Russian President Vladimir Putin is dragging out talks on Ukraine, and Russia is seeking to intimidate its critics with tactics - from sabotage attacks to flying drones over airports, the head of Britain's MI6 intelligence service said last night, quoted by Reuters
In his first public speech since heading Britain's foreign intelligence service, Blaise Metreveli said Russia represents an “aggressive, expansionist and revisionist“ a threat that continues to seek to subjugate Ukraine and harass NATO members.
Putin is “delaying negotiations and shifting the cost of war onto his own people,” said Metreveli, who in October became the first woman to head MI6 in the agency’s 116-year history.
In a speech at the agency’s headquarters in London, she said Russia should not doubt Britain’s long-term support for Ukraine.
Britain must be better prepared to counter the threat of conflict, particularly from Russia, by encouraging people to fight, increasing industrial capacity to produce weapons and developing the necessary skills, the head of the British armed forces was quoted by Reuters as saying.
Air Chief Marshal and Chief of the Defence Staff Richard Knighton told the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank that Britain did not yet feel the threat from Russia “as acutely as many of our allies in Europe”, who have already increased military procurement and in some cases returned to a form of national military service.
Europe is trying to fill the gap left by President Donald Trump’s insistence that the continent take on the bulk of NATO’s conventional defence capabilities, especially at a time when peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are running into difficulties.
Knighton’s words appear aimed at urging the British government and public to take the threat of a possible wider conflict more seriously and to act more quickly.
„The Russian leadership has made it clear that it wants to challenge, contain, divide and ultimately destroy NATO," he said in his annual lecture.
“It is clear to our allies that the risk to NATO and to the UK from Russia is growing… If we fail to raise awareness and start a conversation with the public about these risks, we cannot expect the rest of government, society and industry to act or bear the costs involved.“
Russia says it has no plans to attack NATO.