Thread by @Richard_AHolmes

🚨NEW: An alleged Russian intelligence agent is living in the UK and his family used the Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme to join him.

A six month investigation for @theipaper
inews.co.uk/news/alleged-r…

@theipaper During the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian businessman was able to enter the UK on a pre-existing visa.

By the summer of 2022, the suspected FSB agent had set up a lavish lifestyle in London, living in a multi-million-pound apartment.

@theipaper The Ukrainian tycoon is sanctioned by Ukraine and is suspected of large-scale financial crimes by Ukraine’s security service.

He is also suspected by the FBI of being a foreign agent for Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), according to a cache of intelligence documents.

@theipaper The story is based on hundreds of pages of US intelligence documents, internal FBI emails, and testimony from dozens of intelligence sources from the UK, US and Ukraine.

It is one of the most well-briefed pieces of national security reporting I have worked on.

@theipaper “He shouldn’t be a free man, frankly" a former FBI agent on the agency’s kleptocrat team said.

The officer spent years investigating the businessman and was stunned to learn he was living a comfortable life in the UK.

According to conversations with Government officials, ministers clashed over the need for deep security checks for the Homes For Ukraine scheme.

The news reignites security concerns about the scheme. More on that tomorrow 👀

Tomorrows @theipaper front page

💥NEW: The alleged Russian intelligence asset’s family used the scheme to join him in the UK during a time when Priti Patel and Michael Gove were under pressure to accelerate the programme.

Context behind the scoop on our front page this morning.

inews.co.uk/news/mess-mich…