Latest news with #BlaiseMetreweli
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
UK distances new MI6 chief from Nazi past
The British government has distanced the incoming head of its foreign intelligence service from her grandfather following reports he was a Nazi spy known as "the butcher". Blaise Metreweli will in the autumn become the first woman to lead MI6 in its 116-year-old history, the British government announced earlier this month. The Daily Mail newspaper reported this week that her grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Union's Red Army to become a Nazi informant in the Chernigiv region of modern-day Ukraine. The newspaper said German archives showed Dobrowolski was known as "the Butcher" or "Agent No 30" by Wehrmacht commanders.
The Hindu
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
U.K. distances new spy chief from 'Nazi' grandfather
The British government has distanced the incoming head of its foreign intelligence service from her grandfather following reports he was a Nazi spy known as "the butcher". Blaise Metreweli will, in the autumn, become the first woman to lead MI6 in its 116-year-old history, the British government announced earlier this month. The Daily Mail newspaper reported this week that her grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Union's Red Army to become a Nazi informant in the Chernigiv region of modern-day Ukraine. The newspaper said German archives showed Dobrowolski was known as "the Butcher" or "Agent No 30" by Wehrmacht commanders. "Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather," a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement. "Blaise's ancestry is characterised by conflict and division and, as is the case for many with eastern European heritage, only partially understood. "It is precisely this complex heritage which has contributed to her commitment to prevent conflict and protect the British public from modern threats from today's hostile states, as the next chief of MI6." The Daily Mail said Dobrowolski had a 50,000 ruble bounty placed on him by Soviet leaders, and was dubbed the "worst enemy of the Ukrainian people". He also sent letters to superiors saying he "personally" took part "in the extermination of the Jews", the newspaper added. The head of MI6 is the only publicly named member of the organisation and reports directly to the Foreign Minister. Ms. Metreweli, 47, will be the 18th head of MI6. Like her predecessors, she will be referred to as "C", not "M" as the chief is called in the James Bond film franchise.
Mint
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
UK distances MI6 new chief from Nazi spy grandfather dubbed ‘The Butcher' – what we know so far
The British government has cast a distance between the incoming Chief of its foreign intelligence service and her grandfather following reports he was a Nazi spy known as "The Butcher". Blaise Metreweli was announced as the incoming head of UK's Secret Intelligence Service earlier this month. She will be the intelligence service – MI6's — first female "C" (Chief) in its 116-year history. As per documents accessed by the BBC, Blaise Metreweli's paternal grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Union's Red Army to become the Nazi's chief informant in the Chernigiv region of modern-day Ukraine. Another report by The Daily Mail, also states that German archives showed Dobrowolski was known as "the Butcher" or "Agent No 30" by Wehrmacht commanders. Dobrowolski even had a 50,000 ruble bounty placed on him by Soviet leaders, and was dubbed the "worst enemy of the Ukrainian people". He had also sent letters to superiors saying he "personally" took part "in the extermination of the Jews", The Daily Mail added. Blaise Metreweli, however, neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather, a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement, reported AFP. 'Blaise's ancestry is characterised by conflict and division and, as is the case for many with eastern European heritage, only partially understood.' 'It is precisely this complex heritage which has contributed to her commitment to prevent conflict and protect the British public from modern threats from today's hostile states, as the next chief of MI6," reads the statement issued by the Foreign Office, reported AFP. The UK (Great Britain), a part of the Allies faced off Germany and the other Axis powers during World War II. After coming to power in 1933, Adolf Hitler flagrantly violated the Treaty of Versailles, rearming Germany and remilitarising the Rhineland in 1936. He had aggressive and ambitious foreign policy aims. Britain initially pursued a policy of appeasement, seeking to give Hitler some of what he wanted in order to preserve peace. When Hitler broke the agreement made at the Munich Conference, it became clear appeasement had failed, and war broke out following the invasion of Poland in September 1939. UK policymakers—including Churchill—believed Nazi dominance threatened the European balance of power, a cornerstone of British foreign policy since the Napoleonic era.
Express Tribune
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
ChatGPT said: UK distances new MI6 chief from Nazi spy grandfather
Metreweli, 47, will be the 18th head of MI6. PHOTO: YAHOO NEWS MALAYSIA Listen to article The British government has distanced the incoming head of its foreign intelligence service from her grandfather following reports he was a Nazi spy known as "the butcher". Blaise Metreweli will in the autumn become the first woman to lead MI6 in its 116-year-old history, the British government announced earlier this month. The Daily Mail newspaper reported this week that her grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Union's Red Army to become a Nazi informant in the Chernigiv region of modern-day Ukraine. The newspaper said German archives showed Dobrowolski was known as "the Butcher" or "Agent No 30" by Wehrmacht commanders. "Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather," a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement. "Blaise's ancestry is characterised by conflict and division and, as is the case for many with eastern European heritage, only partially understood. "It is precisely this complex heritage which has contributed to her commitment to prevent conflict and protect the British public from modern threats from today's hostile states, as the next chief of MI6." The Daily Mail said Dobrowolski had a 50,000 ruble bounty placed on him by Soviet leaders, and was dubbed the "worst enemy of the Ukrainian people". He also sent letters to superiors saying he "personally" took part "in the extermination of the Jews", the newspaper added. The head of MI6 is the only publicly named member of the organisation and reports directly to the foreign minister. Metreweli, 47, will be the 18th head of MI6. Like her predecessors she will be referred to as "C", not "M" as the chief is called in the James Bond film franchise.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
UK distances new spy chief from ‘Nazi' grandfather
The British government has distanced the incoming head of its foreign intelligence service from her grandfather following reports he was a Nazi spy known as 'the butcher.' Blaise Metreweli will in the autumn become the first woman to lead MI6 in its 116-year-old history, the British government announced earlier this month. The Daily Mail newspaper reported this week that her grandfather Constantine Dobrowolski defected from the Soviet Union's Red Army to become a Nazi informant in the Chernigiv region of modern-day Ukraine. The newspaper said German archives showed Dobrowolski was known as 'the Butcher' or 'Agent No 30' by Wehrmacht commanders. 'Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather,' a Foreign Office spokesperson said in a statement. 'Blaise's ancestry is characterized by conflict and division and, as is the case for many with eastern European heritage, only partially understood. 'It is precisely this complex heritage which has contributed to her commitment to prevent conflict and protect the British public from modern threats from today's hostile states, as the next chief of MI6.' The Daily Mail said Dobrowolski had a 50,000 ruble bounty placed on him by Soviet leaders, and was dubbed the 'worst enemy of the Ukrainian people.' He also sent letters to superiors saying he 'personally' took part 'in the extermination of the Jews,' the newspaper added. The head of MI6 is the only publicly named member of the organization and reports directly to the foreign minister. Metreweli, 47, will be the 18th head of MI6. Like her predecessors she will be referred to as 'C', not 'M' as the chief is called in the James Bond film franchise.
