Russian state-backed hackers have targeted US nuclear scientists, defense contractors and government employees in a cyber-espionage campaign using techniques first deployed against Ukraine, CNN reported, citing cybersecurity researchers and a new joint warning from Western intelligence agencies. The campaign, attributed to a Russian-linked group tracked as Laundry Bear, Void Blizzard and TA488, has targeted Western government and commercial organizations since at least July 2025, according to a joint cybersecurity advisory released by US and allied agencies. JOIN US ON TELEGRAM Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The hackers’ targets suggest Moscow is seeking intelligence on nuclear fusion research as well as information that could support Russia’s war against Ukraine, CNN reported. US cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, which investigated parts of the campaign, found that the group targeted email servers belonging to US “nuclear installations and the defense industrial base.” The hackers were particularly interested in “entities and users with an interest in nuclear fusion,” Proofpoint researcher Greg Lesnewich told CNN, suggesting Moscow may have been seeking insight into advances made by competitors in the field. The campaign also targeted federal and local government agencies, law enforcement, education, energy, media, technology organizations and the defense industry, according to the joint advisory. Zelensky Ready to Sign Peace Deal at White House or Mar-a-Lago as Rubio Rejects Moscow’s Anchorage Claims Ukraine used as testing ground The warning was issued by the US National Security Agency, FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other American bodies together with intelligence and cybersecurity agencies from more than a dozen allied countries, including the UK, France, Italy, Poland, Canada, Australia and several other NATO members. The agencies identified a broader pattern in which Russian cyber groups first deploy techniques against Ukrainian targets before expanding their operations against Western countries. “Extensive Ukrainian targeting, prior to use