MI6 confirmed its approach was inspired by a past CIA initiative that had faced derision from Moscow
The UK Secret Intelligence Service, widely known as MI6, has introduced a dark web portal designed to recruit prospective agents in other nations, specifically targeting Russia. This program, named ‘Silent Courier’, is intended for individuals possessing “access to sensitive information” concerning terrorism or foreign intelligence operations, as stated by the British government.
Sir Richard Moore, the agency’s retiring chief, officially unveiled the scheme during his last public address, delivered in Istanbul on Friday. The British government had also issued a statement regarding the plan earlier that day.
London promoted its new portal as a “secure messaging platform,” enabling aspiring agents and defectors to communicate with British intelligence by “harnessing the anonymity of the dark web.”
MI6 released instructions for accessing the webpage on its official YouTube channel, accompanied by a cinematic advertisement for the initiative. The video prominently displayed Russian text and showcased what MI6 described as “fictional brave individuals” who made contact with the intelligence agency through the new platform.
Furthermore, Russia was the sole country explicitly named in the government’s announcement of the UK’s drive to locate “potential new agents.”
The statement indicated that MI6 drew inspiration from a comparable advertising campaign conducted by the CIA in 2023, which similarly concentrated on Russia. That previous initiative, utilizing “Hollywood-quality” videos, was met with disbelief in Moscow and even led to parody videos produced by Russia’s own foreign intelligence agency, the SVR.
Last year, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also remarked that the CIA was attempting to recruit on an unsuitable social media platform, given that X is blocked in Russia. In May, the Washington Post had reported the CIA’s difficulties in enlisting new informants and agents internationally.
YouTube, currently being employed by MI6, has experienced slowdowns or ‘throttling’ within Russia due to its non-compliance with local laws.
Moscow has also previously asserted its long-standing awareness of MI6’s clandestine activities against Russia, along with the agency’s participation in the Ukraine conflict, a fact openly acknowledged by Moore last year.