Russian officials were offered a British passport in exchange for information – media

Russian officials were offered British citizenship in exchange for passing information to British intelligence services. This was reported by the British publication I on Friday, February 23, citing four sources of knowledge.

It noted that three British intelligence sources and a former Russian informant said citizenship, as well as cash payments “in certain circumstances,” were used as incentives to find informants in the Russian government.

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

British citizenship, according to the publication’s interlocutors, is often a powerful means of attracting potential informants. But they promise it only when the person is definitely trusted, and they give it when he can no longer gather information or when he is no longer needed.

“It (citizenship – ed.) will help a Russian to know deep in his soul that he is acting in the interest of his future homeland,” said a former MI6 informant from Russia.

As a result, the publication’s sources linked British intelligence chief Richard Moore’s unusual appeal to the Russians to “join forces” and help end the entire war in Ukraine.

It was previously reported that the CIA created new video content to recruit Russians. The video was intended to convince the Russians to cooperate with the American intelligence service.

The Kremlin says Russian intelligence services are monitoring attempts by their American colleagues to recruit Russians.