Putin trying to intimidate with activities in UK, former MI6 chief says
BBC News 2026-06-16 08:54:15
Context: Russian President Vladimir Putin is attempting to intimidate the UK through sabotage, arson, and cyber attacks on British soil, according to former MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore. This assertion comes after a series of arson attacks linked to Russian agents, targeting property and a car connected to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The incidents have prompted concerns about the UK's security and defence strategies.
Key Facts
- Two men were found guilty of conspiring to carry out arson attacks on property and a car connected to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in 2025, after being recruited online by a Russian-speaking Telegram user named "El Money".
- A BBC Panorama investigation uncovered evidence suggesting "El Money" is a 23-year-old Russian diplomat Evgeny Lyukshin, son of a senior official schooled in information warfare by spies and propagandists.
- Sir Richard Moore, former head of MI6, stated that Putin is "keen to expand the battlefield" beyond Ukraine by interfering with countries supporting Kyiv in ways that do not "cross the threshold into open conflict".
- The arson attacks and subsequent disinformation campaign have prompted calls for the UK to rethink its approach to defence, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch condemning the attacks and emphasizing that democracy should not be threatened by foreign interference.
- Sir Richard Moore recommended that the UK should address the concern by "doubling down" on its support of Ukraine, improving cyber security, and investing in "good intelligence" to disrupt Russia's activity.