Russia is recruiting British civilians as proxies to conduct sabotage, including arson in London and railway explosions in Poland, using encrypted apps and online portals; UK intelligence agencies fight back with surveillance and new spy laws.

The article discusses the evolving nature of shadow warfare, emphasizing how Russia recruits British civilians as proxy agents to conduct sabotage operations. These proxies include criminals, freelancers, and individuals recruited online. Examples of sabotage include arson attacks in London and railway explosions in Poland, as well as drone teams operating inside Iran. Recruitment and coordination are facilitated through encrypted applications, online portals, and face-to-face meetings. British intelligence agencies MI5 and GCHQ combat these activities using new spy laws, digital forensic methods, financial tracking, and technical surveillance to expose espionage cells.