In light of Russia’s classification as a national security threat, individuals engaged in activities that serve Russian interests are required to register as Russian agents under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), or they risk facing a prison sentence of up to five years.
For the first time, the United Kingdom has officially classified Russia as a “national security threat.”
According to this classification, individuals engaged in activities that serve Russian interests are required to register as Russian agents under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), or they risk facing imprisonment for up to five years, as stated by British Security Minister Dan Jarvis.
This announcement coincides with a period in which Russia has instigated the most severe security crises in Europe since World War II, primarily due to its invasion of Ukraine and ongoing covert operations across the continent. Russia has been implicated in espionage, assassinations, political meddling, and the sabotage of essential infrastructure throughout Europe.
Recently, six Bulgarian nationals residing in the UK were found guilty of espionage on behalf of Russia. This group was involved in surveillance activities targeting a journalist, a former politician, and a US military installation in Germany from 2020 to 2023.
Prior to this designation, only Iran had been recognized as a national security threat. There are ongoing discussions about potentially including China on this list as well.
Since the poisoning incident in Salisbury in 2018, the UK has expelled over 20 Russian spies, including diplomats identified as engaging in espionage within the country.
Following the recent classification of Russia, British Home Secretary Yvette Cooper remarked that the new authorities granted under FIRS enable the government to “take much stronger action” and complicate Russia’s ability to execute hostile operations against the UK.
In 2018, Russian agents attempted to assassinate former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England, using the nerve agent Novichok. This incident highlighted the extensive campaign led by Russian President Vladimir Putin against his adversaries and defectors. In a similar case in 2006, former Russian intelligence officer Alexander Litvinenko was also targeted; however, unlike the Skripals, he did not survive. His assassination is widely believed to have been ordered by high-ranking Russian officials, potentially including Putin himself.
Litvinenko is among numerous critics of Putin whose fatalities have been linked to his systematic oppression. A recent case is that of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who passed away under dubious circumstances in a Russian prison in February 2024. Navalny had previously endured a Novichok poisoning incident in 2020, which was similarly ascribed to Putin’s administration.
