Since the Cold War, unprecedented threats have been hitting the previously balanced international world order, which has created relative peace, stability, and increasing living standards in recent decades – wrote the heads of British and American intelligence in a joint article published on Saturday in the Financial Times.
Sir Richard Moore, head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6, and William Burns, director of the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), stated in their article published in the online edition of the London business daily that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has shown that the combined use of technology and conventional weaponry can modify the course of wars.
The Ukrainian war is the first in which open-source software and cutting-edge battlefield technologies have played a role together and to such an unprecedented extent, combining commercial and military satellite imagery, drone technology, advanced and less advanced cyber warfare, unmanned aerial and naval vehicles deployment, and the use of social media.
According to the leaders of the two intelligence services, MI6 and the CIA are jointly taking action against the “irresponsible sabotage campaign carried out by Russian intelligence in Europe.” They add that Russia “cynically” uses technological tools to spread lies and disinformation in order to drive a wedge between Western allied countries.
Russia blatantly violates the UN Charter and global norms, but Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be able to eliminate the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, the article states.
However, for MI6 and the CIA, the rise of China represents the primary intelligence and geopolitical challenge of the 21st century, and the two services have accordingly had to be reorganized.
Meanwhile, counter-terrorism efforts are at the center of the partnership between the two organizations, and both services closely cooperate with others against the resurfacing threat posed by the jihadist terrorist group known as the Islamic State, wrote the leaders of the British and American intelligence services in their joint article on Saturday.
