Putin’s best chance to save his skin? Get out of Ukraine, says the head of MI6 as he issued extraordinary appeal to Russians to spy for Britain
The head of MI6 gave a grim message to Vladimir Putin yesterday, telling him to withdraw from Ukraine or risk being overthrown.
Sir Richard Moore said the only way the Russian leader could ensure his “career stability” and save his skin from the “chaos replaying itself in the Russian political body” was by withdrawing Russian troops.
In a rare public speech, he made an extraordinary call for Russians to spy for MI6, otherwise known as the Secret Intelligence Service. He compared the fate of their country to Shakespeare’s doomed Hamlet.
“Putin cannot have an experience where one of his closest protégés turns against his defense minister and his chief of general staff in the first place, you have a huge explosion in the Kremlin that results in troops, heavily armed troops, coming in Advancing 125 km (77 miles) from Moscow.
‘He must realize, I’m sure, that something is profoundly wrong in the state of Denmark, to quote Hamlet. It was quite humiliating – he had to make a deal to save his own skin.’
Sir Richard Moore (left) said the only way the Russian leader could ensure his “career stability” and save his own skin from the “chaos replaying itself in the Russian political body” was by withdrawing Russian troops
The head of MI6 delivered a stark message to Vladimir Putin (pictured) yesterday telling him to withdraw from Ukraine or risk being overthrown
Sir Richard referred to the failed coup by Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin last month and Prigozhin’s criticism of Putin’s Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Sir Richard said the episode had “exposed the inexorable decay of the unstable autocracy” as well as the “corruptibility, infighting and callous incompetence” of the Russian leadership.
When asked if Putin will be ‘overthrown by his people’, Sir Richard said it was ‘up to the Russians’, adding: ‘The answer to these riddles is very clear – it is to remove troops from Ukraine.
Prigozhin was driven to do what he was driven by what happened on the battlefield in Ukraine.
So if you’re in the Kremlin, you have to pay attention to the way that chaos and carnage on the battlefield is now playing out again in the Russian political body. The best way to ensure more career stability is to pull yourself out.”
He added: “If you look at Putin’s behavior that day, Prigozhin started out as a traitor at breakfast, he was pardoned at dinner and two days later he was invited to tea… I don’t think that je ‘I would need all the resources of MI6 to conclude that there are deep rifts in the Russian elite around Putin.’
The spymaster, known as C, revealed that ‘many Russians’ had already defected to help MI6 since the invasion. “Come talk to us,” he insisted.
“There are many Russians today who are quietly shocked at the sight of their armed forces pulverizing Ukrainian cities, driving innocent families from their homes and kidnapping thousands of children.
“We will treat their offer of assistance with the discretion and professionalism my service is known for. Their secrets are always safe with us.’
Speaking at the British ambassador’s residence in Prague, Sir Richard denounced the “new Russian imperialism,” with Putin “lashing out” Wagner mercenaries at African nations in a “21st-century Faustian pact” for valuable rights to their mineral resources.
He warned those countries: “If Russian mercenaries can betray Putin, who else could they betray? If they can advance to Moscow, what other capitals could they threaten?’
Sir Richard Moore chose to wear marmite cufflinks (pictured) yesterday during a rare public address at the residence of the British ambassador in Prague. When asked when he wore the links, he smiled, “I’m not trying to tell you anything… We have this particular yeast extract paste… and you either love it or hate it.”
He added that he remained optimistic that Ukraine could win the war.
Within hours of the speech, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned that defectors could meet the same fate as Sergei Skripal, the poisoned agent in Salisbury.
Sir Richard had to deny that ‘MI6 has woken up a bit’. He said: ‘MI6 does not engage in culture wars.
What I do want is for my service to better represent the country. That’s a noble goal, but it’s also an intensely practical goal. Diversity creates more creativity [and] better troubleshooting.