British soldiers have been warned that Russia could be using spies and drones to gain information about Ukrainian soldiers being trained in Britain, The Times reported, citing a military manual circulating among troops. According to the document, Russian intelligence showed particular interest in Operation Interflex, the UK-led programme that provides training for some 34,000 Ukrainian recruits.
“RIS [servicios de inteligencia rusos] They routinely employ a range of technical and physical reconnaissance capabilities… to gather intelligence on UK ground activities, including the training of Ukrainian armed forces personnel.”the document cited by the Kyiv Post says.
Illustrative image: Ukrainian soldiers take part in a military exercise at a military training range in Yorkshire during a visit by defence ministers from the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) nations to see Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers on the UK-led basic training programme on 16 February 2023. (Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty Images)
The spying methods mentioned include the use of drones to fly over military bases and the approach of Russian agents to British trainers, both in person and online. While the vulnerable locations “include training areas, aerial landing ports, sea landing ports and key accommodation and logistics sites,” the manual reads, as cited by the same media.
Illustrative image. Military Zone
Warning about the risks posed by Russian surveillance
Separately, unnamed defence sources told The Times that while there is little evidence that Russia has used drones to spy on British military installations, the manual is intended to warn personnel about the potential risks. Such warnings are based on recent cases of suspected spy drones monitoring the training of Ukrainian recruits in Germany.
In January, German authorities acknowledged that unidentified drones spotted over military training camps are a recurring problem, although so far none have been successfully intercepted. This development underlines growing concerns about Russian espionage activities in Europe.
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Fuentes: Kyiv Post & The Kyiv Independent
