Russia may be spying on British army bases training Ukrainian troops – UK Defence Ministry

The UK Defence Ministry has warned that Russian spies may be using drones to monitor British military bases where Ukrainian soldiers are undergoing training.

Source: The Times, as reported by European Pravda

Details: A handbook distributed to British military personnel indicates that Russian intelligence services have shown a “significant” interest in Operation Interflex, a training programme run by the UK and its allies for Ukrainian soldiers.

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Russia may also be using drones to monitor military bases in the UK, as well as seeking out military instructors online or in real life and attempting to obtain information from them.

“There are credible espionage and subversion threats associated with the training of AFU in the UK. TTPs [Tactics, Techniques and Procedures] include the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) and physical reconnaissance, virtual and physical approaches to training providers and interest from investigative journalists,” the handbook says.

The UK Defence Ministry told The Times that there is “little evidence” that drones have been used to spy on Interflex exercises.

“This government takes the security of our military establishments very seriously. There are a range of robust measures to protect our people and sites,” a Defence Ministry spokesperson said.

The warnings being given to British military personnel are consistent with Russian espionage tactics seen in other European countries.

Background: 

• Ukrainian soldiers in Germany are known to have been monitored by unknown drones during exercises. This has become so common that instructors have been forced to take it into account during training.
• In addition, this year, two German-Russian citizens were detained on suspicion of preparing a sabotage operation at a US base in Bavaria, Germany.

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