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The Latest: Russia dismisses hacking claims as 'fantasies'

Russia's foreign ministry has denied allegations by British and Australian authorities that the Russian military intelligence agency GRU was behind a fresh wave of global cybercrimes.

The Latest: Russia dismisses hacking claims as 'fantasies' Image Source : APThe Latest: Russia dismisses hacking claims as 'fantasies'

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on a new wave of global cyberattacks blamed on Russia (all times local):

10:30 a.m.

Russia's foreign ministry has denied allegations by British and Australian authorities that the Russian military intelligence agency GRU was behind a fresh wave of global cybercrimes.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday dismissed the new accusations as "big fantasies."

Britain's National Cyber Security Center cited four new attacks associated with the GRU targeting the World Anti-Doping agency, Ukrainian transport systems, the 2016 U.S. presidential race and others.

British officials earlier blamed the GRU for the March nerve agent attack on a Russian ex-spy and his daughter in the English city of Salisbury.

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8:20 a.m.

Britain's defense minister says a series of global cyberattacks blamed on Russia are the actions of a "pariah state" and that the U.K. and its NATO allies will expose such activities in the future.

Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said Thursday that "where Russia acts in an indiscriminate and reckless way, where they have done in terms of these cyberattacks, we will be exposing them."

His remarks came after British and Australian officials said the Russian military intelligence unit GRU is behind a wave of global cyberattacks.

Britain's National Cyber Security Center says four new attacks are associated with GRU as well as earlier cyberattacks.

Williamson said: "This is not the actions of a great power. This is the actions of a pariah state."

Disclaimer: This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Associated Press (AP) wire.