Russian agent allegedly ‘stole’ AstraZeneca formula

Russia stole the formula for the AstraZeneca vaccine to use for its ‘Sputnik’ jab, ministers have allegedly been told.

UK security services reportedly have ‘proof’ that a Russian agent personally stole the Oxford-based pharmaceutical firm’s blueprint.

The late minister James Brokenshire said he was “more than 95% sure” that Russian state intelligence agencies had carried out attacks on British pharmaceutical businesses and research.

He said: ‘We are very careful in terms of calling these things out, ensuring that we can have that confidence in attribution. We do believe that we have this here.

‘I think the Russian government is being so hypocritical claiming to support responsible behaviour in cyberspace while secretly conducting cyber-attacks like this and others.’

Tory MP Bob Seely told The Sun earlier today: “I think we need to get serious about Russian and Chinese espionage. Whether it is stealing the design for Astra- Zeneca or blackmailing us over energy by these authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, we need to get wise to them.”

Last month the news emerged that a third Russian citizen faces charges over alleged involvement in the 2018 Novichok poisonings in Salisbury, which left three people critically ill and one dead.

Last year the House of Commons intelligence and security committee authored a report that claimed British government and intelligence agencies had failed to conduct any assessment of attempts by the Russian government to interfere with the 2016 referendum on the UK’s EU membership.