This is the most powerful secret service in Europe.

2026-08-07 22:18:08Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
This is the most powerful secret service in Europe.
MI6 headquarters in London. The British Secret Service was praised for its expertise in recruiting high-level informants

Britain's foreign intelligence service, MI6, has been ranked as the most powerful spy agency in Europe, surpassing France and the Netherlands, according to an international assessment.

MI6 scored 251 points in the study, and was particularly praised for its ability to recruit high-level informants and penetrate the ranks of the ruling elites in Russia, China, Iran and Turkey. The assessment was carried out by 60 intelligence professionals from 25 different countries.

France's Directorate General of External Security (DGSE) ranked second with 169 points, thanks to its global reach and operational capabilities, The Times reported.

The top five are completed by the Netherlands, Ukraine and Germany, while Slovakia's intelligence service was rated as the weakest.

The study was conducted by the French magazine L'Express, which contacted intelligence service professionals from Western allied countries to assess their counterparts.

Britain was the first country to warn Ukraine of the possibility of the Russian invasion, which began in February 2022, and has since been one of Kiev's strongest allies.

Ralph Goff, former director of operations for Europe and Eurasia at the CIA, told the magazine:

"The British are in the lead on the Ukraine issue. We are right behind them."

Even Robert Gorelick, former CIA station chief, said:

"The United Kingdom has by far the most powerful secret service in Europe. MI6 is extraordinary."

Last year, Blaise Metreweli became the first woman to head MI6, replacing Sir Richard Moore.

A former DGSE director said:

"The British have the ability to think long-term, investing in human resources for a 10-year horizon, somewhat like the Russians. They also have a penchant for covert operations."

The DGSE, also featured in the French series "The Bureau", was praised as one of the best services in the world for the fight against terrorism.

The French service is known for its clandestine operations to “eliminate” individuals deemed a threat to France’s security. Former French President François Hollande publicly stated that he had authorized at least 40 operations to kill “high-value” targets in the Middle East and Africa, according to a book published in 2017.

A Polish intelligence chief told L'Express:

“It is the only service in continental Europe with a near-global reach. They combine technical intelligence gathering, human intelligence and direct operations capabilities.” /The Guardian


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