Russia is being "increasingly aggressive" and is willing to use "propaganda, espionage, subversion and cyber-attacks" against countries including the UK, the head of MI5 has said.

In comments made in the first ever newspaper interview given by a serving MI5 boss in the 107 years since the security agency was founded, Andrew Parker said that although the fight against Isil could last a generation, it is vital not to ignore the growing threat from Russia.

Mr Parker's comments came in an interview with the Guardian, which could prompt criticism given his previously criticism of the newspaper for publishing the leak by CIA spy Edward Snowden of thousands of GCHQ files.

In the interview, Mr Parker warned that Russia is "at work" in the UK.