FSB Accuses UK of Creating 'Illusion' of Alternative Force Among Russian Emigres

An officer with Russia's Federal Security Service, the FSB, has accused British intelligence agencies of seeking to create the "illusion" of an alternative political force among Russian emigres, according to a report by TASS.

The officer said UK intelligence agencies control groups that present themselves as representatives of the so-called Russian opposition abroad, without providing further detail on the specific groups or individuals referenced.

The claim reflects a broader pattern of accusations from Russian state security officials targeting Russian emigre communities and opposition figures based in the West, whom Moscow has periodically accused of acting at the direction of foreign intelligence services.

British authorities had not issued a public response to the specific claim at the time of the TASS report. The UK government has in the past denied similar Russian accusations regarding its support for Russian opposition figures and civil society groups abroad.

Tensions between Russia and the UK have remained elevated in recent years amid disputes over Russia's war in Ukraine, sanctions, and a series of espionage-related allegations exchanged by both governments.