Russia seeks to split the stance that British political circles share on the war in Ukraine. For that end, Moscow makes efforts to show that some European politicians, unlike official London, maintain contacts with Russians and are pro-Russian. The Kremlin thus wants to show the West is not united in its vision. Moscow has focused on the UK – a key U.S. ally in Europe.
Two British lords, Richard Balfe and Robert Skidelsky, attended a Russia Day party at Ambassador Andrey Kelin’s residence in London, the Guardian reports. The Russian ambassador gave a speech at the event in which he tried to justify the invasion of Ukraine, and also criticized the British government for giving support to Kyiv. Balfe, meanwhile, communicated with the Russian military attache, who is a Russian military intelligence officer. The Lord was confident that Ukraine would negotiate peace on Putin’s terms.
Balfe requested clarification from the British government in March 2023, on impact assessment for the decision to give depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine. He asked the government this May what had been done for Russia-Ukraine negotiations.
Balfe is active as he promotes Russian agenda and lobbies for the Kremlin’s stance in the war. He told Russian TASS state propaganda agency, back in 2018, that he supported self-determination of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as Russia occupied them following the 2008 war against Georgia.
Lord Balfe is thus a faithful defender of Russia’s interests within the post-Soviet borders. Balfe, as parliamentarian, often refers to Lord Skidelsky, which indirectly indicates common and coordinated stance on foreign policy issues.
Skidelsky, in turn, said he came to the party as he is “committed to the Russian people.” The Lord meanwhile opposed the war.
Unlike official London, Balfe uses the Kremlin’s narratives in his statements, the one, in particular, that the United States were involved in the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
For example, reflecting on current world affairs, he said: “All effort is devoted to exploiting differences, that is why instead of pursuing a peaceful solution in Ukraine we are fighting a proxy war. I am told that the U.S aim is the collapse of the Russian Federation which would be a disaster for Europe.”
Following the 1993 political crisis in Moscow, Balfe signed the statement that read: «After the terrifying violence in Moscow, we believe that the international community must make clear that emergency rule, repression, the arrest of political opponents and violations of тоcivil liberties must be brought to an end in Russia». The Lord might have taken a sudden turn, as he is loyal today to Russia’s authoritarian regime. But why he has changed his mind remains unclear.
LFEE-46-1993Motivation by Peer Skidelsky to attend the Russian embassy looks much more obvious. He served for the Rosneft board of directors in 2016-2021. Russian foreign intelligence usually uses that position to recruit foreign politicians and retired members of the government to lobby for the Kremlin’s interests.
Attempts to infiltrate the British establishment hit a peak when British counterintelligence prevented the peerage of Russian oligarch Yevgeny Lebedev, who, like his father is tied to Russia’s foreign intelligence. Following discussions with MI5, nomination of the media tycoon was suspended.
