London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Britain strikes back! UK launched SECRET cyber-attacks on Russia says ex-security chief

Britain strikes back! UK launched SECRET cyber-attacks on Russia says ex-security chief

BRITAIN has hit back at Russia using covert cyber attacks in the past few years according to Lord Sedwill, the former cabinet secretary.

The cabinet secretary is the most senior civil servant and is responsible for overseeing the UK’s intelligence services. Speaking on Times Radio Lord Sedwill revealed Britain had used a “series of discreet measures” to hit Russian targets.

He revealed “covert measures” had been part of the British response to the 2018 poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.

Lord Sedwill was asked why Britain’s offensive cyber capabilities have yet to be used against Russia.

He replied: “The fact you don’t see that we use it doesn’t mean that we don’t.

“Russia is operating in what the aficionados call grey space, that gap between normal state relations and armed conflict, with cyberattacks, information warfare and disruption campaigns.


"Russia is operating in what the aficionados call grey space" 


“It is important that we are capable of manoeuvring in the grey space and doing so effectively. We can’t leave the initiative to our adversaries.

“There are some vulnerabilities that we can exploit too. We just don’t always talk about those.

“We seek to impose a price greater than one they might have expected when we believe it is right and necessary.”

On March 4 2018 Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy turned British double agent, and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in Salisbury by a Novichok nerve agent.


"There are some vulnerabilities that we can exploit"


In June two Britons were poisoned nearby with the same substance with one, 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess, later dying.

Then Prime Minister Theresa May blamed the attacks on the Russian state.

Speaking in Parliament she said: “The Government has concluded that it is highly likely that Russia was responsible for the act against Sergei and Yulia Skripal.”

Lord Sedwell described the poisoning as a major escalation from Moscow.


Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned in Salisbury on March 4 2018


Emergency services responding to the 2018 Salisbury poisoning


Referring to UK/Russia relations he said: “It does break through from time to time.

“After the Salisbury attack, the first use of chemical weapons against a country in Europe in a century, we retaliated in visible ways.

“We expelled the entire Russian intelligence network in the UK.

“But we also took a series of other discreet measures, including measures tackling some of the illicit money that flows out of Russia, and covert measures, which obviously I can’t talk about as well.”

Britain’s cyber-warfare capabilities are led by the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), based in Cheltenham.

The UK has only publicly admitted to using its offensive cyber-warfare capabilities against the terrorist group ISIS.

According to The Times GCHQ has used malware to disrupt its payments systems and targeted its online activities.


GCHQ is based in Cheltenham


Earlier this week the UK officially blamed Russian military intelligence for cyber-attacks targeting the Tokyo Olympics, which was postponed due to coronavirus.

Britain also joined the EU in imposing a travel ban of FSB director Aleksandr Bortnikov, and a number of other senior Russian officials.

This followed the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×