LONDON, UK — Britain’s foreign intelligence service MI6 has unveiled a new recruitment tool on the dark web, aiming to attract potential agents from Russia and other hostile states as geopolitical tensions rise.
The portal, named Silent Courier, will allow individuals to securely and anonymously share information with the UK government.
Instructions on how to access the service are being shared on MI6’s official YouTube channel. Officials said users are urged to log in through trusted VPNs and untraceable devices.
The launch was announced Friday by outgoing MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore during his final public address in Istanbul.
In an assessment of Russia’s war in Ukraine, he dismissed any notion that President Vladimir Putin is interested in peace, describing him as “stringing us along” and warning that Moscow faces “long-term economic and demographic decline.”
“Putin has bitten off more than he can chew,” Moore said, adding that Russia’s war effort is being sustained by diplomatic and material support from China, Iran, and North Korea.
He accused Beijing of supplying dual-use goods, including chemicals used in artillery shells and electronic components found in missiles.
Moore also used his speech to broaden MI6’s recruitment drive, calling on potential agents in Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and elsewhere to use the new platform to make contact with Britain.
The Foreign Office said the initiative is designed to strengthen national security and keep the UK “one step ahead of its adversaries.”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper called it “cutting-edge technology” that will bolster Britain’s intelligence capabilities.
The recruitment strategy mirrors similar efforts by the CIA, which last year used social media videos to target disaffected Russians.
However, the American agency has faced past setbacks, including the exposure of its spy network in China after Beijing compromised its dark web communications system.
Moore is due to hand over the reins of MI6 later this month to Blaise Metreweli, as Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service continues to adapt its operations to a rapidly changing global security landscape.
