Italian authorities have confirmed that a series of cyberattacks linked to Russia were successfully blocked, targeting both diplomatic infrastructure and sites associated with the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The disclosure comes as security preparations intensify just hours before the start of the Games.
Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday that Italy’s foreign ministry systems were among the targets, including facilities connected to its embassy in Washington. According to Tajani, websites related to the Winter Olympics were also affected, including online platforms linked to hotels in Cortina d’Ampezzo.
“These are actions of Russian origin,” Tajani said, remarks that were later confirmed by a spokesperson.
“We prevented a series of cyberattacks against foreign ministry sites, starting with Washington and also involving some Winter Olympics sites, including hotels in Cortina,” he said while traveling in the United States.
Italian officials did not release technical details regarding the nature of the cyber intrusions or the methods used to neutralize them.
The announcement was made as Italy ramps up security ahead of the opening of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, with the first sporting events beginning Wednesday and the official opening ceremony scheduled for Friday. Several political leaders are expected to attend, including US Vice President JD Vance, adding to the complexity of the security environment.
Security arrangements for the Games include the deployment of approximately 6,000 police officers and nearly 2,000 military personnel across multiple venues stretching from Milan to the Dolomites. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the security presence will include bomb disposal teams, snipers, counterterrorism units, and specialized skiing police. The defense ministry is also contributing 170 vehicles, along with radar systems, drones, and aircraft.
The heightened security measures have drawn public attention in Italy following reports that agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be present during the Games. The involvement of ICE has sparked controversy due to the agency’s role in immigration enforcement in the United States.
Piantedosi addressed the issue in parliament on Wednesday, emphasizing that ICE personnel would serve in a strictly advisory capacity. He said agents from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations unit would operate only within US diplomatic missions, adding that they “are not operational agents” and “have no executive function.”
The interior minister said it was common practice for countries to send security officials to Olympic Games, noting that Italy had done the same during the Paris 2024 Olympics. He described criticism of the ICE presence as “completely unfounded,” despite objections from several political figures, including Milan’s mayor, who had said the agents were not welcome in the city during the February 6–22 Games.
Italian authorities have not indicated whether the cyberattacks were directly connected to the broader security posture surrounding the Olympics, but the timing of the incidents has added to concerns over digital threats to major international events.
