World is at most dangerous point in 40 years, MI6 chief warns

The world is at its most dangerous point in 40 years, said the head of MI6 has warned, accusing Russia of undertaking a “stunningly reckless campaign” of sabotage in Europe to undermine support for Ukraine.

Mister Richard Moore He also said the West could face a “reckoning” as potential terrorists are radicalized by the war in the Middle East.

“In 37 years in the intelligence profession I have never seen the world in a more dangerous state. And the impact on Europe, our shared European home, could not be more serious,” said Sir richard he said, adding that if “Putin is allowed to succeed in reducing Ukraine to a vassal state, he will not stop there.”

Sir Richard said MI6 “values ​​our heritage of covert action, which we keep alive today” – with the British spies working to stop the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He warned that a Putin victory in Ukraine would endanger European and transatlantic security, in what appeared to be a message to President-elect Donald Trump, after the incoming US leader has repeatedly complained about the amount of money and military aid that Washington is sending help to kyiv.

“We have recently uncovered a stunningly reckless campaign of Russian sabotage in Europe, even as Putin and his acolytes resort to nuclear saber-rattling to sow fear about the consequences of helping Ukraine,” he said. “The cost of supporting Ukraine is well known, but the cost of not doing so would be infinitely greater. “If Putin triumphs, China would weigh the implications, North Korea would become emboldened and Iran would become even more dangerous,” he added.

“Our (British, French, European and transatlantic) security will be at risk,” Sir Richard said during an event with his French counterpart to mark 120 years since the Entente Cordiale, the Anglo-French diplomatic agreement, was first signed.

The spy chief said his agency and its French counterpart, led by Nicolas Lerner, were working together to prevent a dangerous escalation by “gauging the risk and informing the decisions of our respective governments” in response to the “mix of bravado and aggression.” of President Putin.

Western officials have linked Moscow to several planned attacks in Europe in recent months, including an alleged plot to burn down Ukrainian-owned businesses in London and incendiary devices packaged on cargo planes. In July, one A courier center caught fire in Germany and another lit in a warehouse in England.

Moscow has denied all responsibility for all such incidents. Sir Richard’s comments come after Ken McCallum, head of the UK’s national intelligence service, MI5, warned last month that Russian spies were on “a sustained mission to wreak havoc on British and European streets.” including “arson, sabotage and more dangerous actions carried out.” with increasing recklessness.”

Describing British intelligence officials as facing an “incredible job”, McCallum said both Russia and Iran had resorted to employing private intelligence officers and criminals from both the UK and third countries.

Speaking on Friday, Mr. Lerner, head of FranceFrance’s foreign spy agency, DGSE, said Britain’s experience following recent attacks such as the Salisbury Novichok poisoning in 2018 was invaluable to French intelligence officers seeking to defuse Russian actions.

Britain and France have been among Ukraine’s allies most willing to allow kyiv to use the weapons they supply to attack certain targets inside Russia, following US President Joe Biden’s move this month. eased their long-standing opposition to use US-made ATACMS missiles to do so.

Since then, Russia has They bombed Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with hundreds of missiles and drones, fired and threatened the West with a new intermediate-range ballistic missile, and altered Russia’s nuclear doctrine reduce the threshold for the use of such weapons.

While Trump’s stance on Ukraine has raised concerns among some UK officials, Sir Richard – who has been mentioned as a possible choice for the UK ambassador to Washington – said he was confident the transatlantic link would remain strong.

“For decades, the US-UK intelligence alliance has made our societies safer,” he said. “I worked successfully with the first Trump administration to advance our shared security and I look forward to doing so again.”

Sir Richard also directly addressed defense spending, with Trump calling on NATO nations to spend more during his first term in the White House. “We know we all have to do more,” he said. “That is why the British government has committed to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence.”

However, the MI6 chief said Europe and North America already “have many times the GDP and defense budget of Russia”, adding: “We must never doubt that our alliance has numerical strength, both economic and military, and our unity of purpose makes that count.” .”

Returning the focus to the war in Gaza, Sir Richard said: “We have yet to fully come to terms with the radicalizing impact of the fighting and the terrible loss of innocent lives in the Middle East after the horrors of 7 October.”

The war in Gaza – along with cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon – broke out on October 7 last year, when Hamas launched an attack inside Israel. The militant group killed about 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages in Gaza.

In response, Israel launched a devastating air and ground offensive against Hamas, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep fighting until all the hostages are freed. About 100 hostages remain, although around a third of them are believed to be dead. More than 44,000 Palestinians have died in the devastated Gaza Strip, according to local health officials, while around 90 percent of the population of around 2.3 million has been forced to leave their homes.

Former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers warned last month that police and intelligence agencies in Britain should be “on alert” as Israel’s assassination of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders could trigger attacks in British soil.

Additional agency reports