MI6 launches dark web portal to recruit spies in Russia

LONDON — MI6 announced Friday it is launching a dedicated portal on the dark web to attract potential spies, including from Russia, as part of a broader effort to strengthen national security. The portal, built around the agency’s secure messaging platform Silent Courier, is intended to provide a secure channel for individuals who might have information on terrorism or hostile intelligence activity.

Foreign Office and MI6 officials said the approach could help recruit agents worldwide, with a focus on Russia. The agency said access to the portal will be publicized on MI6’s verified YouTube channel, and instructions on how to use it will be published ahead of its Friday launch. Users are advised to access the site through trusted virtual private networks and devices not linked to themselves.

Outgoing MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore is expected to confirm the plan in a speech in Istanbul on Friday morning, with Blaise Metreweli due to take over later this month. The Foreign Secretary said the move underscores the government’s commitment to staying ahead of evolving threats as the world changes. In a pre-launch statement, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said national security is the first duty of any government and the bedrock of the prime minister’s Plan for Change. “As the world changes, and the threats we're facing multiply, we must ensure the UK is always one step ahead of our adversaries. Our world-class intelligence agencies are at the coalface of this challenge, working behind the scenes to keep British people safe. Now we're bolstering their efforts with cutting-edge tech so MI6 can recruit new spies for the UK - in Russia and around the world.”

The plan follows a similar approach by the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency in 2023, which published videos on social media channels to attract potential Russian spies. Officials cited the CIA’s past experiences as a reminder of the need for rigorous safeguarding, including lessons from a high-profile security breach in China after Beijing’s Ministry of State Security compromised some agents’ linkages to the dark web. While British officials portrayed the portal as a controlled, publicly announced method to solicit information on terrorism or hostile activity, they stressed that access would be disciplined, monitored, and used within established legal and security frameworks as Britain seeks to adapt to a rapidly shifting security landscape.