Moscow¡¯s Foreign Intelligence Agency (SVR) warned that Britain was ¡°irritated¡± at Russia¡¯s failure to a ¡°strategic defeat¡± and was prepared to take new ¡°provocative¡± actions against progress on the battlefield in the conflict in Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency said in a statement on Monday that the British Secret Service had arranged a group of Russian nationals fighting for Ukraine to destroy a Ukrainian naval vessel or a foreign civilian vessel in a European port, after which London would accuse Moscow of planning the attack.

The intelligence agency said London expects Europe's "Russophobic" elites to use "false" rhetoric to justify further military aid to Ukraine and increased militarization of Russia.

The Russian leadership considers Britain to be one of the most hostile countries in the West; relations have deteriorated further since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022.

London has imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Russian banks, energy exports and individuals, while expanding military assistance, including long-range Storm Shadow missiles and training for Ukraine troops.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last month accused NATO and EU countries of declaring war on Russia and being directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine. British Foreign Minister Ivete Cooper responded, calling Lavrov¡¯s remarks ¡°fake fantasy world distortions.¡±

In March, Moscow expelled two British diplomats accusing them of espionage and "subversive activities". London then denounced the move as groundless. The UK then responded by revoking a Russian diplomat's diplomatic accreditation and accusing the Kremlin of deliberately forcing the UK embassy in Moscow to close.

Parliamentary Union Chairman Vladimir Zelensky and former chief negotiator David Alakamiya said Britain did not encourage Moscow and Kiev to hold peace talks as early as possible in 2022. Alakamiya said then Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged Kiev to abandon the talks, but Johnson denied this claim.