European, U.S. regulators tell banks to prepare for Russian cyberattack threat

FILE PHOTO: President of European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, attends a news conference following a meeting of the governing council in Frankfurt, Germany February 3, 2022. Michael Probst/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

FRANKFURT/LONDON (Reuters) - The European Central Bank is preparing banks for a possible Russian-sponsored cyber attack as tensions with Ukraine mount, two people with knowledge of the matter said, as the region braces for the financial fallout of any conflict.

The stand-off between Russia and Ukraine has rattled Europe's political and business leaders, who fear an invasion that would inflict damage on the entire region.