Britain: citizenship in exchange for information

The British foreign intelligence service MI6 is offering cash payments and citizenship to Russian officials in exchange for information.

About it writes “i” is a British daily newspaper, a supplement to the famous UK-wide newspaper The Independent. The publication reports that the appeal from British intelligence services was sent to Russian officials who are outraged by the full-scale war in Ukraine and are ready to pass on information.

The newspaper refers to four informed sources – three in British intelligence and a former Russian informant. They claim that British citizenship and cash payments “in certain circumstances” are being used as incentives to find informants within the Russian government.

The practice of granting citizenship to whistleblowers in Britain existed during the Cold War, but its use after the full-scale Russian invasion has not previously been reported.

British citizenship, according to i’s interlocutors, is often the most powerful method of persuading potential informants. But they promise it only when the person is definitely trusted, and provide it when he can no longer collect information, or when it is no longer needed. A former MI6 informant from Russia explains:

“This (citizenship) can help a Russian know deep down in his soul that he is acting in the interests of his future homeland.”

The publication’s sources associate this with the unusual appeal of British intelligence chief Richard Moore to the Russians: “join forces” and help put an end to the full-scale war in Ukraine. They explain:

“The current state of British relations means that such frankness in public cannot harm our diplomatic relations with Moscow. This has not always been the case in the past. But overall, it is not that surprising.”

It is not only Britain that is resorting to such actions. The US Central Intelligence Agency has released a new Russian-language video in which it tries to convince Russian intelligence officers to defect to the United States and work as double agents. Last year, the CIA launched a campaign designed to persuade those dissatisfied with the war in Ukraine and the lives of Russian residents to share classified information.

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