Espionage now focused on nation's 'energy policies and new technologies rather than political and military intelligence'

This article is more than 10 years old

This article is more than 10 years old

The uncovering of the spy ring in the US is unlikely to surprise MI5. In recent years the agency has been building up its counter-espionage arm against Russian and other foreign spies for the first time since the end of the cold war, according to counter-intelligence officials.

Though its priority remains the threat from extreme Islamist and al-Qaida inspired terrorism, MI5 officers have been switched to counter more traditional tasks against foreign states whose intentions are considered hostile, officials say.

"The number of Russian intelligence officers in London is at the same level as in Soviet times", MI5 says on its website. It does not say how many there are but counter-intelligence officers have told the Guardian that 30 agents are operating out of the Russian embassy and trade mission in London.

Russia is interested in particular in the energy policies of the west, given the importance of its own oil and natural gas reserves, and the Kremlin's determination to use them as an instrument of foreign policy, the officials said. Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, is a former chairman of Gazprom, Russia's giant energy company.

Though Britain is less dependent on energy imports than continental countries, both Labour and the coalition government has highlighted the issue in their national security strategies.

They have made the point that Russia and China were making control of energy supply a foreign policy priority.

MI5 says on its website: "We estimate that at least 20 foreign intelligence services are currently operating in the UK against UK interests. The Russian and Chinese intelligence services are particularly active, and currently present the greatest concern."

It adds: "The threat of espionage (spying) did not end with the collapse of Soviet communism in the early 1990s. Espionage against UK interests continues from many quarters."

"In the past, espionage activity was typically directed towards obtaining political and military intelligence. In today's high-tech world, the intelligence requirements of a number of countries now include new communications technologies, IT, genetics, aviation, lasers, optics, electronics and many other fields. Intelligence services, therefore, are targeting commercial enterprises far more than in the past".

MI5 continues: "The UK is a high priority espionage target and a number of countries are actively seeking UK information and material to advance their own military, technological, political and economic programmes."

Counter-intelligence sources say while the specific threat of cyberwarfare comes from China, Russia is after a raft of information, ranging from the analyses of the political scene in Westminster to high-tech weapons systems.

"The threat from Russian espionage continues to be significant and is similar to the cold war", a counter-terrorism official said yesterday.

Stella Rimington, the former head of MI5, said the technique of placing agents under long term deep cover was one the Russians had used for a very long time. "These are techniques long tried and trusted", she said.

Sir David Omand, former security and intelligence coordinator, said he was surprised by the amount of investment the Russian had put into the US operation.

Russia has said it wants to improve bilateral relations with Britain, damaged by the radioactive polonium 210 poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, the Russian former agent and dissident who died in a London hospital in November 2006.

"The Russians have been very active here and have been very ruthless", Omand said referring to the Litvinenko case. He added: "London is still a target for the Russians, largely directed at ex-patriots".

Shortly after Litvinenko died, British security sources said they believed there was a Russian state connection with the murder. They have not changed that view.