Italy Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani Targeted by Pro-Russian Hackers Over Ukraine Support

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani says pro-Russian hackers have published his personal data on the dark web — and he says the reason is simple: Italy’s support for Ukraine.

Tajani, who is also Italy’s deputy prime minister, spoke out on Saturday, 7 November 2026, saying cybercriminals had been spreading his personal details online for days and were now trying to buy even more information about him and his family. His message was defiant: “I will not allow myself to be intimidated under any circumstances.”

The case is not just about one minister. Tajani’s name appears on a list of 18 people described by the hackers as “citizens hostile to the Russian Federation”, and the attack comes in the middle of a wider wave of cyber incidents and hoax threats sweeping across Europe. Italy’s prime minister has backed her minister, prosecutors have opened a file, and Tajani is now calling on the G7 to coordinate a joint response.

What happened

Tajani announced the attack himself in a post on X on Saturday. He wrote that “for several days, cybercriminals have been spreading my personal data on the dark web and seeking to obtain further information, exposing me to new threats and intimidation.”

He did not say exactly what kind of personal information had been shared. But he said the hackers were actively looking for more — about him and about his family — and were willing to pay for it.

Tajani was clear about why he believes he was chosen. “Our position on Ukraine is the political reason why I am being targeted: defending the freedom of a sovereign state, taking a clear stand in favour of democracy and the independence of a nation,” he wrote.

Italy has provided humanitarian and military support to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been one of Ukraine’s strongest backers among Western leaders. Tajani’s message was that this support is exactly what put him in the hackers’ sights.

Meloni quickly expressed her support for her foreign minister. She described the sale of confidential information relating to public officials as “a matter of serious concern.”

Moscow has not commented on the incident. Russia has consistently denied any involvement in cyberattacks or hacking operations abroad.

Who is behind the attack

The Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano, which first reported the case, linked the attack to a pro-Russian hacker group called NoName057(16), which it describes as close to Russian military intelligence, the GRU.

According to the newspaper, the group has been offering money on a dark-web site since 26 October for passwords, home addresses, CVs, private telephone numbers and other personal details of 18 people it considers enemies of Russia. The material was found in a section of the dark web that can be reached through the Tor network, during monitoring carried out by cybersecurity authorities, according to a person close to the minister who spoke to Reuters. Further investigations are under way.

Screenshots seen by Reuters showed Tajani’s photograph on the list of 18 “citizens hostile to the Russian Federation”, which also included cybersecurity experts. Other people named on the list, according to reports, include Rome’s chief prosecutor Francesco Lo Voi, the head of Italy’s Postal Police, Ivano Gabrielli, and the mayor of Aviano, Paolo Tassan-Zanin — the town in north-eastern Italy that hosts a major air base used by NATO forces.

That mix of targets is telling. The list does not only include politicians. It includes prosecutors, police officers and local officials — people involved in law enforcement, cybersecurity and the military alliance. The message appears to be aimed at Italy’s institutions as a whole, not just at one minister.

Rome prosecutors have opened a file on the case after a police complaint, Il Fatto reported. The newspaper said the authorities have known about the bounty for at least two weeks, and that the site offering money for the information was still reachable.

A reaction to stronger defences

Tajani also suggested that the attacks may be a reaction to Italy’s efforts to protect itself. He said he set up a dedicated cyber directorate at the Foreign Ministry on 1 January, to protect it from intrusions, and that the hacking may be a response to that work.

In other words, the hackers may have targeted him not only because of what Italy stands for, but because Italy is trying to make itself harder to hack.

This is a pattern that security experts have warned about for years. When a country strengthens its cyber defences, attackers sometimes respond by going after the people in charge — trying to intimidate them, embarrass them, or find a weak point through their personal lives rather than through government computer systems.

Personal data can be dangerous in the wrong hands. An address, a phone number or a family member’s details can be used for harassment, for fraud, or for more targeted attacks. That is why Tajani’s complaint was not only about his own privacy, but about the threats and intimidation that followed the leak.

Part of a wider wave across Europe

The attack on Tajani did not happen in isolation. It comes amid a spate of hostile incidents across Europe that security officials are watching closely.

In recent days, hoax bomb threats have forced flight diversions and triggered security alerts at broadcasters. Supermarket refrigeration systems in several European countries have also been hit by suspected cyberattacks, in a case reported earlier this week.

Another incident surfaced on the same day as Tajani’s announcement. BBT SE, the company building the Brenner Base Tunnel — a planned 55-kilometre rail link between Innsbruck in Austria and Fortezza in Italy — confirmed it had suffered a cyberattack on 17 October. The attack involved the theft of non-public data through access to the company’s internet-connected network. The Austrian newspaper Tiroler Tageszeitung, which first reported the incident, said initial investigations pointed to a pro-Russian hacker group called Everest.

Taken together, these incidents point to a campaign of low-level disruption: not a single devastating attack, but a series of smaller ones designed to cause confusion, cost money and create fear. Bomb threats force planes to divert and buildings to be evacuated. Freezer attacks threaten food supplies. Data leaks target the people in charge. None of these is a military strike, but all of them are meant to put pressure on European governments.

This kind of activity is often described as hybrid warfare — a mix of cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation and intimidation that stays below the level of open conflict but still causes real damage. Western governments have accused Russia of using these tactics against countries that support Ukraine, although Moscow denies it.

Why Italy matters in this fight

Italy is not a bystander in the war in Ukraine. It is one of Europe’s largest countries, a founding member of the European Union and NATO, and a key supplier of military and humanitarian aid to Kyiv.

Meloni has been one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine among Western leaders, and she has kept that position even as the war has dragged on and the costs have grown. Italy has also hosted major international meetings on Ukraine’s future, including G7 foreign ministers’ meetings held on Italian soil.

That makes Italy an obvious target for anyone who wants to weaken Western support for Ukraine. If a senior Italian minister can be intimidated, the thinking goes, other governments might think twice about taking a strong stand.

Tajani’s response suggests the opposite happened. By speaking publicly about the attack and naming the reason for it, he turned a private threat into a public statement of defiance. His message — that defending a sovereign state’s freedom is worth the risk — was aimed as much at his own citizens and allies as it was at the hackers.

What Italy is doing now

The Italian authorities are investigating. Prosecutors in Rome have opened a file, and cybersecurity officials are monitoring the dark web for further leaks. The investigation will try to establish exactly what information was published, how the hackers obtained it, and whether anyone inside Italy helped them.

Tajani is also pushing for an international response. He has written to France’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, and urged the countries of the G7 — the group of the world’s leading democratic economies — to coordinate their response to cyber threats. The idea is that a single country acting alone has limited power against hackers who operate across borders, but a group of major countries acting together can put far more pressure on the networks that host them.

Coordination could take several forms. Countries can share intelligence about hacker groups, sanction the people and organisations behind them, and work together to take down the websites and servers they use. The G7 has discussed cyber cooperation before, but Tajani’s case gives the issue a new urgency — and a human face.

Why this matters

There are three reasons this story matters beyond Italy.

First, it shows how cyberattacks have become a tool of political pressure. The hackers did not need to break into a government computer system to make their point. Publishing a minister’s personal data and offering money for more was enough to create a news story, force a police investigation and put a senior official under personal pressure.

Second, it shows that the targets are getting wider. The list of 18 people includes not only politicians but prosecutors, police chiefs and mayors. That suggests the campaign is aimed at the institutions of a democratic state, not just at its leaders.

Third, it is a test of how Western governments respond. If Tajani’s call for a coordinated G7 response leads to real action — shared intelligence, joint sanctions, or takedowns of hacker infrastructure — it could make this kind of attack harder in the future. If it does not, other ministers and officials across Europe may find themselves on similar lists.

For ordinary people, the story is also a reminder of how personal data can be weaponised. The same information that is used to target a foreign minister — an address, a phone number, a family connection — can be used against anyone. The difference is one of scale: when it happens to a minister, it becomes a matter of national security.

What happens next

Several things will be watched in the coming days and weeks.

The first is the investigation. Italian prosecutors and cybersecurity officials will try to find out how much of Tajani’s data was published, where it came from, and whether the hackers have obtained anything more sensitive. If more information appears online, Tajani may have to speak out again.

The second is the G7 response. Tajani has asked the group’s members to coordinate on cyber threats. Whether that leads to a joint statement, new sanctions or practical cooperation will show how seriously the world’s leading democracies take this kind of attack.

The third is whether the wider wave of incidents continues. If the hoax bomb threats, the supermarket attacks and the data leaks keep coming, European governments will face growing pressure to respond more forcefully — and to explain to their citizens what is happening and what is being done about it.

And finally, there is the question of deterrence. Tajani refused to be intimidated, and his prime minister backed him publicly. The hackers’ calculation was presumably that fear would do their work for them. So far, the evidence points the other way: the attack has produced headlines, an investigation and a call for international action — the opposite of silence.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Antonio Tajani?

Antonio Tajani is Italy’s foreign minister and deputy prime minister. He has held senior roles in Italian and European politics for many years, including serving as president of the European Parliament.

What did the hackers do?

According to Tajani, cybercriminals published his personal data on the dark web and offered money for more information about him and his family. His photograph appeared on a list of 18 people described as “citizens hostile to the Russian Federation”.

Who is blamed for the attack?

Tajani and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have blamed pro-Russian hackers. The Italian newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano linked the attack to a group called NoName057(16), which it describes as close to Russian military intelligence. Moscow has not commented, and Russia consistently denies involvement in cyberattacks abroad.

Why was Tajani targeted?

Tajani says the reason is Italy’s support for Ukraine. Italy has provided humanitarian and military aid to Kyiv, and Meloni is one of Ukraine’s strongest backers among Western leaders.

What is the dark web?

The dark web is the part of the internet that is not indexed by normal search engines and can only be reached with special software, such as the Tor browser. It is used for both legal and illegal activity, including the sale of stolen personal data.

What is Italy doing about it?

Rome prosecutors have opened a file on the case, cybersecurity authorities are investigating, and Tajani has called on the G7 countries to coordinate their response to cyber threats.

Conclusion

Antonio Tajani’s announcement was short, but its meaning was clear. A foreign minister of a major European country says his personal data has been published on the dark web by hackers who want to punish him for his country’s support for Ukraine — and he refuses to be intimidated.

The attack is part of a wider pattern of disruption across Europe, from hoax bomb threats to cyberattacks on supermarkets and infrastructure companies. It is also a test: of Italy’s defences, of Europe’s ability to respond together, and of whether intimidation works against democratic governments.

So far, the answer from Rome is no. Tajani spoke out, his prime minister backed him, prosecutors opened an investigation, and the call has gone out to the G7 to act together. What happens next will show whether that defiance is matched by results.

Sources

• Reuters, “Italy foreign minister says he has been targeted by pro-Russian hackers over Ukraine backing”, 7 November 2026: https://www.reuters.com/world/italy-foreign-minister-says-he-has-been-targeted-by-pro-russian-hackers-over-2026-11-07/
• Al Jazeera, “Pro-Russian hackers leak Italian foreign minister’s data on dark web”, 7 November 2026: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/7/pro-russian-hackers-leak-italian-foreign-ministers-data-on-dark-web?traffic_source=rss
• Malay Mail (AFP), “‘I will not be intimidated’: Italy foreign minister targeted by hackers over Ukraine stance”, 7 November 2026: https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/11/07/i-will-not-be-intimidated-italy-foreign-minister-targeted-by-hackers-over-ukraine-stance/242386
• Anadolu Agency, “Italian foreign minister condemns hacker attacks”, 7 November 2026: https://www.anews.com.tr/europe/2026/11/07/italian-foreign-minister-condemns-hacker-attacks
• Brussels Reporter, “Cyberattacks hit Italian foreign minister and tunnel firm”, 7 November 2026: https://brusselsreporter.com/globe/2026/cyberattacks-target-italys-foreign-minister/

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.