Deportation of over 400 suspects Russian spies from across Europe this year, dealt “the most significant strategic blow” to Moscow in recent history and took Vladimir Putin by surprise, his leader said. British espionage. In his annual bulletin on threats facing the UK, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum also again warned of Chinese efforts to influence MPs and public figures, as well as Beijing’s efforts to persecute the Chinese diaspora.

McCallum said a significant number of Russian officials have been expelled from countries around the world, including more than 600 from Europe, of which more than 400 have been identified as spies.

“This dealt Russia the most significant strategic blow in recent European history,” he said in a speech at MI5 headquarters in London.

“And along with the coordinated waves of sanctions, the scale took (Russian President) Putin by surprise.”

He also called Moscow’s statements about Britain’s involvement in the explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipeline ridiculous.

McCallum said the expulsion followed a pattern adopted by Britain after the nerve agent poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, southern England, in 2018, sparking a wave of diplomatic expulsions.

MI5 chief McCallum said the UK had refused more than 100 Russian diplomatic visas this year on national security grounds.

Speaking of China, the head of British intelligence said that the Chinese authorities are using every means at their disposal to control and intimidate the Chinese diaspora.

He was referring to an incident last month in Manchester, in the north of England, when a man protesting outside the Chinese consulate said he was dragged inside by masked men and then kicked and punched.

“Intimidation and harassment of British citizens or people who call the UK home is unacceptable,” McCallum said.

Source: APE/MEB