Russian intelligence is becoming ‘feral’ and ‘reckless’ in employing criminal gangs for terror attacks in Britain and across Europe, head of MI6 warns in rare appearance

Russian intelligence services have become “ferocious” and “reckless” in the way they plan attacks in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, the head of MI6 warned in a rare public appearance yesterday.

In a historic joint interview with CIA chief Richard Moore, Moscow said it was now using criminal gangs to carry out state-sponsored terror attacks in Europe. These attacks put more lives at risk because they are “more amateurish.”

According to his CIA colleague William Burns, the plans are being thwarted across the continent and on mainland Britain by coordinated operations between British and American intelligence services.

They performed to a packed house, amid heavy security, at the FT Weekend Festival in North London, where they talked about the longstanding relationship between MI6 and the CIA.

Burns also revealed that the CIA feared Vladimir Putin would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine in the fall of 2022 after falsely accusing President Volodymyr Zelensky of gathering nuclear material for such an attack on his forces.

According to his CIA colleague William Burns (pictured), the plans are being thwarted across the continent and on mainland Britain by coordinated operations between British and American intelligence services.

They appeared before a packed house, amid heavy security, at the FT Weekend Festival in North London, where they spoke about the longstanding relationship between MI6 and the CIA

The CIA chief also said that 90 percent of a new peace deal between Israel and Hamas is complete and that details could be released “within days.”

Mr Moore, known as C by his officers, told how the two services often run intelligence operations together. ‘Sometimes we decide who is best placed to go first – we call it the best athlete model. Whoever is best placed to do it, we work in a non-competitive way to get the result,’ he said.

The MI6 boss said Russian intelligence services had carried out sabotage and criminal activities in Britain and Europe, and had become “much more aggressive”.

He added: ‘The fact that they are using a criminal element shows that they are getting a bit desperate – they can’t use their own people. They are happy to use criminals. It’s just a bit more reckless.’

Mr Moore was referring to an arson attack in Leyton, east London, on a company with links to Ukraine, which is believed to have been orchestrated by Moscow. Two men have since been charged with helping Russian intelligence after the Met Police used terrorism powers to investigate.

He also said the 2018 Salisbury poisoning was “emblematic” of the recklessness of Russian agents.

“They left a large ampoule of deadly poison lying around for them to pick up,” he said. “It could have killed a whole school – in fact it killed an innocent British citizen.”

Two Russian agents smeared Novichok nerve agent on the door handle of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal (pictured), nearly killing him and his daughter

Dawn Sturgess died in 2018 after being exposed to the nerve agent Novichok that was thrown in a perfume bottle after the attack on Sergei Skripal

Two Russian agents smeared Novichok nerve agent on the door handle of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, nearly killing him and his daughter. But the perfume bottle containing the poison was later picked up by a woman named Dawn Sturgess, who later died.

Speaking publicly for the first time about how the CIA feared Russia was close to using a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine months into the conflict, Mr Burns said: ‘There was a point in the fall of 2022 when I think there was a real risk of potential use of tactical nuclear weapons. I thought we should not be intimidated by Putin.’

He was sent to the Turkish capital Ankara to tell FSB head Sergei Naryshkin how the West would respond “militarily” if Russia used nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

Mr Burns said yesterday: ‘We cannot afford to be intimidated by that sabre-rattling and that bullying. The record shows that the United States has provided enormous support to Ukraine, and I am sure we will continue to do so.’

Mr Burns was closely involved in the difficult Middle East negotiations between Hamas and Israel, which were mediated by Qatar and Egypt.

Russian troops load an Iskander missile onto a mobile launcher during exercises at an undisclosed location in Russia

The intelligence services gave the public interview to Financial Times editor Roula Khalaf in the grounds of Kenwood House in Hampstead

He said 90 percent of a peace agreement has been completed, adding: “The last 10 percent is the last 10 percent for a reason… it’s the hardest part to do. But we will make this more detailed proposal, I hope in the next few days, then we will see.”

And he warned that Hamas cannot be defeated completely. “Hamas is a despicable terrorist organization,” he said. “You can seriously degrade its military capabilities, but it is a movement and an idea, and the way you kill an idea is with a better idea.”

The intelligence services, who gave a public interview to Financial Times editor Roula Khalaf in the grounds of Kenwood House in Hampstead, said China was their main concern, with 20 percent of the CIA’s resources being devoted to the regime in Beijing.