UK Warns Russia Is 'Escalating Its Global Campaign' To Subvert Its Enemies

Russian President Vladimir Putin is resorting to Russia is taking part in more espionage, assassination and sabotage around the world in a bid to undermine its enemies, according to UK intelligence.Vladimir Putin is trying to extend Russia’s global influence, not through diplomacy – he is still refusing to end his invasion of Ukraine – but through a range of “overt and covert activities”.In its latest update on the Ukraine conflict on X, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: “Russia is escalating its global campaign to subvert its adversaries and increase Russian influence.“Whilst Russian military intelligence (GRU) is at the forefront of these efforts, Russia has also turned to an increasing variety of non-state actors to conduct a full spectrum of overt to covert activities, including espionage, assassination, sabotage and electronic, cyber and information operations.”According to the UK officials, the government has sanctioned three GRU units, 18 military intelligence officers and an interference agency for targeting Britain, Ukraine and their allies.The MoD said that includes a cyber-wing of a GRU unit which was responsible for the malware deployed against Ukraine the month before Russia’s invasion in February 2022 known as WhisperGate.Those responsible for “notable assassination and sabotage operations, including the 2018 attempted murder of Yulia and Sergei Skripal in 2018” have been sanctioned as well.Another unit, accused of providing intelligence to support Russian missile strikes and the 2022 attack on Ukraine’s Mariupol theatre which killed hundreds of civilians, has been added to the sanctions list, too.The MoD also announced the arm of the Russian government which conducts information operations in Africa – “including spreading conspiracy theories designed to undermine lifesaving global health initiatives – has been penalised.Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 23 July 2025.Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/wmOoAZdzxI#StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/3wLtCyO9dY— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) July 23, 2025Britain has worked with its allies to punish Russia over its attacks on Ukraine for years now, but Putin is still refusing to pull his troops out of the beleaguered country.Moscow currently holds around a fifth of Ukrainian land – although he continues his troops forward to secure more, despite enduring more than a million Russian casualties.Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered to meet Putin in person in the hope of securing a permanent peace deal ahead of the talks meant to take place this week.It comes after Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that Russia was unlikely to agree to a peace deal and would continue “pursuing our interests”.Related...Trump Renews Lie That Russia Did Not Help Him In 2016, With Tulsi Gabbard's HelpRussia 'Increasing Pace Of Gains' In Ukraine Despite Trump's Peace Plea, Says UKDonald Trump Says Vladimir Putin 'Bombs Everybody' In Latest Blast At Russian President

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