# MI5 chief confirms Russia tried to interfere in Brexit referendum

https://mins.news/en/item/98250

- The Guardian, 2026-10-13 15:15 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/oct/13/russia-brexit-eu-referendum-interference-mi5

> MI5 chief Ken McCallum said Russia tried to influence the 2016 Brexit referendum through social media and television reports, but that did not mean it affected the result. Russian state-owned broadcasters RT and Sputnik aired biased anti-migration and anti-EU coverage, while fake online accounts also sought to sway voters. McCallum said neither effort was particularly sophisticated or successful.

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