Meloni blames pro-Russian hackers after Tajani’s personal data appears on the dark web

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday, 7 November, that cybercriminals had for days been publishing his personal data on the dark web and seeking further information, “effectively exposing me to new threats and intimidation,” Al Jazeera reported, citing his post on X and AFP.

Tajani, who is also Italy’s deputy prime minister, wrote that the attackers were targeting his family and were “willing to pay for more details about me and my loved ones.”

“My response is very simple: I will not be intimidated in any way,” he said.

Meloni’s statement

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued a statement expressing “full solidarity” with Tajani “over what has come to light regarding the activities of pro-Russian hackers and the dissemination of personal data relating to him on the dark web.” She said the sale of confidential information about institutional representatives “is a cause of serious concern and must be tackled with the utmost determination.” The official English courtesy translation was posted on the government website.

Tajani did not specify what information had been shared and said the cyberthreat was ongoing. He added that the foreign ministry was taking the threats seriously and coordinating its response with allied countries.

Ukraine as the stated motive

Tajani said Italy’s “position on Ukraine is the political reason I have been targeted: defending the freedom of a sovereign state, taking a clear stand in support of a nation’s democracy and independence, is dangerous in the eyes of these criminal entities.” He also suggested the campaign might be a reaction to Italian efforts to strengthen the ministry’s digital defences.

The Guardian later noted that Moscow had not commented on the incident. The leak came amid a wider wave of hoax bomb threats across Europe that have disrupted flights and newsrooms in recent days.