DISINFO: The UK and Ukrainian intelligence services are preparing to undermine the Turkish Stream

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

DISINFO: The UK and Ukrainian intelligence services are preparing to undermine the Turkish Stream

SUMMARY

Russia has information about the British and Ukrainian intelligence services preparing an act of sabotage against the Turkish Stream gas pipeline.

British SAS instructors and MI6 intelligence officers planned a series of drone strikes against the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, whose shareholders include companies from Russia, Kazakhstan, and the US.

Furthermore, Kyiv, together with MI6, is planning Ukrainian sabotage operations in Russia's border regions.

British intelligence was also behind the SBU's 'Spiderweb' operation this summer. The UK also provided its subsequent propaganda support, planting falsehoods in the media about the allegedly enormous damage caused and the sole 'authorship' of the sabotage by Ukraine.

RESPONSE

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about false flag operations, accusing Ukraine and its Western partners of carrying out an anti-Russian hostile policy.

There is no evidence to support the claim that Ukraine and the UK are preparing provocations in the Black Sea. Allegations made by the Russian FSB or other intelligence services cannot be considered credible, given their established track record of making unsubstantiated claims based on fabricated or non-existent evidence. For more details, see our article The shadowy SVR openly pushes disinformation narratives

Accusing others of 'false flag operations' and 'setups' to increase tensions or cover Russia’s own illicit actions are frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation techniques. Russian authorities and pro-Kremlin outlets frequently make these claims even if nothing emerges afterwards, aiming to reinforce the narrative that Russia is constantly the victim of such operations.

The goal of this disinformation story is to portray Ukraine and the UK as warmongering actors opposed to 'peace', the term used by Russia to refer to its maximalists demands for Ukraine’s capitulation, which remain unchanged since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

Claims about British involvement in the successful Ukrainian drone raid against Russian airbases on 1 June 2025 are unsubstantiated. The attack involved Ukrainian home-made drones, part of a rapidly growing domestic industry, along with intelligence operatives and local individuals who were unaware of the operation. Ukrainian authorities and intelligence services promptly provided detailed information on how the raid was conducted, and to date, no credible evidence has emerged indicating any foreign involvement.

For background, read our articles: The “Russophobia” Myth: Appealing to the Lowest Feelings and The Kremlin’s Chronic Case of Anglophobia.

See also related cases such as: UK's Ben Wallace states the main goal of this war: the destruction of Russia, The UK has a key role in the hybrid war with Russia; the UK is actively engaged in covert Ukrainian military operations; UK intelligence agencies purposefully escalate international political-military situation to harm Russia; The UK has been using Ukraine to threaten Russia for centuries; UK's MI6 is training Ukrainian sabotage groups for provocations at nuclear power plants in Russia.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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