PUTIN’S ARMY OF SABOTEURS TARGET BRITAIN

Johnson and Patel told of threat

- Marco Giannangeli

BRITAIN’S security services were on high alert last night amid fears Vladimir Putin will send saboteurs to the UK.

Senior officers at MI5 have briefed Home Secretary Priti Patel and her team about the high-level threat, with Special Branch tasked to increase the monitoring of travellers to the country, sources revealed.

The Prime Minister and his Chief of Staff, Steve Barclay, have been informed of the situation, while GCHQ is understood to be liaising with European colleagues.

The threats range from “deniable” attacks on key infrastructure to operations intended to humiliate the British government and reduce popular support for actions which are helping the Ukrainian fight. A security source said: “There is a serious concern that officers or agents attached to Russia’s security services may attempt to enter the UK and target strategic locations.

“We are well aware of their capabilities and have seen how Putin is using these agencies in Eastern Europe.”

Evidence has also emerged of a new and extensive disinformation campaign, said by the Foreign Office to be linked to troll farms in St Petersburg.

Ed Johnson, head of global intelligence at the Sibylline strategic risk group, said there are a range of possible targets for a would-be saboteur.