Russia Poses 'Real Threat' Warns GCHQ Boss

Jeremy Flemming, the director general of GCHQ at the Cyber UK conference, in April (Image: PA Images).

The head of the intelligence agency, GCHQ, is warning that Russia poses a real and active threat.

Jeremy Fleming made the warning at a security conference in the United States - a day after the government named two Russian agents suspected of conducting the Novichok attack in Salisbury.

He accused the Kremlin of having what he called a "brazen determination" to undermine the international rules-based order.

On Wednesday, two Russian nationals, said to be members of Russia's military intelligence service the GRU, were identified as suspects by police investigating the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal in March.

Mr Fleming said the intelligence community had supported the police in a "painstaking" and "highly complex" investigation into what happened.

He said: "We have ascertained exactly who was responsible and the methods they used.

"As you would expect, teams from across GCHQ have worked tirelessly with partners at home and abroad to ensure that our world-class intelligence has informed that investigation.

"Yesterday two GRU operatives were named and arrest warrants issued.

"The threat from Russia is real. It's active.

"And it will be countered by a strong international partnership of allies. Able to deploy the full range of tools from across our national security apparatus. And ready to reject the Kremlin's brazen determination to undermine the international rules-based order."

It is the latest rebuke aimed at Moscow by a British spy chief since the Salisbury attack.

In May, Andrew Parker, the Director General of MI5, described the Russian Government as "chief protagonist" among "hostile actors".

Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement in the poisoning.