Israel gets a brief mention in UK's intelligence report on Russia
Israel's mentioning in the report suggested that it "has welcomed Russian Oligarchs and their investments, and thus far has been unwilling to challenge the Kremlin openly."
By DANIEL NISINMANRussian President Vladimir Putin stands on the stage as he addresses the Federal Assembly in Moscow, Russia March 1, 2018(photo credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)
The United Kingdom's top intelligence committee released a detailed report on Russia's clandestine activities in the kingdom, according to the BBC. While labeling the UK as one of Russia's "top Western intelligence targets," the report makes a general claim about the West being Russia's main adversary.In examining the special interest Moscow has for the UK, the document suggests that Russia considers the UK as its top target likely because it sees it as "central to the Western anti-Russian lobby."Furthermore, the report offers a broad overview of the Russian threat to the UK, primarily consisting of Cyber, Disinformation and Influence Operations, in addition to the measures taken by the kingdom to counter these threats; though, noting that some of these measures were insufficient or belated.Israel's mentioning in the report, as part of general overview of how individual countries treat Russia, suggested that it "has welcomed Russian Oligarchs and their investments, and thus far has been unwilling to challenge the Kremlin openly."But Israel is not the only country that seems to avoid critiquing Moscow.The report also pointed out that other Europeans countries such as France, Austria and Italy were turning a blind eye to Moscow's activities, if not actually ignoring it entirely."France does not appear to have publicly condemned Russian cyber activities, and it has been widely reported that other European governments, such as Austria and Italy, have appeared to publicly moved closer to the Kremlin in the last few years," the report describes.
