Vladimir Putin has dismissed as “utter rubbish” claims by the UK’s MI5 intelligence chief that Russia is aiming to trigger chaos throughout Britain and Europe.
Talking on the closing day of the annual summit of the BRICS bloc of growing economies, the Russian president responded to MI5 chief Ken McCallum’s claims that Russian army intelligence is “on a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets”.
Mr McCallum stated his service had “seen arson, sabotage and more”.
Mr Putin, who has been internet hosting the three-day summit within the Russian metropolis of Kazan, responded saying the state of affairs “on the streets of European cities” was brought on by the actions of European authorities.
This yr’s BRICS summit was touted by the Kremlin as “the largest foreign policy event ever held” by Russia.
The alliance that originally included Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa has expanded to embrace Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have formally utilized to turn out to be members, and several other different nations have expressed curiosity in becoming a member of.
Regardless of US-led efforts by Western nations to isolate Russia within the aftermath of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine again in February 2022, 36 nations attended the summit.
Mr Putin instructed the summit Russia was prepared to contemplate choices to finish the battle.
“We are prepared to consider any options for peace agreements based on the realities on the ground. And are not ready for anything else,” he stated.
He additionally addressed US claims that North Korea had despatched troops to Russia, which he did not deny.
However he stated it was as much as Moscow how one can function inside the framework of an article of Russia’s partnership take care of North Korea, which offers with mutual defence.
The US has stated that it had seen proof that North Korea has despatched 3,000 troops to Russia for doable deployment in Ukraine, seen by the West as a major escalation.
Requested by a reporter about satellite tv for pc imagery exhibiting North Korean troop actions, Mr Putin stated: “Images are a serious thing. If there are images, then they reflect something.”
