Former MI6 chief says Russia is trying to intimidate UK through sabotage and arson
Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to intimidate the UK through sabotage, arson and cyber attacks, according to the former head of MI6. Sir Richard Moore said the Kremlin was seeking to expand the battlefield beyond the war in Ukraine by using methods that stop short of open conflict. His comments came after reporting on arson attacks targeting property and a car linked to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
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Sir Richard made the remarks on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, saying proxy attacks showed Britain needed a discussion about the balance of resources for security and defence. He said Putin was under pressure over the war in Ukraine and was therefore keen to widen the conflict in ways that would be disruptive, distracting and intimidating to countries supporting Kyiv. He also said the UK should respond by strengthening cyber security, improving intelligence and continuing support for Ukraine.
The comments follow a court verdict on Monday, when two men were found guilty of conspiring to carry out arson attacks on property and a car connected to the prime minister. Prosecutors said the attacks were carried out in 2025 after a suspect was recruited online by a Russian-speaking Telegram user known as "El Money" who promised payment. The reporting also said accounts based in Russia spread disinformation about the motive for the attacks.
The case matters because it sits at the intersection of criminal justice, national security and foreign interference. British officials have already described the use of proxies by hostile states in the country as a growing concern. Sir Keir said in April that the UK must deal with malign state actors, reflecting wider concern that covert activity can be used to pressure governments without triggering direct military confrontation.
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The reporting also raised questions about the role of online recruitment and information warfare in alleged hostile-state activity. A BBC Panorama investigation said evidence suggested the account behind "El Money" may have been linked to a 23-year-old Russian diplomat, Evgeny Lyukshin, and that the account glorified Putin in messages. The government and intelligence services have not said the Kremlin was behind the incident, and that remains an important distinction in the public record.
What remains unclear is whether UK authorities will formally attribute the arson plot to the Russian state, and whether any further prosecutions or security measures will follow. Sir Richard said the response should include better intelligence and criminal justice action against those carrying out such attacks. The wider issue is likely to remain under scrutiny as officials assess the scale of sabotage, cyber activity and proxy operations affecting the UK.
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