Warning for UK firms Russia wants to take offline
Key Points
- Ministers will hold closed-door Russia threat briefings for UK firms.
- Dan Jarvis will brief critical national infrastructure industry bodies.
- Louise Sandher-Jones will brief defence industry bodies.
- Russia uses cyber attacks, sabotage and disinformation against UK organisations.
- A British man faces National Security Act sabotage charges.
UK ministers are briefing defence firms and critical infrastructure providers on Russian threats behind closed doors.
The Cabinet Office and Ministry of Defence announced the briefings over the weekend, warning that Russia poses an enduring and significant threat to the UK.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis will chair a briefing with industry bodies representing Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) providers. Armed Forces Minister Louise Sandher-Jones will chair a separate session with industry bodies representing defence firms.
The government said Russia and its proxies deliberately target organisations that underpin daily life in Britain or support Ukraine’s defence.
Their tactics include cyber attacks, sabotage and disinformation campaigns designed to take organisations offline, disrupt their operations and weaken public trust.
The briefings will draw on UK intelligence and focus on the steps firms can take alongside government to protect themselves.
“Strong defences are built on a clear understanding of the threat. We’ll be focusing on the actions they can take in partnership with government, to help keep our country safe,” said Jarvis.
“Russia is actively seeking to disrupt the organisations that form the bedrock of our national security. By bringing government and defence industry leaders together, we can deepen our shared understanding of the threat and strengthen our collective resilience,” said Sandher-Jones.
The announcement follows the Prime Minister’s speech to the UN General Assembly earlier in the week, in which he called out Russia for its hybrid attacks and its actions in Ukraine.
The government held similar briefings earlier this year for university leaders and political parties on the threat of foreign interference.
The new sessions will run alongside existing government support for defence firms and CNI providers, including:
- Specialist policing through the Civil Nuclear Constabulary
- Cyber security expertise from the National Cyber Security Centre
- Tailored security advice from the National Protective Security Authority
The Crown Prosecution Service charged a British man under the National Security Act earlier this month.
He allegedly prepared an act of sabotage after receiving instructions from an individual linked to the GRU Volunteer Corps, which is tied to Russia’s military intelligence agency.
