Britain may already be at war with Russia - MI5 chief says

Why Britain is talking about the actual state of the war with Russia

Former head of the British intelligence service emphasises the threatening level of cyberattacks and hybrid actions of the Kremlin

Manningham-Buller statement

Former head of the UK security service MI5 Eliza Manningham-Buller said that the country may already be at war with Russia. She stressed that modern warfare has many dimensions, and it is not always just armed hostilities.

The expert's arguments

Manningham-Buller noted:

• Russia systematically organises large-scale cyber attacks against British public and private entities.

• The Kremlin is conducting Disinformation and interference campaigns in political processes.

• In progress Economic and intelligence pressure, This is detrimental to national security.

«If the war is understood as aggression aimed at destabilising the state, then we have been waging it for a long time,» she stressed.

Context.

The UK has traditionally been one of Ukraine's biggest allies in the war with Russia and was one of the first countries to impose tough sanctions on the Kremlin. At the same time, there is growing concern in the country about ongoing cyberattacks on the energy, financial sector and government institutions.

Reaction of the political elite

Some British MPs supported Manningham-Buller's position, calling on the government to further strengthen cyber defence and information security. Others warned against using the term «war», believing that it could provoke an escalation in relations with Moscow.

📌 Conclusion: According to the former head of MI5, Moscow's hybrid aggression is already putting Britain in a state of de facto war, even without an official declaration. This is another signal of the danger Russia poses to the West.