Channel crossings a 'national security crisis' fuelled by Putin to 'destabilise Britain'

Vladimir Putin is fuelling illegal migration into Britain by supplying fake documents, transport and even military escorts to people smugglers, it has been claimed.

More than 18,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats this year - a surge that opposition MPs now say must be treated as a "national security crisis".

Top security sources told The Sun that foreign powers were backing, or taking advantage of, smuggling gangs to destabilise Britain.

And Nato chiefs this week formally recognised illegal migration as a serious threat - agreeing that border security can, for the first time, be counted towards defence spending targets.

How many people cross the Channel in small boats?

In 2018 just 299 people crossed the Channel, but by 2022 the number soared to a record 45,774.

Some arrivals have already faced charges linked to national security offences.

A senior security source told The Sun: "Hostile states and malign actors are using illegal migration to test borders, cause disruption and destabilise countries like Britain.

"That's exactly why Nato is now treating border protection as a core part of collective defence - because the lines between traditional military threats and national security are more blurred than ever."

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: "This is a national security crisis. A public safety crisis and a border security crisis.

"The news that hostile states are weaponising illegal migration shows the Government has been negligent in failing to tackle the boat crisis.

"The way to stop it is to immediately remove illegal immigrants to a location outside Europe.

"But Labour scrapped the Rwanda deterrent before it even started and now record numbers are coming in."

And Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: "I first warned this would happen in my European Parliament speeches over ten years ago.

"The crossings are a national security emergency."

How much money does the UK spend on border security?

Billions of pounds are already spent on border forces, coastal patrols and Channel surveillance - all of which can now be logged as part of the UK's Nato commitment.

The move follows senior officials acknowledging that the lines between military threats and organised crime are becoming dangerously blurred.

Home Office insiders say they are fully aware of the rising risk of foreign interference and meddling in the Channel crisis.

Russia and Iran, along with their allies, have long resorted to underhand tactics against the West - from cyber attacks and disinformation to stirring up migration.

And sources say Russia and its puppet-state Belarus have been accused of fuelling migrant surges on Europe's borders by supplying gangs with fake papers and military-escorted crossings.

Last month three Iranian men accused of plotting violent acts in the UK were found to have entered the country by illegal routes - including small boats and lorries - before claiming asylum.

Back in March, Polish PM Donald Tusk suspended asylum rights for those arriving from Belarus, saying the crisis was part of a deliberate hybrid warfare strategy driven by hostile states.

Italy's defence minister Guido Crosetto even claimed the Wagner Group was helping to facilitate migration from North Africa into Europe as a "clear strategy of hybrid warfare".

Yesterday PM Sir Keir Starmer attended the Nato summit in The Hague, where leaders agreed all member states would aim to spend five per cent of GDP on defence and security by 2035.

That includes 3.5 per cent on traditional forces and weaponry and 1.5 per cent on areas like energy, infrastructure and border protection.

How important are secure borders for Britain?

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: "National security is the first duty of any government - and that means securing our borders.

"We are improving our ability to monitor and anticipate illegal migration flows at national and international levels, including investing in new state-of-the-art surveillance tech.

"Our Border Security Command is bringing together security operations at our borders.

"This means working closely with Europol, Frontex and EU member states to fight organised immigration crime.

"New counter-terror-style powers will tackle the gangs, and existing measures will make sure identity and criminal record checks are carried out on all who arrive by visa, clandestine entry or small boat - so that any potential threats can be immediately dealt with."