Moscow, October 24 (VNA) – Combating cybercrime is a shared challenge for all nations in the face of rapidly advancing information technology, demanding coordinated action from the international community, said Artur Lyukmanov, Director of the Department of International Information Security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia.

In an interview with a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Russia, Liukmanov, who is also the Russian President’s Special Representative for International Cooperation in Information Security, praised Vietnam for hosting the signing ceremony of the UN Convention against Cybercrime (Hanoi Convention) on October 25-26, underscoring the deepened cybersecurity cooperation between Russia and Vietnam.

He said Vietnam fully deserves the honour of hosting the Opening for Signature of the UN Convention against Cybercrime – the UN’s first convention on combating cybercrime, noting that Russia takes pride in contributing to the global efforts in this field.

According to Liukmanov, since launching the Hanoi Convention, Russia has actively supported Vietnam at the UN General Assembly’s plenary session in December 2024 and worked closely with Vietnamese agencies to prepare for the signing ceremony. The two countries have jointly conducted activities including large-scale cyberattack prevention training, capacity-building workshops, and technical support initiatives to combat cybercrime.

Regarding Vietnam’s efforts in cybercrime prevention and international cooperation, Liukmanov highlighted that Russia and Vietnam share a common approach and have signed numerous cooperation agreements between their foreign ministries and relevant agencies.

Notably, the two countries have signed an intergovernmental agreement on international information security, which is currently being actively implemented. The forthcoming Hanoi Convention also reflects the bilateral cooperation between the two nations, together with other international partners.

He added that Russia and Vietnam share the view that UN member states should establish legally binding agreements to safeguard the security and safety of their citizens.

In terms of specific cooperation between Vietnam and Russia in combating cybercrime, the two sides regularly share experiences and coordinate through multiple channels, including the UN Security Council, their ministries of home affairs, workshops, conferences, and information security training programmes. Both countries place strong emphasis on the human element in safeguarding information security. Their cooperation has also been strengthened within the Russia-ASEAN dialogue framework, with an information security dialogue held in Sochi on October 23, attended by Vietnam.

Although the Hanoi Convention marks a significant step forward, new challenges in this field continue to arise, Liukmanov said, stressing the need to maintain effective cooperation mechanisms and hold regular meetings and discussions as cybercrime becomes increasingly sophisticated and agile.

The Hanoi Convention has received strong support from UN member states for its goal to establish effective cooperation mechanisms and involve IT innovators in ensuring information security and combating cybercrime, he noted.

He also highlighted technological sovereignty, noting that regardless of which country a technology belongs to, it must ensure information security for its citizens.