Latest news with #ForeignIntelligenceService
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
UK could ‘easily' stab US in the back
The United Kingdom would not hesitate to sabotage a potential thaw in US-Russia relations, a top aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on Friday. Nikolay Patrushev, a longtime national security official and senior Kremlin adviser, accused London of being prepared to carry out a false flag in order to derail efforts by US President Donald Trump to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and normalize ties with Moscow. 'If necessary, London would easily stab Washington in the back. I believe officials in the White House realize what kind of 'ally' they are dealing with,' Patrushev told RIA Novosti. His comments followed a statement last month by Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), which alleged that British intelligence was directly involved in orchestrating covert Ukrainian operations. The SVR claimed the UK had acquired torpedoes of Soviet and Russian design for potential use in a false flag incident – specifically, a staged attack on an American naval vessel in the Baltic Sea. Since Trump's return to office in January and the departure of Joe Biden's Democratic administration, Russian officials have frequently pointed to London as the primary force behind the continued conflict in Ukraine. They argue that the British government's firm support is an obstacle to peace and a strategic effort to block reconciliation between Washington and Moscow. Moscow has portrayed the Ukraine conflict as a NATO-driven proxy war meant to weaken Russia at the expense of Ukrainian lives. Past reporting by The New York Times and The Times of London has confirmed that both US and British officials have played more active roles in directing Ukrainian military strategy than publicly acknowledged by their governments.
Sky News AU
6 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Putin claims Hillary Clinton has ‘psycho-emotional' issues
Russian intelligence claims to have collected secret information about the former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in 2016 but kept the information under wraps. Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) suggests Ms Clinton was suffering from 'intensified psycho-emotional problems', including uncontrolled fits of anger, aggression, and cheerfulness. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly chose not to release the information because he believed Ms Clinton would win the 2016 presidential election.
Saudi Gazette
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Kremlin now allows foreigners to serve in Russian army
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Monday allowing foreigners to serve in the Russian army not only during a state of emergency or martial law, but also during the period of mobilization. In an effort to expand Moscow's military recruitment efforts, the Kremlin will also now allow qualified specialists who have reached the age limit to sign contracts with Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Federal Security Service (FSB), or other state security agencies. Until Monday, foreigners were allowed to serve in the Russian army only during states of emergency or under martial law, which Moscow has not declared despite its full-scale invasion of Ukraine three and a half years ago. Putin's partial mobilisation decree from September 2022, which triggered the exodus of over 261,000 Russians, remains in force. As Moscow has recently intensified its summer offensive against Ukraine, allowing foreigners to serve in the army would strengthen the recruitment process in Russia while avoiding formal conscription. At the end of March, the Kremlin announced its traditional spring conscription of 160,000 men — the largest call-up in 14 years. In April the UK Ministry of Defence reported that Russia has recruited more than 1,500 foreign nationals to fight against Ukraine between April 2023 and May 2024. According to the British intelligence update, the majority of foreign recruits came from South and East Asia, accounting for 771 individuals. They were followed by citizens from former Soviet republics (523) and African countries (72). The UK Ministry of Defence suggested that the main factors motivating foreigners to sign military contracts are financial incentives and the possibility of obtaining Russian citizenship. 'Many foreign citizens are almost certainly recruited specifically through Moscow due to higher signing bonuses and the city's relative international accessibility,' it said. The intelligence update in April further indicated that Moscow was likely to continue enlisting foreign citizens over the medium term. This strategy is intended to offset battlefield losses without triggering a second wave of mobilisation. According to the latest update from Ukraine's General Staff, Russia has lost 1,028,610 troops in Ukraine — either killed or wounded — since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Kyiv's daily updates indicate an average daily rate of around 1,000 casualties among Russian troops. UK Defence Ministry analysts noted that while foreign recruitment by Moscow will persist, it is unlikely to significantly alter the composition of Russia's military forces, given the scale of domestic enlistment efforts. — Euronews
Euronews
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Russia expands recruitment, allowing foreigners to serve in army
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Monday allowing foreigners to serve in the Russian army not only during a state of emergency or martial law, but also during the period of mobilisation. In an effort to expand Moscow's military recruitment efforts, the Kremlin will also now allow qualified specialists who have reached the age limit to sign contracts with Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), Federal Security Service (FSB), or other state security agencies. Until Monday, foreigners were allowed to serve in the Russian army only during states of emergency or under martial law, which Moscow has not declared despite its full-scale invasion of Ukraine three and a half years ago. Putin's partial mobilisation decree from September 2022, which triggered the exodus of over 261,000 Russians, remains in force. As Moscow has recently intensified its summer offensive against Ukraine, allowing foreigners to serve in the army would strengthen the recruitment process in Russia while avoiding formal conscription. At the end of March, the Kremlin announced its traditional spring conscription of 160,000 men — the largest call-up in 14 years. Foreigners in Russian army In April the UK Ministry of Defence reported that Russia has recruited more than 1,500 foreign nationals to fight against Ukraine between April 2023 and May 2024. According to the British intelligence update, the majority of foreign recruits came from South and East Asia, accounting for 771 individuals. They were followed by citizens from former Soviet republics (523) and African countries (72). The UK Ministry of Defence suggested that the main factors motivating foreigners to sign military contracts are financial incentives and the possibility of obtaining Russian citizenship. 'Many foreign citizens are almost certainly recruited specifically through Moscow due to higher signing bonuses and the city's relative international accessibility,' it said. The intelligence update in April further indicated that Moscow was likely to continue enlisting foreign citizens over the medium term. This strategy is intended to offset battlefield losses without triggering a second wave of mobilisation. According to the latest update from Ukraine's General Staff, Russia has lost 1,028,610 troops in Ukraine — either killed or wounded — since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. Kyiv's daily updates indicate an average daily rate of around 1,000 casualties among Russian troops. UK Defence Ministry analysts noted that while foreign recruitment by Moscow will persist, it is unlikely to significantly alter the composition of Russia's military forces, given the scale of domestic enlistment efforts.
Euractiv
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Euractiv
Serbian protests escalate as students demand early vote
Serbia's protest movement has entered a new phase of defiance, with nationwide roadblocks disrupting traffic for three consecutive days as citizens demand snap parliamentary elections. Following a demonstration reportedly bringing together more than 140,000 people in central Belgrade on Saturday, student representatives declared the government 'illegitimate' and issued an "ultimatum": call snap elections by 9 pm that night. The deadline passed without a response, and clashes with police ensued, resulting in injuries on both sides. Just a few hours later, the Gazela motorway bridge, the main arteries of Belgrade, and all major access routes to the Serbian capital were blocked by spontaneously erected barricades. The movement then spread across the rest of the country from Sunday to Monday night, before police began dismantling the blockades in the morning. Vučić on Monday dismissed the blockades as 'terrorist activity." The statement has done little to slow the protest movement, which is organising through social media and advocating for mobile barricades while avoiding direct confrontation with police. By Tuesday, disruptions were ongoing in Zemun, Savski Venac, and across several other parts of the capital, according to an interactive map updated by the demonstrators. Offices of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have also been targeted with rubbish. Last January, Prime Minister Miloš Vučević was forced to resign after SNS activists violently attacked students. But the new cabinet appointed in April has largely recycled ministers who were already in office. Students have been challenging Serbia's highly authoritarian President, Aleksandar Vučić, and denouncing official corruption ever since the roof of Novi Sad's recently renovated railway station collapsed on 1 November 2024, killing 16 people. The Russians are back As is often the case when protests catch the Serbian authorities off guard, Vučić has been able to count on a small boost from the Kremlin. Over the weekend, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the West against instigating a 'colour revolution' in Serbia. That statement came despite last month's diplomatic spat, when Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused Belgrade of exporting arms to Ukraine through third countries. On Monday, Vučić did not fail to thank his 'Russian friends' for their understanding, just after he announced the 'suspension' of all Serbian arms exports abroad. Whether or not the idea of a Western-backed colour revolution bears any resemblance to reality is beside the point. The Serbian regime enjoys the support of Paris, Berlin, and Brussels – all of whom are wary of fresh instability in the Balkans. If this was not enough, Vučić ultimately knows how to turn to the East whenever pressure builds at home. (mm)
