Russian President Vladimir Putin is not happy as M-16 chief says the Kremlin is not as powerful as before and says undermining UK and Russia relation will be unwise.
Putin took offense to the remark of Richard Moore, chief of MI6, that the Kremlin's influence is waning and said that it was exhibiting recklessness. But, the Russian leader mentioned that any outside influence that will ruin relations with the UK will regret it, reported Bloomberg.
Be careful what you say
Reports ask how the remarks of the British spy chief were received by the Russian leader. The new M-16 spy chief was told that he is new to the job, suggesting that his assessment of the Kremlin should be reassessed. Moore started to head M-16 in October last year but whose assessment was ill-advised, it should have been more diplomatic.
He was asked his opinion of the remarks of the M-16 chief, saying," The head of MI6 has made these conclusions; he is new, and I expect he would gain more experience before reconsidering his judgments whether Russia is a declining superpower." Adding, "So why care, why be concerned, simply live your life and don't attempt to even further undermine Russian-British relations?", quoted the Express.
During a video link from St Petersburg, Putin spoke of improved trade between the two countries that saw better growth and trade relations. Any attempt to sour the economic benefits of better trade will be detrimental. Putin is not happy as M-16 chief says the Kremlin is not what it was, which prompted these remarks.
Moore emphasized his concern with the Novichok incident in Salisbury, in which two alleged Russian agents went after Sergei Markov, a former Russian spy converted to MI6 double agent.
The spy head also raised suspicions that Moscow's intelligence organization, the GRU, was liable for a bombing that killed two people at a Czech weapons factory in 2014.
He spoke to Times Radio via Youtube, and gave this statement, "When you have a pattern of risky behavior, you find out what is going on in Ukraine, and that worries us. It is for this purpose that we have engaged so closely with our allies to assure that we are delivering President Putin powerful signals."
Russian opposition and Alexei Navalny
With the present politics in Russia extremely tense, how the opposition leader Alexei Navalny was treated by Russian officials is an indicator of the government's attitude to the opposition. Looking at the sheer numbers of protestors in the street of Moscow, this may signify their stand with the continuing rule of Putin.
The nerve agent attack on British soil in 2018, ties with Moscow and London have been particularly strained.
Reports say that Sergei Skripal survived a chemical attack that killed 44-year-old Dawn Sturgess after she used a spray bottle with toxin. The alleged cause of death is poisoning or merely from natural death due to illness.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has led a push to NATO should employ political pressure to combat the danger of Moscow, charging Russia of being an "unfriendly" state.
Raab called out Russia for allowing Belarus to catch a dissident by forcing down a Ryan air to apprehend Roman Protasevich.
Putin is not happy as M-16 chief says the Kremlin is losing its grip on power, but the Russian leader will not accept such impudence from anyone.
