Government institutions in Montenegro have been the target of a major cyber attack, and the small Balkan country, a NATO member, has asked for help from its allies to limit the damage, Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic said, AFP reports.

It is the second cyberattack after the first wave hit institutions in the country of 620,000 people following a no-confidence vote that toppled the government on August 19.

After convening the National Security Council on Friday night to decide what action to take, the current affairs chief would not comment on the origin of the attack, but his defense minister pointed to Russia.

Montenegro is asking for international help

Russia added Montenegro to its list of “enemy countries” in March after it joined European Union sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine in February.

“We could not get confirmation in the council from persons competent in this field whether an individual, a group or a state is behind (this attack), but we also could not rule it out,” Abazovic told a news conference.

“Infected” computer systems of several institutions, including the Ministry of Finance, he added.

“Montenegro will ask international partners for specialized assistance to possibly recover the data seized during this attack and prevent future attacks,” the prime minister said.

Defense Minister: A sophisticated attack, it cannot be carried out by ordinary people

“The accounts of citizens and companies, as well as their data, are not at risk,” assured the Minister of Public Services, Marash Dukai.

For Defense Minister Rasko Konievych, these are “very sophisticated attacks that cannot be carried out by individuals.”

“Who could have a political interest in causing such damage to Montenegro? I think there is enough evidence that we cannot doubt that Russia is behind the attack,” Konevich told state television.

Several publications, citing an “informal meeting” for local media at the National Security Agency (NSA), said on Saturday that the attack was directed by “several Russian services”.

“All critical infrastructure” is at risk

According to the same source, “all critical infrastructure” is at risk, including electricity and water supply systems.

Power plants switched to manual mode of operation.

The US embassy warned US citizens in the country, saying that “sustained” cyber attacks could cause “disruption in the utility sector, transport, including border crossings and airports, and the telecommunications sector”.

(photo by DreamStime)