British spies will tackle Russia’s cyber warfare hackers with new AI lab as Putin told ‘we know what you’re doing

BRITISH spies will take on Vladimir Putin’s cyber army with a with a new AI lab designed to outsmart Russian hackers, a Cabinet Minister will declare today.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden will announce £8m funding to boost Britain’s resilience against Russian hacktivists.

A new Laboratory for AI Security Research will bring together world-leading experts and intelligence agencies to find ways of better defending UK cyberspace.

University boffins will also work with Five Eyes partners and the Foreign Office to ensure Britain remains at the forefront of the “AI arms race”.  

Speaking at the Nato Cyber Defence Conference in London, Mr McFadden will declare that the UK is already countering digital attacks from Russia, “both publicly and behind the scenes”.

He will say: “Cyber war is now a daily reality. 

“One where our defences are constantly being tested. 

“The extent of the threat must be matched by the strength of our resolve to combat it and to protect our citizens and systems.”

His intervention comes as tensions with Russia are hitting fever pitch, with Vladimir Putin threatening to escalate the Ukraine war into a "global" conflict.

The Kremlin has lowered its nuclear threshold, with Putin warning he could target military facilities in countries supplying weapons to Kyiv.

On Thursday, Moscow also used a new ballistic missile in Ukraine, which Putin said was in response to the UK and US allowing missiles they have supplied to be used to strike targets in Russia.

While UK ministers won’t confirm it outright, British-made Storm Shadow weapons are widely believed to have been used by Ukrainian forces in attacks within the Kursk region.

Meanwhile, the US has greenlit its powerful ATACMS missiles for strikes deep inside Russia.