MI5 Ex-Boss Warns UK May Already Be at Hybrid War with Russia – Cyber Sabotage Signals Escalation Alert

Baroness Eliza Manningham-Buller, ex-MI5 chief, shocks with claims that Britain teeters on the brink of outright conflict, declaring the UK possibly already locked in hybrid war with Russia through relentless cyber attacks and sabotage.

As Moscow's shadow operations intensify in 2025, from spy rings busted in London to drones breaching NATO skies, her stark warning echoes Fiona Hill's assertions, urging vigilance amid Putin's escalating aggression.

With the National Security Strategy 2025 flagging Russia's sub-threshold assaults, citizens face a chilling reality: is this covert onslaught the prelude to bolder strikes, or can alliances fortify Britain's defences?

How Spy Convictions Reveal Russia's Hybrid War

Baroness Manningham-Buller, MI5 director general from 2002 to 2007, endorses expert Fiona Hill's view that hybrid war rages unseen, citing Russia's post-Ukraine invasion surge in UK-targeted sabotage and espionage.

On 29 September, she told the Lord Speaker's Corner podcast: 'I think she may be right in saying we're already at war with Russia. It's a different sort of war, but the hostility, the cyber-attacks, the physical attacks, the intelligence work is extensive.' This veiled conflict blends digital disruption with real-world peril, eroding everyday security for Britons.

In May 2025, six Bulgarians faced jail for spearheading a Russian spy ring, conducting hostile surveillance across Europe from UK bases, exposing Moscow's deep infiltration tactics.

July 2025 saw five men convicted over a 2024 arson blaze at an east London warehouse stockpiling Ukraine aid, directly ordered by Kremlin handlers. These busts reveal a pattern of hybrid war Russia deploys to sow chaos without declaring open hostilities.

Russia's Cyber Attacks Surge in 2025

Pat McFadden, Cabinet Office minister, warned in 2024 of Russia's AI-boosted cyber assaults, a trend exploding into 2025 with hackers crippling British firms in waves of disruption. The National Security Strategy 2025 details Moscow's indirect campaign, merging cyber sabotage with physical threats to test Western resolve amid Ukraine's grind.

Ordinary people suffer as supply chains falter and data breaches expose personal lives to foreign foes. Sky News broke the story on X on 29 September, posting: 'Ex-MI5 chief says those who think UK already at war with Russia 'may be right'.

Their post, viewed over 35,000 times, amplifies fears of escalation, linking Manningham-Buller's words to Zapad-2025 drills probing NATO borders. As threats mount, communities brace for fallout from this invisible battlefield.

Drones, Sabotage, and the Strain on NATO Defences

Nineteen unarmed Russian drones pierced Polish airspace in September 2025, a NATO flashpoint underscoring hybrid war Russia's hybrid war tactics that blur lines with allies like Britain. Manningham-Buller recalls her 2005 Putin encounter, once hopeful for partnership, now lamenting his 'sustained hostility' fuelling 2025's covert ops.

Families near borders live with heightened anxiety as escalation alerts demand unified responses. The CSIS reports Russia's shadow war ramping up sabotage across Europe in 2025, from rail disruptions to arson, pressuring UK resilience without full invasion. Yet, Baroness Manningham-Buller urges aid boosts to Ukraine, warning cuts invite further Chinese opportunism in this multi-front fray.

Bolstering cyber defences and intelligence sharing offers hope, empowering citizens against unseen aggressors. As Zapad-2025 exercises simulate NATO clashes, Britain's people must rally, transforming MI5 warnings into proactive shields for a safer tomorrow.