Russia’s intelligence agency, the GRU, has been conducting sabotage and “sustained mayhem” on UK and European streets, according to MI5 chief Ken McCallum. In his annual security briefing, McCallum highlighted Russia’s escalating recklessness since the UK backed Ukraine in its war with Russia, citing acts of arson, sabotage, and other dangerous operations.
McCallum also revealed that MI5 has thwarted 20 Iranian-backed plots since 2022, following the death of Mahsa Amini, and warned of growing aggression from Tehran. Despite these threats, the majority of MI5’s focus remains on Islamist extremism, followed by right-wing terrorism. Since 2017, 43 late-stage plots involving firearms and explosives have been foiled, with terror investigations now split between 75% Islamist extremism and 25% extreme right-wing terrorism.
McCallum noted a significant rise in young people, particularly under 18, being drawn into online extremism, with 13% of terror-related investigations involving minors—triple the rate seen in recent years. He expressed concern about the ease with which young individuals access extremist material online, warning that lone actors radicalized in “dark corners of the internet” pose an increasing threat.
The UK’s leading role in supporting Ukraine has made it a primary target for Russia, McCallum added, with UK authorities having expelled more than 750 Russian diplomats, many of whom were spies. Russia, and increasingly Iran, now rely on criminal proxies to carry out their operations. McCallum also warned that the Chinese Communist Party continues to aggressively steal data from the UK, with 20,000 covert approaches made to individuals by China.
The UK’s terror threat level remains substantial, meaning an attack is likely. Despite these rising threats, McCallum reassured the public that MI5 and its partners are prepared to meet the challenges head-on.
