UK MI5 instructed to focus on spies from Russia, China and Iran

MI5, the UK’s intelligence service responsible for protecting UK interests at home against threats to national security, has been ordered to "refocus" its efforts on spies from Iran, China and Russia.

Source: The Telegraph, citing UK government sources

Details: The publication says that MI5, despite its priority in the fight against terrorists, should devote more resources to counterintelligence operations against Russia, China and Iran.

The newspaper notes that Russia's war in Ukraine, the growing number of Chinese agents operating in the UK, and Iran's use of organised crime have significantly shifted MI5's focus.

A senior government source reported that ministers have asked MI5 to "refocus a lot of their efforts on the espionage threat, particularly the state threat from China, Russia, and more recently Iran as well."

The source also explained that the UK’s support for Ukraine in its war against Russia has also led to increased espionage activity.

The Telegraph adds that the number of Chinese agents involved in intelligence gathering in the UK is "unquantifiable" at the moment.

Another source reported that up to 20 staff members of the Chinese Embassy in the UK are likely to be working as spies.

"But the numbers of agents, civilians who have been recruited by the Chinese intelligence services may run into the hundreds of thousands," the source added.

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