Kremlin propaganda ‘helps MI6 recruit spies’ among Russians
An appeal from MI6 head calling Russians to spy for Britain was broadcast on a Russian propaganda TV-show hosted by former Russian spy Maria Butina, AP reported on Dec. 14.
The show aired an address by MI6 Head Richard Moore, urging Russians to spy in favor of the UK, on Russia's Channel One – the country’s second-largest national TV broadcaster.
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Program host Butina, who formerly spied for Russia in the United States, opened the program dedicated to Moore with the video. It was a segment of Moore's speech at the UK Embassy in Prague, where he openly called for Russians to spy for Britain.
Due to this incident millions of Russians became aware that the UK was expanding its agent network in Russia.
“In truth, we were puzzling over how to get my message to our target audience in Russia,” Moore wrote on X (formerly Twitter). ”We never thought Russian state TV would step in to help. Thanks folks.”
The broadcasting of Moore's appeal was “quite a serious blunder,” and Butina's audience would likely “be of interest to British intelligence,” said Mark Galeotti, an expert on Russian security services at University College London.
Attempting to smooth over the growing scandal, Butina assured journalists that she was just mocking Moore and MI6, not promoting UK intelligence.
The UK tabloid The Sun, citing experts, also reported that “the second most popular state channel in Russia effectively helped MI6 connect with millions of potential spies.”
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
