Key facts
- MI6 was ranked as Europe's top foreign intelligence agency in a poll by L'Express magazine.
- The poll surveyed 60 current and former spies from across Europe, plus the CIA and Mossad.
- MI6 received 251 points, significantly ahead of France's DGSE with 169 points.
- MI6's reputation is largely built on its ability to recruit and run high-level human sources over long periods.
- Notable past operations include the recruitment of KGB double agent Oleg Gordievsky.
- MI6's intelligence was criticized in the lead-up to the 2003 Iraq War.
- The agency is credited with accurately predicting Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
- MI6's close ties with the CIA and the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance were highlighted.
Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) has been ranked as Europe's top foreign intelligence agency in a poll conducted by French news weekly L'Express. The survey, which involved 60 current and former spies from across the continent, as well as representatives from the CIA and Israel's Mossad, placed MI6 ahead of France's DGSE with a significant margin.
Alexandra Saviana, a deputy editor at L'Express specializing in defense and intelligence, expressed surprise at the breadth of MI6's victory, noting that 17 of the respondents were or had been agency chiefs. The poll's results underscore MI6's enduring reputation, which is attributed to its historical focus on recruiting and managing high-level human intelligence sources over extended periods, a strategy that contrasts with the increasing dominance of technology in espionage.
Former intelligence insiders suggest that MI6's success stems from its ability to "play the long game" and its "penchant for underhand tactics." The agency's legacy includes recruiting Cold War assets like Oleg Gordievsky, who played a crucial role in shaping Western perceptions of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. However, MI6 has also faced criticism, notably for its intelligence assessments leading up to the 2003 Iraq War.
More recently, MI6, in conjunction with the CIA, is credited with accurately warning of Russia's impending invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a foresight that contrasted with the skepticism of some European counterparts. This success is seen as a rehabilitation of its reputation and a testament to its strong relationship with the CIA and the broader Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network, which includes the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.