UK chief warns of Russian hybrid threat and China tech race

The head of Britain's signals intelligence agency will warn on Wednesday that the nation faces a "moment of consequence" amid escalating hybrid threats from Russia and a narrowing technological advantage over China. In her inaugural annual lecture, GCHQ Director Anne Keast-Butler is expected to describe a world in a new era of radical uncertainty and contested geopolitics, where the risk of miscalculation is as high as she has ever seen it.

Keast-Butler will state that Russia is scaling up its daily hybrid activity against the UK and Europe, relentlessly targeting critical infrastructure, democratic processes, supply chains, and public trust. She will highlight her agency's ongoing work to disrupt these efforts, including fending off cyberattacks and countering what she termed reckless sabotage and assassination attempts. She is also expected to note that, as the UK remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine, Russian forces are experiencing setbacks on the battlefield.

Alongside the immediate threat from Russia, the speech will outline a strategic challenge from technological competition, particularly from China. Keast-Butler will characterize China as a science and technology...