Media: London will actively deal with threats from Russia

[Eugen]

The British authorities ordered the adoption of tough measures against "Putin's spies" operating in Britain, as well as Russian bombers invading the British space, writes the British Sunday Times.

The newspaper, citing senior sources in the security services, reports that this was the result of a “policy change” with respect to Russian intelligence officers conducting operations in the United Kingdom. In particular, by order of the head of the British security service, the MI-5 counter-terrorism department should strengthen monitoring of all Kremlin agents operating on the streets of London.

"Need people"

The current decision of the intelligence services to strengthen surveillance of Russian spies was taken against the backdrop of growing fears from the leadership of the intelligence services that Britain was vulnerable to Kremlin agents as a result of an active fight against Islamic terrorism. More than 40 Russian intelligence agencies are believed to operate in London. that the chiefs of MI-5, MI-6 (Foreign Intelligence Service) and GCHQ (Office of Government Communications of Great Britain) began to actively recruit Russian-speaking employees, since, in their opinion, a new Cold War had begun.

For example, one of the job advertisements in these organizations is looking for people to "listen to Russian-language telephone conversations" in order to deal with "a potential threat to national security, including terrorism and espionage."

Also, after the cyber attacks committed by Russia against the Baltic states, Georgia and Ukraine, the cabinet secretariat increased funding to combat Russian cyber attacks on British infrastructure.

On Monday, Prime Minister David Cameron, in his regular statement to the House of Commons, will announce plans to provide “safeguards” to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observers in Ukraine to enable them to more effectively monitor the activities of “Kremlin-backed separatists.”

Russia denies its involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, but admits that Russians, who are called “volunteers,” are also fighting in Russia.

Bears should not leave the forest

As it became known to the Sunday Times, British Minister of Defense Michael Fallon ordered the British BBC pilots to intercept Russian Tu-95 bombers, or Bears, when they approach British airspace, make radio contact with them and try to force them to change course.

The newspaper recalls that last week the British Typhoon fighter jets, taken up from the bases in Lincolnshire and Moray to escort the Russian Bears, were equipped with digital cameras to record registration data and the numbers of the Russian bomber base.
“This summer, the British Typhoons will help patrol the Baltic airspace, and the British troops will again hold exercises in Poland,” said Michael Fallon last Saturday.

The Sunday Times also quotes an unnamed senior British defense ministry source: "These (Russian) flights provoke, intimidate, disrupt order and, frankly, they are dangerous. Bears should not leave the forest."

According to military sources, if Russia continues its campaign of intimidation, it is entirely possible that NATO will establish new permanent bases in countries bordering Russia.

One source told the newspaper that the West was "tearing apart" the 1997 Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security "between NATO and Russia, according to which both sides agreed that they are no longer" enemies. "

Heads of special services during a recent meeting with the British prime minister said that Putin’s new aggressive behavior is a response to complaints from Russian oligarchs that economic sanctions are becoming more tangible.

According to the publication, David Cameron is currently actively lobbying among European leaders for the idea of using the March summit in Brussels in order to extend sanctions against Russia.

Source : [DLMURL] https://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/uk/2015/02/150222_britain_to_combat_russian_threat [/ DLMURL]