Arya News - Russia`s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Thursday that the British Council`s significance as London`s foreign influence tool is so high that the entire UK state apparatus is promoting its interests.
The British Council"s activities were designated "undesirable" in Russia earlier in the day, the Russian Prosecutor General"s Office announced. FSB recommended that the countries friendly toward Russia expel the British Council from their territories. According to the FSB, the United Kingdom leverages its influence agents to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, which directly threatens their sovereignty and territorial integrity. "The analysis of documents available to FSB reveals that London uses seemingly benign bilateral projects in culture, education and other spheres to subsequently interfere in the internal affairs of other states, which directly threatens their sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement read. Despite the closure of the British Council’s Russian branch, the organization continued subversive work from other countries, the FSB said. According to the FSB, the British Council is directly involved in confidential projects by the UK intelligence services aimed at undermining the sovereignty of independent states and has become London"s main instrument of influence. Furthermore, FSB said it found evidence of its its participation in covert operations of the UK intelligence services disguised as assistance in conflict resolution, promotion of young political leaders and propaganda of Western non-traditional values.