July condemning Russia’s “hybrid activities” against Romania and expressing full solidarity with Bucharest. “Together with our European and transatlantic partners, we will continue to respond firmly to attempts to destabilise our democratic systems,” it said.

Hacking threat on the rise in CEE

The development comes amid a broader escalation of hybrid threats attributed to Russian military intelligence (GRU) in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The EU High Representative issued a formal statement on 18 July outlining coordinated cyber and information campaigns targeting multiple EU member states, with Romania identified as a primary victim.

Romania’s 2024 presidential elections marked the first instance of a national vote annulled due to foreign interference within the EU, the European Commission noted. The episode has triggered renewed calls in the EU and NATO for enhanced cybersecurity capacity and democratic resilience across CEE.

Romania to up safeguards ahead of 2026 votes

Romanian cyber defence agencies have since accelerated public-private coordination measures, while the Romanian Interior Ministry said on 22 July that additional safeguards will be introduced ahead of local and parliamentary elections scheduled for next year.

Dan said, “We cannot accept that elections, the foundation of democratic legitimacy, become a playground for external destabilisation. Romania will act accordingly, and expects its allies to stand firmly with us.”