British Intelligence Head Says Prepare for War Against Russia
Posted For: Rotorblade
Appearing to signal a broader shift in the United States’ posture toward Europe, Metreweli warned that long-standing global structures are under strain. “Institutions which were designed in the ashes of the Second World War are being challenged,” she said. “New blocs and identities are forming, alliances are reshaping, and multipolar competition is in tension with multilateral cooperation.”
She went on to suggest that power itself is becoming more unstable and difficult to control, particularly as advanced technologies move beyond the exclusive reach of nation-states. “Power is becoming more diffuse, more unpredictable,” Metreweli stated, “as control over these technologies is shifting from states to corporations, and sometimes to individuals.”
Yet these remarks come from a nation increasingly unable to govern itself. Once a great power, Britain now appears incapable of controlling its borders or maintaining public order. Illegal migrants cross the English Channel daily in rubber boats, while violent criminal networks operate with little apparent restraint in major cities. Against this backdrop, warnings about global conflict ring hollow.
The Chief of the Defence Staff has warned the UK’s ‘sons and daughters’ may need to be ready to fight, following a separate speech from the Head of MI6, who also warned of Russia’s growing threat.
Sky’s @haynesdeborah has more pic.twitter.com/csxU7pE0xF
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 15, 2025
For that reason, Metreweli’s comments about preparing for war with Russia might be laughable if they did not come from the head of the United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence service. Given the authority of her position, however, her remarks are troubling. Below is an expanded transcript of her comments on Russia:
“I’m going to break with tradition and won’t give you a global threat tour, but will focus here on Putin’s Russia. We all continue to face the menace of an aggressive, expansionist and revisionist Russia, seeking to subjugate Ukraine and harass NATO. I find it harrowing that hundreds of thousands have died, with the toll mounting every day, because of Putin’s historical distortions and his compromised desire for respect. He is dragging out negotiations and shifting the cost of war onto his own population.
But Putin should be in no doubt, our support is enduring. The pressure we apply on Ukraine’s behalf will be sustained, because it is fundamental not just to European sovereignty and security but to global stability.
Alongside the grinding war, Russia is testing us in the grey zone with tactics that sit just below the threshold of war. These include cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, drones buzzing airports and military bases, aggressive activity at sea, state-sponsored arson and sabotage, and propaganda and influence operations designed to exploit divisions within societies.
Countering this activity is the work of intelligence and security services across Europe and the globe. The UK is defending itself against Russian information warfare, including sanctioning media outlets that promote Kremlin narratives.
The export of chaos is not a flaw in Russia’s approach—it is a feature. We should expect this to continue until Putin is forced to change his calculus.
It is no longer enough merely to understand the world; we must shape it. MI6 is well positioned to respond to these threats and will continue to evolve. The UK government has invested in its intelligence agencies, and our open and connected partnerships across the intelligence community and the technology sector will be critical.
As a global agency, our strength lies in our people and our partnerships—across the Five Eyes, NATO, the EU, the Middle East, the Indo-Pacific, and beyond. AI will be an area in which we excel, augmenting human capabilities rather than replacing them. Every digital trace and algorithmic decision has real consequences for lives and for the UK’s strategic advantage.”
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