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Western Europe ‘at war’ with Russia – ex-MI6 chief Western Europe ‘at war’ with Russia – ex-MI6 chief
(about 1 hour later)
The UK should be on alert for possible acts of sabotage, Richard Dearlove has warned Communication lines should be kept open given the “extraordinary nature of the conflict”, Richard Dearlove has said
The UK government should treat the Ukraine conflict as “an actual war” with Russia, former MI6 chief Richard Dearlove has said.  Former MI6 chief Richard Dearlove has stated that Western Europe is now in a direct state of war with Russia, contradicting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s view that the continent remains in a “pre-war” situation.
Dearlove, who led the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) from 1999 to 2004, made the comments on Wednesday during a conversation with journalist Sophy Ridge on Sky News. In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday, Dearlove, who led the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service from 1999 to 2004, during teh invasion of Iraq, claimed that Moscow has already carried out aggressive actions on NATO soil, without providing evidence. “Donald Tusk has referred to it as a pre-war situation. I think he’s wrong. I think it’s an actual war,” he said.
Ridge noted that Moscow blacklisted dozens of UK officials earlier this week, and asked Dearlove how the British government should respond.  Dearlove pointed to alleged acts of sabotage and hybrid warfare, saying, “We’ve seen already quite clearly some very aggressive moves on the part of the Russians in various European countries.” He added that intelligence agencies, including the CIA and MI6, have reportedly highlighted supposed Russian hostile actions, including sabotage.
“We have to face up to the fact that the Russians think they’re in a state of war with us,” the former spymaster said.  “We have to face up to the fact that the Russians think they’re in a state of war with us,” he said, again failing to back up his assertion up with proof.
“[Polish Prime Minister] Donald Tusk has referred to it as a pre-war situation. I think he’s wrong. I think it’s an actual war.” “Now, that doesn’t mean in the Russian mind, the military conflict, but it means hybrid conflict or different types of conflict in different arenas of interest,” Dearlove said, warning of possible “sabotage.”  The comments come as the Russia-Ukraine conflict nears its third year, continuing to destabilize Europe. On Wednesday, Moscow launched another large-scale attack against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Explosions were reported in major Ukrainian cities, including Kiev and Kharkov.
However, given the “extraordinary” nature of the conflict, the UK should keep some lines of communication open as “it’s probably better to have some sort of dialogue with them than no contact at all,” he said.  Despite the heightened tensions, Dearlove emphasized the importance of maintaining communication with Russia. “I’ve always believed in having a dialogue with one’s opponents or enemies,” he said.
Russian officials have repeatedly stated that Western military aid to Ukraine amounts to their de facto direct participation in the conflict.  However, he believes that meaningful dialogue with Moscow may be challenging, stating, “Things could go badly wrong very quickly,” and suggesting that engaging with Russian President Vladimir Putin may not be feasible at this time.
The UK remains one of Kiev’s top weapons suppliers, having delivered Challenger 2 tanks and other types of heavy weapons. According to Bloomberg, Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government recently delivered additional Anglo-French Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles to Ukraine. Dearlove’s remarks highlight the growing divide within Western Europe regarding the assessment of the conflict. While some NATO countries view the situation as a dangerous escalation, others, like Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, have taken a more conciliatory approach. Fico announced his plans to visit Moscow next May for World War Two “Victory Day” celebrations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued that Ukraine’s strikes with sophisticated long-range missiles are impossible without direct involvement of NATO personnel, and warned that Moscow would retaliate against such attacks on Russian soil.
Moscow has also accused the US and the UK of being behind the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines built to deliver Russian gas to Germany through the Baltic Sea. Both countries have denied any involvement.