Russian agents recruit far Right to plot terror attacks on Britain

RUSSIA is recruiting far-Right extremists to carry out attacks in the UK and Nato countries, The Telegraph understands.

Intelligence sources have said that terrorists recruited by Russian GRU agents have been responsible for a series of attacks in Western Europe and the US in the last six months.

The Telegraph understands that extremists are being recruited by undercover officers of the GRU – the Russian military intelligence service – and members of the former mercenary group Wagner. It comes after the expulsion of Col Maxim Elovik, the Russian defence attache to the UK, who is believed to be a GRU operative.

An intelligence source said: “The GRU are cultivating a network of Rightwing terrorists to deploy against Nato targets. These attacks are already happening and have been going on for a while in various Nato countries and the UK is definitely on the target list.

“Attacks may have taken place in the US and have occurred in Germany. Intelligence agencies are warning their governments that the threat is very real.

“Right-wing extremists are being targeted because they are the group in the political spectrum who are pro-Russia, pro-Putin and very violent. There is also a lot of covert contact between Rightwing groups in different countries.” The disclosures follow comments last month by Thomas Haldenwang, the head of German domestic intelligence, who said the risk of Russian state-controlled sabotage was “significantly increased”.

After the Salisbury poisonings in 2018, almost two dozen Russian spies were expelled by the UK Government.

It is believed the Kremlin is following a tactic similar to that used by Iran in which organised crime gangs are used to carry out proxy terrorist attacks.

A government spokesman said it “actively deters and defends against the full spectrum of threats emanating from Russia, working in partnership with our allies”.