MI6 head to warn Russia not to 'underestimate' Britain's capabilities

The chief of Britain's intelligence service MI6 will directly challenge Russia in a speech Monday outlining the emerging threats facing his country, the Press Association reported.

In his second public address since becoming the head of MI6 four years ago, Alex Younger will warn Russia "or any other state intent on subverting our way of life not to underestimate our determination and our capabilities or those of our allies," PA said.

The boss of MI6, known formally as the Secret Intelligence Service, will warn of "adversaries who regard themselves as being in a state of perpetual confrontation" with Britain.

The 55-year-old is also expected to describe how his agency played a central role in exposing the alleged perpetrators of the Salisbury nerve agent attack and the subsequent expulsion of Russian diplomats.

Younger will tell students at Edinburgh's St Andrews University, where he studied, that Britain is "well equipped" to counter adversaries taking advantage of the "blurred lines" between the cyber and physical worlds.

"The era of the fourth industrial revolution calls for a fourth generation of espionage: fusing our traditional human skills with accelerated innovation, new partnerships and a mindset that mobilizes diversity and empowers the young," Younger is expected to say.

The speech will focus on strengthening security ties in Europe ahead of Brexit, with Younger to highlight how cooperation among intelligence services has disrupted "multiple" planned attacks by the so-called Islamic State terror group.