British spies will seek to counter the threat of Russian cyberwar with a new artificial intelligence laboratory, a minister will announce, while insisting Vladimir Putin will fail to deter support for Ukraine.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, will say the UK and its NATO allies are “monitoring” Moscow and combating its attacks both publicly and “behind the scenes”, during his major speech on Monday.
Apparently referring to the period before the Second World War, he will warn that Britain “learned a long time ago” not to appease dictators and that Mr Putin “will not succeed” in trying to weaken its support to Ukraine.
Mr McFadden, whose remit includes national security, will also announce the creation of a new Laboratory for AI Security Research (LAISR) aimed at helping the UK stay ahead in “the new race for weapons in terms of AI”.
The center will bring together GCHQ, the University of Oxford, the National Cyber Security Centre, the Alan Turing Institute and numerous government departments, and will be supported by an initial funding of £8.22 million.
Speaking at the NATO Cyber Defense Conference at Lancaster House, Mr McFadden will say: “Have no doubt: the UK and others in this room are watching Russia. We know exactly what they are doing and we are fighting back against their attacks, both publicly and behind the scenes.
“History shows us that appeasing dictators engaged in aggression against their neighbors only encourages them. Britain has long understood the importance of standing firm in the face of such actions.
“That is why we support Ukraine in its struggle to decide its own destiny. Putin is a man who wants destruction, not peace. His threats attempt to dissuade our support for Ukraine. He will not succeed.
Mr McFadden will also warn that cyber interference allows Russia to “turn off the lights of millions of people” by shutting down power grids and represents the “hidden war” it is waging against kyiv.
But if AI can amplify existing cyber threats, it can also create better defense tools that security agencies can use to collect, analyze and produce more useful intelligence, he will say.
“Cyberwar is now an everyday reality,” Mr. McFadden is expected to tell his allies.
“One where our defenses are constantly tested. The scale of the threat must match the strength of our resolve to combat it and protect our citizens and systems.
He will add: “AI is already revolutionizing many areas of life – including national security. But as we develop this technology, there is a risk that it will be used as a weapon against us. Because our adversaries are also thinking about how to use AI on the physical and cyber battlefield.
Alongside the new lab, the minister will also announce a new £1 million incident response programme, designed to share expertise so allies can counter cyberattacks more effectively.
Mr McFadden and senior national security officials will also meet with business leaders next week to discuss how they can protect themselves, warning that Russia “won’t think twice” before targeting British companies.
The intervention comes amid a dramatic escalation in tensions between Russia and the West, with Mr Putin lowering the threshold for Moscow’s use of nuclear weapons and suggesting the war in Ukraine is becoming a “conflict”. global “.
The Russian leader said he had the right to target military installations in countries that supplied weapons to kyiv.
Moscow used a new ballistic missile in Ukraine on Thursday, which Mr Putin said was a response to the UK and US allowing the missiles they supplied to strike targets in Russia.
Ministers refused to explicitly confirm that British missiles were used across the border, but it is widely believed that the UK authorized the use of its Storm Shadow weapons by Ukrainian forces in the region. from Kursk.
Meanwhile, the United States has authorized the firing of its ATACMS weapons at targets in Mr Putin’s country.
Moscow sent 73 drones to Ukraine overnight on Sunday. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, 50 drones were destroyed and four lost, probably due to electronic jamming.
In Russia, the Defense Ministry said 34 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight on Sunday in four regions of western Russia, including Kursk, Lipetsk, Belgorod and one over the Oryol region. .