The United States and Britain announced punitive measures against two Russian hackers on Thursday as they exposed a Kremlin-backed cyber conspiracy that targeted London's democracy.

The British and U.S. governments imposed sanctions on two Russian hackers on Thursday for what Britain's foreign office said was a sustained but failed attempt to interfere in politics by Russian cyber spies.

U.S. authorities have indicted two hackers linked to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) for allegedly carrying out a years-long cyber espionage campaign targeting government officials. The Department of Justice alleged on Thursday that Ruslan Aleksandrovich Peretyatko,

Russia has repeatedly denied claims it is involved in such activities. Foreign Office Minister Leo Docherty told the House of Commons that Russia's ambassador has been summoned and two individuals were being sanctioned.

The Justice Department announced charges Thursday against two Russian intelligence officers for allegedly engaging in a global hacking campaign that targeted military and government officials in the U.

Two Russian intelligence officers have been indicted as part of what prosecutors allege was a broad campaign to hack into U.S. and British government agencies – and to influence British politics.

Hackers acting on behalf of the Russian government targeted U.S. intelligence officers in a “sophisticated spear phishing campaign” designed to influence elections in the United Kingdom, the Justice Department (DOJ) alleged Thursday.