"MI6 Tried To Destabilise Russia"

Spy Chief Accuses MI6 Of Trying To Destabilise Russia

By Tony Halpin in Moscow
October 11, 2007
TimesOnline

Russia’s intelligence chief accused Britain yesterday of plotting against the Kremlin to undermine the country’s leadership.

Nikolai Patrushev said MI6 was the most active foreign intelligence service in Russia and claimed that Britain was attempting to shape its political and economic life...

...“The United Kingdom should be distinguished among other countries because its secret services are not only involved in intelligence activities on all fronts, but are also trying to influence domestic developments in Russia,” Mr Patrushev said.

“Since the time of Elizabeth I, British secret services have worked according to the principle of ‘the end justifies the means’. Money, bribery, blackmail - these are their recruitment methods,” he told the Moscow-based newspaper Argumenty i Fakty.

Mr Patrushev accused MI6 of recruiting Kremlin critics, such as Mr Litvinenko and Boris Berezovsky - the billionaire Russian businessman exiled in London - to scheme against Russia.

“British intelligence services have lately begun working with people accused of crimes and hiding from Russian justice in foreign countries.”