Raphael Satter (James Pearson) and Christopher Bing

WASHINGTON/LONDON – According to a Google cybersecurity officer and former head of UK foreign Intelligence, a new website published emails from leading British proponents for Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.

Website titled “Very English Coop d’Etat”, it claims to have published emails of Richard Dearlove (ex-british spymaster), Gisela Stuart (leading Brexit campaigner), Robert Toombs (pro-Brexit historian) and others who support Britain’s exit from the EU. This was completed in January 2020.

They claim to be part of an elite group of pro-Brexit hardliners who are secretly in control of the affairs of the United Kingdom.

Reuters was unable to verify the authenticity, however two of Wednesday’s victims confirmed they were targeted by hackers. They also blamed Russia for the leaked emails.

Dearlove said, in reference to ProtonMail’s privacy-focused email service: “I am aware of a Russian operation to target a Proton Account which contained emails from and to me.”

Dearlove was the British’s Foreign Spy Service, also known as MI6. He told Reuters that the leakage material must be treated cautiously due to “the current crisis in Russia relations.”

Toombs wrote in an email, that he and his coworkers were aware of Russian disinformation which was based on illegal hacking. Toombs declined to comment further. Stuart, the 2016 chair of Britain’s Vote-Leave campaign, did not respond to emails.

Shane Huntley is the director of Google’s Threat Analysis Group. He told Reuters that “English Coop”, a website linked to “Cold River”, a Russian-based hacking organization, was the link.

Huntley explained, “We can see that through technical indicator.”

Huntley said that the entire operation – from Cold River’s hacking attempts to publicizing the leaks – had “clear technical links” between one another.

Emails to the Russian embassies at Washington and London did not receive a response.

Britain’s Foreign Office (which handles media enquiries for MI6) declined to comment. Others who were believed to have been disseminated via the website’s email list, did not reply.