The European Union and Britain imposed joint sanctions on Russia, blaming Moscow's FSB intelligence agency for its role in cyber attacks in Europe.
The shift occurs as Western officials caution that Russia has intensified its "hybrid" effort to disrupt Europe four years into the conflict in Ukraine.
Brussels announced it would impose sanctions on nine individuals and four entities, while London stated it would add 24 names to its blacklist.
The British government stated that the sanctions -- the initial collaborative cyber initiative with the EU -- "aim to counter the Russian government's ongoing and increasingly reckless efforts to create disorder and discord throughout Europe."
Included in the asset freezes and visa restrictions were personnel from Russia's GRU military intelligence and purported "cybercriminals" collaborating with the Russian government.
Furthermore, the EU and Britain stated that a recent cyber attack attempt aimed at essential infrastructure in Poland, including the power grid, is the latest in a series of such actions by the FSB's Centre 16 intelligence unit.
"The British foreign office stated that this careless assault did not succeed but might have left 500,000 citizens without power in the heart of winter."
"It serves as yet another instance of the Russian government's reckless efforts to create disorder throughout Europe."
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France's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that the Russian ambassador would address the cyber attacks in the upcoming days.
Barrot indicated that the assaults focused on governmental ministries, corporations, and service providers, intending "either to obtain information or disrupt operations, such as rail infrastructure, as occurred in Poland."
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The French foreign ministry stated that included in the sanctioned entities was "a group that asserted destabilizing activities against the Paris 2024 Olympics."
The EU stated that "including but not limited to, France, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, and Finland have been aimed at" in a campaign that has lasted for years.
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Western intelligence agencies have previously accused the FSB's Centre 16 of employing malware for decades in attempts to infiltrate and surveil nations worldwide.