Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stated that it is "clear" Russia interfered with the 2016 Brexit referendum. Speaking on The Rest is Politics podcast, Sunak revealed that upon taking office, he inquired about potential Russian interference in the 2016 vote and received confirmation.

Sunak expressed concern that the UK has been "too much on the back foot" regarding foreign interference and has not adequately informed the public about efforts by external actors to disrupt the political process. His comments mark the first time a UK prime minister has explicitly stated that Russia sought to influence the outcome of the EU referendum.

The pro-Brexit campaign group Britain Unbound criticized Sunak's remarks, calling them an "insulting" attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the referendum result. The group acknowledged that foreign interference is unacceptable but stated there is "no good reason to believe that Russian intervention influenced the outcome" and that voters were not easily misled.

During a recent visit to Germany, Sunak discussed the issue of Russian interference with Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He noted the presence of "misinformation, disinformation that is emanating from Russia into German politics" and emphasized the importance of informing voters in Germany and France that some political activities are instigated by Russia.

Warnings about Kremlin efforts to influence UK politics have been ongoing. A 2020 report by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee into Russian interventions in UK elections and referendums did not definitively conclude on Russia's influence on the EU referendum but criticized governments for not fully assessing or countering the threat. The Russian foreign ministry dismissed the report as "Russophobia," while a Kremlin spokesman denied any interference in other countries' elections.

In the same year, the then-Conservative government stated it was "almost certain" that Russian actors attempted to interfere in the 2019 general election. BBC Verify has documented Russian-linked disinformation campaigns, including the use of AI to create fake videos impersonating journalists and news organizations reporting on Ukraine.

Earlier this year, the head of the UK Electoral Commission informed MPs that Russian deepfake videos had been used extensively in elections globally, suggesting Britain would not be an exception. During a recent UN speech, Sunak accused Russian agencies of using "every means at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and prey on people's fears."

The UK is planning to establish a new center to combat foreign interference, a move that comes amid heightened concerns about state-sponsored disinformation campaigns and their potential impact on democratic processes worldwide.