MI6 door ‘always open’ to Russian defectors, says UK spy chief Richard Moore

The U.K.’s Secret Intelligence Service is “always open” to recruiting Russians unhappy with Vladimir Putin’s regime, the spy agency’s chief said Wednesday.

In a rare speech in Prague, MI6 boss Richard Moore said Russians wrestling with “tugs of conscience” amid Putin’s war in Ukraine would be welcomed on board by the service.

“I invite them to do what others have already done this past 18 months and join hands with us — our door is always open,” Moore said.

“We will handle their offers of help with the discretion and professionalism for which our service is famed, their secrets will always be safe with us,” Moore added.

Moore’s speech — at a POLITICO event at the British ambassador’s residence in Prague — marks only the second time he has given a public address in his historically-secretive role as MI6’s ‘C’.

He used the speech to argue that Russia is failing in its military aims in Ukraine, and to address the growing influence of AI in intelligence. The MI6 boss said AI can assist, rather than replace, human intelligence.

“Some have asked whether [AI] will put intelligence services like mine out of business? In fact, the opposite is more likely to be true,” he said, pointing to the “unique characteristics” of human spies in the field.

“As AI trawls the ocean of open source, there will be even greater value in landing, with a well-cast fly, the secrets that lie beyond the reach of its nets,” Moore said.

On the threat posed by China, the MI6 boss revealed that his agency now devotes “more resources to China than anywhere else” — while stressing the need to keep the lines of communication open with Beijing.

It is, he said, “absolutely necessary for us to engage with China, for the simple reason that not a single international problem of any importance can be addressed if we do not.”

Following the speech, Moore will speak to POLITICO’s Anne McElvoy in a rare interview. The interview can be streamed here.