Italian authorities have successfully thwarted a wave of cyberattacks originating from Russia targeting digital infrastructure connected to the 2026 Winter Olympics, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed.
The attempted breaches targeted websites associated with the Games, accommodation providers in the alpine resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo, and Italian diplomatic premises abroad, including the country's embassy in Washington.
Cortina d'Ampezzo is one of five venue clusters for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, hosting competitions in alpine skiing, biathlon, curling, and sliding sports throughout the Games.
A foreign ministry spokesman subsequently confirmed Tajani's remarks about the attacks.
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Tajani said: "We prevented a series of cyber-attacks against foreign ministry sites. These are actions of Russian origin."
The foreign minister outlined the breadth of the digital assault, noting that targets extended from the Washington embassy to Olympic-related infrastructure in the Dolomites.
He explained: "We prevented a series of cyber-attacks against foreign ministry sites, starting with Washington and also involving some Winter Olympics sites, including hotels in Cortina."
The coordinated nature of the attacks demonstrated a clear focus on both Italy's diplomatic network and the sporting event's operational systems, with accommodation facilities in the host town among the targeted infrastructure.
Italian authorities have successfully thwarted a wave of cyberattacks originating from Russia targeting digital infrastructure connected to the 2026 Winter Olympics, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed
|GETTY
Competition at the Winter Olympics commenced on Wednesday with the opening curling matches taking place in Cortina, ahead of the formal opening ceremony scheduled for Friday.
The Games span multiple locations across northern Italy, with venues distributed from Milan through to the Dolomite mountain range.
Cortina d'Ampezzo will play a central role in the sporting programme, serving as the venue for alpine skiing, biathlon, curling, and sliding throughout the competition period.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi addressed parliament on Wednesday to outline the extensive security operation in place for the Games.
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Cortina d'Ampezzo is one of five venue clusters for the Milan-Cortina Olympics
|GETTY
A force of 6,000 security personnel has been stationed across Olympic venues, which extend from Milan to the Dolomites.
The deployment includes specialist units equipped to handle a range of potential threats, with bomb disposal experts, snipers and anti-terrorism teams forming part of the security contingent.
The attacks come amid reports that the International Olympic Committee's new president is considering allowing Russian athletes to compete at the 2028 Los Angeles Games under their own flag.
Kirsty Coventry, addressing the 145th IOC congress in Milan ahead of Friday's Winter Olympics opening ceremony, called for sport to remain insulated from geopolitical tensions.
The 2026 Winter Olympics officially kicked off yesterday
| GETTYShe said: "That means keeping sport a neutral ground. A place where every athlete can compete freely, without being held back by the politics or divisions of their governments."
The Zimbabwean former swimmer, whilst avoiding explicit mention of Russia, acknowledged the organisation operates within political realities.
She told delegates: "We understand politics and we know we don't operate in a vacuum. But our game is sport."
The remarks were swiftly interpreted as signalling a potential thaw in Moscow's Olympic exile, which began following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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