MI6 Chief Warns of Russian Threat to Sow Global Discord

The new chief of Britain's MI6 intelligence agency is preparing to deliver a stark warning about Russia's ambition to spread disorder internationally, which she believes is reshaping the landscape of global conflict and creating novel security challenges for the United Kingdom.

In her first public address as head of the Secret Intelligence Service, known as MI6, Blaise Metreweli will highlight the increasingly unpredictable and interconnected threats facing Britain, with a particular focus on what she describes as Russia's “aggressive, expansionist” behavior.

Extracts from her speech, released by the Foreign Office, reveal her intention to state that, “The export of chaos is a feature not a bug in the Russian approach to international engagement, and we should be ready for this to continue until Putin is forced to change his calculus.”

Metreweli, who succeeded Richard Moore as head of MI6 in late September, previously served as the agency's director of technology and innovation. This role has been likened to that of Q in the James Bond films. As the head of MI6, Metreweli is the only member of the agency whose name is publicly known.

Metreweli intends to emphasize the importance of both technological expertise and human intelligence in countering hybrid threats. She will argue that MI6 officers “must be as comfortable with lines of code as we are with human sources, as fluent in Python as we are in multiple languages.”

Her speech follows a series of warnings from Western defense and security officials regarding the rising threat posed by nations such as Russia, Iran, and China. These countries are accused of using cyber warfare, espionage, and influence campaigns to undermine global stability.

Just last week, the UK government announced sanctions against several Russian media outlets for their alleged involvement in information warfare, as well as against two Chinese technology firms for what it described as “vast and indiscriminate cyber-activities.”

Metreweli's appointment marks a historic moment, as she is the first woman to lead MI6 since its establishment in 1909.

Prior to Metreweli, women have held leadership positions in Britain's other main intelligence agencies. Stella Rimington directed MI5, the domestic security service, from 1992 to 1996, and Eliza Manningham-Buller held the same position between 2002 and 2007. Anne Keast-Butler became the head of GCHQ, the electronic and cyberintelligence agency, in 2023.

Her warning coincides with ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, which began nearly four years ago with Russia's invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently met with U.S. officials in Berlin and is scheduled to meet with leaders from Germany, France, and Britain. These discussions aim to reinforce support for Ukraine amid pressure from Washington to accept a U.S.-brokered peace agreement.

In a separate address, Air Chief Marshal Richard Knighton, the head of the British military, will state that Putin's objective is “to challenge, limit, divide and ultimately destroy NATO.” Knighton will argue that “The war in Ukraine shows Putin’s willingness to target neighboring states, including their civilian populations...threatens the whole of NATO, including the U.K.,” and that Britain requires a stronger military and more resilient infrastructure to effectively address the evolving threat.