The head of Britain's foreign intelligence service has warned that Russia is conducting a "staggeringly reckless" sabotage campaign against Ukraine's Western allies.
Richard Moore, chief of MI6, said his spies are working around the clock to stop the spread of covert infrastructure attacks. He outlined how disinformation, sabotage and arson are consistent threats to the U.K and Europe.
Moore delivered his remarks from Paris, alongside Nicolas Lerner, director-general of France's Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE), as part of an event marking the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale Anglo-French agreements.
The partnership remains critical in countering Russia's increasing aggression.
Moore said his agency and its French counterpart have been working together to halt President Vladimir Putin's "mix of bluster and aggression."
Growing Examples Russian Threat to Europe
Western intelligence officials have linked Russia to a series of covert attacks, including incendiary devices hidden in packages on cargo planes.
One incident saw a British man connected to the Russian state-funded mercenary Wagner Group accused of plotting to torch Ukraine-owned London businesses.
Russian agents have also been linked to a device which ignited at a courier hub in Germany in July, and another device that caught fire at a courier warehouse in England.
According to Moore and Lerner, these attacks form part of a sustained project by Moscow to pressure Ukraine's allies into withdrawing support for the embattled nation.
The sabotage campaign echoes acts of Russian hostility before the war in Ukraine, including the 2018 Novichok poisoning in Salisbury, England, which targeted a former Russian intelligence officer and his daughter.
"The collective security of the whole of Europe is at stake," Lerner said.
MI6 Warn of Potential Spread of Putin's Tactics
Moore also cautioned that Putin's tactics could inspire further aggression from nations such as China, Iran, and North Korea.
"If Putin succeeds, China would weigh the implications, North Korea would be emboldened, and Iran would become yet more dangerous," he said.
He noted that a Russian victory in Ukraine would risk turning the country into a "vassal state" and imperil the trans-Atlantic alliance.
"He will not stop there," Moore said. "Our security—British, French, European, and trans-Atlantic—will be jeopardized."
The UK and France remain among the most active supporters of Ukraine, with both nations providing advanced weapons including Storm Shadow and Scalp missiles, enabling Kyiv to strike deep into Russian-held territory.
In retaliation, Moscow launched a barrage of missiles and drones at Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Putin has also deployed the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, threatening to target decision-making centers in Kyiv.
Can Europe Rely on Trump to Support Ukraine?
Moore's remarks were partly aimed at the incoming U.S. administration under President-elect Donald Trump, who has criticized American spending on Ukraine and hinted at negotiating an end to the war that could involve territorial concessions to Russia.
"The cost of supporting Ukraine is well-known, but the cost of not doing so would be infinitely higher," Moore said.
Despite concerns over Trump's "America First" agenda, Moore expressed confidence in the resilience of the U.S.-U.K. intelligence partnership.
"For decades, the U.S.-U.K. intelligence alliance has made our societies safer," he said, while emphasizing how MI6 worked effectively with Trump's first administration on counterterrorism and cybersecurity through collaboration with the CIA and NSA.
"I worked successfully with the first Trump administration to advance our shared security and look forward to doing so again," said Moore.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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