Putin’s army of saboteurs ‘could infiltrate UK to attack key targets’ in revenge for Ukraine support, ministers warned
BRITAIN’S security services were on high alert on Saturday amid fears Putin’s army of saboteurs “could infiltrate the UK to attack key targets”, it was claimed.
Senior officers at MI5 – the UK’s domestic counter-intelligence and security agency – are said to have warned Home Secretary Priti Patel and her team about the high-level threat from Russia.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chief of Staff Steve Barclay are also understood to have been told of the soaring threat to UK safety which could stem from Russia’s intelligence service, the FSB.
The fears have now reportedly forced the agency’s special branch to ramp up the monitoring of all travellers into Britain, sources told the .
While spooks at GCHQ – who provide support and guidance to make the UK safe – are reportedly liaising with European allies amid the fresh fears, the paper claimed.
The paper says the new plans from the Kremlin are in retaliation for Britain’s relentless support of Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
The threats to the UK could range from “deniable” attacks on vital infrastructure to operations ‘intended to humiliate the British government’.
Kremlin operatives have also allegedly been tasked with reducing public support for the UK Government’s heroic efforts which are helping Ukraine fight Putin’s butchers.
It comes as:
- The PM is being targeted by cyber soldiers to deliver propaganda
- Putin is on the verge of declaring all-out war on Ukraine
- An insider claimed Putin is set to undergo cancer operation
- Dramatic vid shows the moment Russian tanks are blasted
- Britain sends war crimes experts to help Ukraine with investigations
- Another British fighter was paraded on Russian state TV
- The first UK casualty was named as volunteer Scott Sibley
Such efforts include the UK sending over 10,000 anti-tank NLAW weapons to Ukraine, which have proven invaluable in holding back Mad Vlad’s invading forces.
Ukrainian troops have hailed the lethal British donations as “beautiful” and thanked the Queen for the “gifts”.
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While the British Starstreak high-velocity missile system has also been seen wreaking havoc on Russian forces.
Addressing concerns of what is to come, a security source told the Sunday Express Russia could now infiltrate the UK and launch attacks.
They said: “There is a serious concern that officers or agents attached to Russia’s security services may attempt to enter the UK and target strategic locations.
“We are well aware of their capabilities and have seen how Putin is using these agencies in Eastern Europe.”
Ed Johnson, head of global intelligence at the Sibylline strategic risk group, told the paper saboteurs see Britain as a “number one target” and will “aim to sow chaos, panic or distrust in the Government”.
He claimed this could range from “taking down a substation and amplifying the effect through a cyber attack” to bringing “hard currency into Britain to finance separatist organisations”.
MP’s, agents and officials could also be targets for funding while Russian operatives could even be tasked with releasing “embarrassing documents”.
He said Russia’s FSB intelligence service “now has a lot to prove” after providing shoddy pre-invasion intelligence which led to Russia’s catastrophic miscalculation of Ukrainian resistance.
TROLL ATTACKS
The claims follow a massive new disinformation campaign launched by Russia which threatens to further destabilise Britain.
Legions of sinister online Russian trolls are expected to amplify prevalent social media accounts that are “sympathetic” to Russia and its invasion of Ukraine.
It has been claimed trolls will do this by boosting followers and sharing their content – all the while keeping within the rules of social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.
It comes as research funded by the British Government suggests a wave of recent cyberattacks is likely linked to troll farms in St Petersburg.
We cannot allow the Kremlin and its shady troll farms to invade our online spaces with lies about Putin’s war
Liz Truss, Foreign Secretary
The Foreign Office believe one facility – located in a former factory – is funded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, aka ‘Putin’s Chef’.
Prigozhin is the founder of Russian bot-farm the Internet Research Agency.
A source close to the research told that on 23 occasions the factory ordered its trolls to the Twitter and Instagram accounts of politicians including Boris Johnson and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss along with British news websites were also targeted.
Following the announcement of the findings, Ms Truss said: “We cannot allow the Kremlin and its shady troll farms to invade our online spaces with lies about Putin’s war.”
She added how the Government will continue to “work closely with allies and media platforms to undermine Russian information operations”.
The Sun Online have approached the Home Office and Foreign Office for comment.
Back in 2018, Russian spies managed to sneak into the UK and launch the Salisbury attack.
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Their goal was to kill MI6 mole Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia with Novichok nerve agent, that they sprayed on the door handle of his Salisbury home.
Denis Sergeev, 47, was charged with attempted murder after it was confirmed he met with Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin in London before the attack.
