Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, has alleged that the United States and the United Kingdom are involved in training special forces to conduct sabotage operations against Russia.
In an interview with the “Solovyov Live” channel, aired by Russia’s First Channel, Naryshkin claimed that “Americans, especially the British, have been and are involved in training special operations forces and intelligence officers to carry out sabotage activities against our country.”
The Russian intelligence chief also blamed the Anglo-Saxons for the explosions of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, indicating a direct accusation towards the US and UK’s involvement in the incidents.
Naryshkin highlighted that the United States is establishing an extensive intelligence network not only within the territory of Ukraine but also in other countries, including those bordering Russian territories.
“The participation of US intelligence agencies in the training and retraining of Ukrainian intelligence officers is a manifest fact,” he added.
Furthermore, The New York Times reported in February, citing former and current officials from the United States, Europe, and Ukraine, that over the past eight years, Washington, with the support of the CIA, established 12 secret facilities in several former Soviet republics near the Russian border.
The report details close cooperation between the Americans and the current head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Kyrylo Budanov, involving the training of spies operating in Russia, Europe, Cuba, and other locations with a Russian presence.
This development raises concerns about escalating tensions between Russia and the Western countries, indicating a deepening divide and increasing the potential for further confrontations on the intelligence and military fronts.
