London: Britain’s foreign intelligence chief has warned that Russia remains a serious and expanding threat to the United Kingdom and Europe, saying the danger is no longer limited to battlefields but is spreading across societies.
In her first major public speech, Blaise Metreweli, head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service MI6, said Russia is acting in an aggressive and revisionist way and is deliberately exporting instability beyond its borders.
She said the conflict launched by Russia against Ukraine is only one part of a wider pattern that includes cyber attacks, espionage, sabotage and disinformation campaigns across Europe. According to her, the frontline is now everywhere, affecting politics, infrastructure and daily life.
Metreweli said Moscow’s actions are designed to weaken democratic societies and create fear and division. She added that these efforts are likely to continue as long as President Vladimir Putin believes the strategy brings results.
Reaffirming Britain’s support for Ukraine, the MI6 chief said intelligence agencies will continue working closely with allies to counter Russian operations and protect European security. She stressed that defending against modern threats requires more than traditional spying, pointing to the growing role of technology.
Metreweli said today’s intelligence officers must be skilled not only in languages and diplomacy but also in digital tools, data analysis and coding, as hostile states increasingly operate online.
Her remarks come as European leaders prepare for renewed diplomatic discussions on the war in Ukraine and wider security challenges. In Britain, the warning has also added to calls for stronger investment in defence and national resilience.
The speech signals a clear direction under Metreweli’s leadership, with MI6 focusing on modern threats that blur the line between war and peace, and on building long term capacity to respond to an increasingly unstable global environment.