A major package of measures to target and dismantle Russian
intelligence gathering operations in the UK will be rolled out
today, the Home Secretary has announced.
Today, the UK government will:
- expel the Russian defence attaché, an undeclared military
intelligence officer
- remove diplomatic premises status from several Russian
properties in the UK, including Seacox Heath – a Russia-owned
property in Sussex – and the Trade and Defence Section in
Highgate, which are believed to have been used for intelligence
purposes
- impose new restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas,
including capping the length of time Russian diplomats can spend
in the UK
The UK has today summoned the Russian Ambassador to replay these
measures and to reiterate that Russia's actions will not be
tolerated.
These actions, the latest in a string of robust measures taken
against Russia to protect the UK, follow a pattern of malign
activity carried out both here and abroad in the past year, which
is believed to be linked to Russia.
That includes 5 Bulgarian nationals charged with conspiring to
commit espionage activities in the UK on behalf of Russia. A
sixth individual was later charged and legal proceedings for all
are ongoing.
Last month, a further 5 individuals were the first to be charged
in connection with an investigation into alleged offences under
the National Security Act. The Crown Prosecution Service
confirmed at the time it related to alleged ‘hostile activity in
the UK in order to benefit a foreign state – namely
Russia”.
The UK and its allies have also attributed a number of malign
cyber activity incidents in the UK to the Russian Federal
Security Service (FSB) in recent years, such as targeting UK
parliamentarians through spear-phishing campaigns, hacking and
leaking UK-US trade documents and interference against a UK think
tank working on defending democracy against disinformation.
In Europe, the Russian government has allegedly planned sabotage
activities against military aid for Ukraine in Germany and Poland
and carried out alleged espionage activity in Bulgaria and Italy;
cyber and disinformation activities; air space violations; and
GPS jamming with impact on civil aviation.
Home Secretary said:
These activities bear all the hallmarks of a deliberate campaign
by Russia.
We are taking action to send a strong deterrence message to
Russia and to further reduce the ability of the Russian
Intelligence Services to threaten the UK.
We will stand firm in the face of the Russian threat to the UK
and our way of life.
Foreign Secretary said:
Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russia's attempts to
undermine UK and European security have become increasingly
brazen.
These measures are an unequivocal message to the Russian state –
their actions will not go unanswered.
Alongside our friends and partners we will continue to stand with
Ukraine and hold Russia accountable for its malign activity.
Defence Secretary said:
In addition to the major uplift in our support for Ukraine to £3
billion this year, we are taking robust action to prevent
Russia's malign activity from threatening the UK.
Together with our allies, we continue to send a powerful message
to Putin that we will not tolerate his disruptive efforts and are
not cowed by his threats – we will continue to stand up for
freedom and democracy for as long as it takes.
Following Russia's state-backed attack in Salisbury in 2018, the
UK and its allies took unprecedented measures to make Europe a
harder operating environment for the Russian intelligence
services, including expelling 23 undeclared Russian intelligence
officers from the UK.
Security is a top priority for this government and the National
Security Act 2023 has delivered a range of measures to strengthen
the UK's efforts to detect, deter and disrupt state threats,
including by enhancing police powers to investigate state threats
activity to protect our people.
