HMG Russia Unit

HMG Russia Unit is part of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECAD) Department in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

File:Russia Policy Department-HMG Russia Unit-Screenshot 2025-12-19 at 10.42.37.png

Alleged screenshot of the FCDO Intranet on the Russia Policy Department and the HMG Russia Unit

HMG Russia Unit is part of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECAD) Directorate in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office created in 2017. According to the government it "brings together the UK's diplomatic, intelligence and military capabilities'. This would appear to mean that init brings together intelligence capabilities from across government since it appears that the unit is staffed almost exclusively by intelligence officers.

A leaked screenshot of the FCDO Intranet describes the Unit as follows:

Cross-government unit, co-located with EECAD, Responsible for developing and implementing the NSC Russia Strategy, and ensuring delivery across policy, military, intelligence and law enforcement. Manages governance for the strategy and monitors progress. Oversees delivery of campaigns owned by FCDO, MOD, HO, the SIA, BEIS etc. Liaison point for covert aspects of EECAD work.

In a 2021 response to the Intelligence and Security Committee report on Russia, the government noted:

The Government has long recognised there is an enduring and significant threat posed by Russia to the UK and its allies, including conventional military capabilities, disinformation, illicit finance, influence operations, and cyber-attacks. As such, Russia remains a top national security priority for the Government. This is why in 2017 the Government implemented the NSC-endorsed Russia Strategy, and in 2017 established the cross-Government Russia Unit which brings together the UK’s diplomatic, intelligence and military capabilities to maximum effect. The Government’s Russia Strategy does not just respond to the here and now; it is a 30 year strategy, designed in the long-term to move from a relationship of confrontation and challenge, which currently threatens our collective security and values, to a relationship where Russia chooses to work alongside the international community. The integrated and established nature of the Strategy and the Russia Unit was paramount to the immediate nature of the effective and coherent Salisbury response. We have shown in recent years that the UK takes the threat from Russia extremely seriously and will respond to and call out Russian aggression wherever it occurs.

Programmes

• Counter Disinformation and Media Development\Russian Language Programme

People

• HMG Russia Unit - James Beer - Strat Comms and Media development unit
• Darren Paul Boyling
• Stephen Ivie
• Joanna Clare Vallat
• Christian A Stephen-Martin
• Alistair Charles Jeudwine Bridgwood

• Karenza Anna Dean Senior Policy Advisor, Russia Unit. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Sep 2019 - Jun 2022 2 years 10 months. London, England, United Kingdom.
• Derek Moir-Smith Senior Advisor, HMG Russia Unit (Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECAD) Department Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office · Full-time Apr 2019 - Feb 2025 · 5 yrs 11 mos London, England, United Kingdom
• Andy Pryce
• Rebecca Speedie - Policy and Programme Manager, Russia Unit. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Nov 2019 - Dec 2020 1 year 2 months. London, England, United Kingdom.
• Erin Treasure Campaigns Manager HMG Russia Unit, FCDO Jan 2021 - Apr 2022 · 1 yr 4 mos
• Andrew Wells 2018 - 2019 Deputy Head of Strategic Communications, HMG Russia Unit, FCO, London.

Exposed by the Russians in 2013

• James William Thomas Ford

Expelled by the Russians in September 2024

Mugshots of the alleged British spies. L-R from top Blake Patel, 2, 3, Jessica Davenport, Callum Duff, Tom Stevenette

Jessica Davenport, alleged British spy

• Jessica Davenport
• Grace Elvin,
• Callum Andrew Duff
• Katharine Mcdonnell
• Blake Patel.
• Thomas John Hickson; Also given as Thomas John Hickson Stevenette and Thomas Stevenett

Expelled by the Russians in November 2024

• Edward Pryor Wilkes

Expelled by the Russians in March 2025

• Alkesh Odedra, the embassy’s second secretary, and Michael Skinner, the spouse of Tabassum Rashid, first secretary at the embassy’s political department.

See also

• Information Threats and Influence Directorate/Cyber, Information and Tech Threats Directorate/Hybrid Threats Directorate
• Integrated Security Fund (formerly the CSSF)
• National Security Council.
• Defence and Security Directorate General (formerly Defence and Intelligence Directorate General) of the FCDO.
• Government Information Cell
• Defence Geospatial Intelligence Fusion Centre (DGIFC) | Defence Intelligence Fusion Centre (DIFC) | National Centre for Geospatial Intelligence | Land Intelligence Fusion Centre