The UK’s new spy chief warns that Russia poses an immediate threat

Blaise Metreweli, Director of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service MI6, states that we have to be careful of “the acute threat” posed by Russia and other hostile actors.

In her first public speech, Metreweli explained to her audience how MI6 tackles new and emerging threats to the UK and its allies, as the country faces a new “age of uncertainty.”

She described a progressively complex and interconnected world of global threats, from technological disruptions to information manipulation. In this context, building partnerships to safeguard the UK’s national security is essential.

At the same time, Britain must stay ahead of its adversaries, meaning Brits must get acquainted with coding.

“Mastery of technology must infuse everything we do. Not just in our labs, but in the field, in our tradecraft, and even more importantly, in the mindset of every officer. We must be as comfortable with lines of code as we are with human sources, as fluent in Python as we are in multiple languages,” Metreweli said in a speech on Monday.

Russia, an “aggressive, expansionist, and revisionist” country as she calls it, poses an acute threat to the UK, mentioning Russia’s military invasion in Ukraine.

“The export of chaos is a feature, not a bug in the Russian approach to international engagement, and we should be ready for this to continue until Putin is forced to change his calculus,” Metreweli warns.

She concluded her speech about the importance of intelligence services to counter emerging threats and protect the UK’s national security.

“The defining challenge of the twenty-first century is not simply who wields the most powerful technologies, but who guides them with the greatest wisdom. Our security, our prosperity, and our humanity depend on it.”

Metreweli was appointed as the Director of MI6 in June, making her the first female chief of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service.

“MI6 plays a vital role – with MI5 and GCHQ – in keeping the British people safe and promoting UK interests overseas. I look forward to continuing that work alongside the brave officers and agents of MI6 and our many international partners,” Metreweli said in her acceptance speech.