UK Defense Bosses Warned of Russian Spy Threats Amid Escalation
Executives of British defense firms supplying weapons to Ukraine have been warned about the risk of being targeted by Russian spies, following a summer roundtable organized by the FCDO. The warning comes amid the disruption of Russian assassination plots against European defense figures, including the CEO of Germany’s Rheinmetall.
British defense executives supplying weapons to Ukraine have been cautioned about the rising threat of Russian espionage and assassination attempts, according to The Mail on Sunday. This warning emerged from a recent roundtable convened by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which brought together high-ranking government officials and defense sector CEOs.
Specific attendee names were not disclosed, but the group is believed to have encompassed representatives from companies that provide drones and weapons to Kyiv.
The security briefing came in the wake of revelations about Russian assassination plots targeting European defense leaders. A notable example was the thwarted Russian plot to eliminate Armin Papperger, CEO of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, who is currently involved in a £4.2 billion contract for artillery shells destined for Ukraine.
Security expert Elisabeth Braw of the Atlantic Council stated that defense officials across the UK and Europe are increasingly wary of their personal safety and the protection of their facilities. She emphasized that Russia views anyone associated with the Western defense industry as a viable target. The domestic security alerts coincide with Moscow's escalating military rhetoric aimed at the UK government.
On Thursday, Russia vowed to attack British military bases in response to Prime Minister Andy Burnham's recent trip to Kyiv. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova asserted that London was "one step away" from collaborating in what Moscow deemed "terrorism," threatening "inevitable, catastrophic consequences." Burnham approved the transfer of classified British intelligence and production plans for the Anglo-French Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine on August 24, aiming to enable Kyiv to manufacture the long-range precision weapons locally.
During her briefing, Zakharova vehemently criticized Burnham for choosing Kyiv as his inaugural international stop instead of a conventional Western ally, branding it an "obsessive anti-Russian agenda." When asked by a British journalist whether Russian strikes on UK soil would trigger NATO's Article 5 collective-defense provision, Zakharova declined to retract the warning and instead accused British media of hypocrisy.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
