UK charges British man with assisting Russian military intelligence in sabotage plot

Charges and court appearance

British prosecutors charged 31-year-old Joshua Cammidge on Wednesday with assisting Russian military intelligence in an alleged sabotage operation. Cammidge, a British national residing in Swindon, faces two criminal counts under the National Security Act 2023: assisting a foreign intelligence service under Section 3 and preparatory conduct under Section 18. The Crown Prosecution Service stated that Cammidge communicated with and received instructions from a representative of the GRU Volunteer Corps, an organization controlled by Russia's GRU military intelligence agency. Following the decision to prosecute, Cammidge was remanded in custody ahead of a scheduled hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Thursday, 10 September. Cammidge was not immediately available for comment after the charges were announced.

Frank Ferguson, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, explained the legal basis for moving forward with the case.

Prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.

Counterterrorism arrest and timeline

The formal charges followed an investigation led by Counter Terrorism Policing London with assistance from Wiltshire Police. Officers arrested Cammidge at a residential address in Swindon on Friday, 4 September. He was transported to a police station in London while officers searched a separate address located in Swindon. On Saturday, 5 September, investigators formally arrested and detained Cammidge under the provisions of the National Security Act on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the exact facility or asset targeted in the alleged sabotage plot. Russia's embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the investigation.

National Security Act and GRU designation

The legal action against Cammidge relies on updated powers designed to target proxy organizations operating covertly for foreign states within the United Kingdom. The British government designated the GRU Volunteer Corps as a national security threat in July after assessing that the entity conducts hostile covert operations and intelligence collection for Russian military intelligence. Support for the GRU is banned under the national security legislation, which establishes penalties of up to 14 years in prison for individuals convicted of assisting designated proxy groups. British authorities have linked Russia's GRU to a series of covert intelligence actions and hostile operations across Europe, including the 2018 nerve agent attack in Salisbury.

Government reaction and diplomatic friction

Diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Russia have deteriorated significantly since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, accompanied by warnings from British intelligence regarding state-backed espionage. In August, Moscow warned that it could target British military sites following Ukrainian strikes conducted with British-supplied long-range missiles. Security Minister Dan Jarvis addressed public safety concerns regarding foreign disruption campaigns following the charges.

I know people will be concerned about recent incidents across Europe, intended to sow fear, create disruption and undermine support for Ukraine. They will not succeed.

Jarvis stated that the government will continue to take necessary measures against state threats, adding that anyone attempting to undermine national security will feel the full force of the law.