Summary
A recent report examines if British intelligence has learned from the 2018 poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in the UK. The report looks into whether security for former spies has improved and how Russian intelligence activities have adjusted since then. It notes continued challenges in managing threats and adapting to new tactics by Russian operatives.
Key Facts
- Sergei Skripal, a former Russian agent, was poisoned in the UK in 2018.
- Skripal had been working for British intelligence and was part of a spy swap in 2010.
- A report suggests there were no regular updates on the risks Skripal faced, which has been identified as a mistake.
- The attack used a nerve agent called Novichok, attributed to the Russian military intelligence agency, GRU.
- Following the attack, UK intelligence increased protection for defectors and high-risk individuals.
- Russia has changed its tactics, using proxies for intelligence activities in the UK and Europe.
- Increased expulsions of Russian diplomats and better information-sharing have occurred across Europe since the incident.
- A group of Bulgarians in the UK, hired by Moscow, were convicted for conducting surveillance operations.
