<h1>Sanctions target eight individuals and two firms for laundering $3B from cyberthefts that funded illicit weapons program; target vows retaliation</h1> A government imposed sanctions on eight individuals and two firms for allegedly laundering proceeds of state-sponsored cyberthefts that financed an illicit weapons program; authorities said over $3 billion in digital assets were stolen via hacking, crypto heists and fraud and laundered through banks, shell companies and overseas representatives. The targeted government condemned the sanctions as hostile, vowed unspecified countermeasures, rejected pressure as ineffective in changing its strategic posture or disarmament stance, and signaled continued alignment with a third state while declining renewed diplomatic talks unless preconditions are altered.