UK spies trying to influence election: FSB chief

10 Oct, 2007 04:29 / Updated 17 years ago

Russia's chief intelligence officer, Nikolay Patrushev, says highly trained British agents are putting their noses into Russian politics in a bid to influence the outcome of parliamentary and presidential elections. The FSB chief says there's been an ala

In an interview with the ARGUMENTY I FAKTY, the Head of the Russian Federal Security Service says British spies target big business.  He says they integrate with moneyed elites in an attempt to affect political thinking. Mr Patrushev also pointed the finger  at Turkish and Pakistani secret agents.  He said they were particularly interested in Russia's latest military technology. He added that British intelligence officers are much better equipped and therefore more difficult to track down. The Head of the FSB said his organistion arrested 47 foreign intelligence officers working against Russia in 2007 alone. He said counter-intelligence staff pay special attention to NGOs or Non-governmental organisation.