The head of Britain’s Secret Service (MI6), Richard Moore, admitted this Wednesday that he recruited disgruntled Russian citizens and was “appalled” by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to spy for the UK.
“There are many Russians who are quietly shocked to see their armed forces pulverizing Ukrainian cities, driving innocent families from their homes and kidnapping thousands of children,” he said, quoted by the Financial Times.
In a speech delivered at the residence of the British ambassador in Prague (Czech Republic), Richard Moore urged more Russians to defect and stressed that the MI6 door is “always open”.
In early July, the recruitment of Russian citizens dissatisfied with the events in Ukraine was also admitted by US CIA intelligence director William Burns, who then believed that this discontent presented a “unique opportunity” and that it would be seized .
“Discontent over the war will continue to erode Russian leadership beyond state propaganda and repression. This adversity presents a unique opportunity for us, the CIA and our human intelligence service,” Burns said at a British session briefing at the time.
The intervention in Prague was Moore’s second public intervention since taking command of MI6 in 2020.
The head of the British secret services also stated that he believed that the recent failed uprising against the senior ranks of the Russian Defense – a movement led by the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin – has opened cracks in the Kremlin (Russian presidency) opened. and that war “destabilizes” the power of President Vladimir Putin.
Moore admitted to being confused about how the June uprising was conducted and Prigozhin’s concrete status, saying that even he can’t “see into the head” of President Putin.
“There are things that are even a bit difficult for the head of MI6 to interpret, in terms of who’s in and who’s out,” he joked.
Still, Richard Moore believes that events “put a strain” on Putin and that the departure of the Wagner Group mercenaries from the front lines in Ukraine reduced the Russians’ chances on the battlefield.
For Moore, the invasion of Ukraine also affected some of Russia’s traditional allies, such as Iran, where some leaders are not in favor of continuing to supply arms to Moscow.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Source: DN
