A dark web portal launched on Friday will recruit spies from around the world for Britain using MI6’s new secure messaging platform named “Silent Courier”. The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the target is to recruit agents in Russia as well as other geographies by harnessing the anonymity of the dark web for the first time.

Instructions on how to access the portal will be publicly available on MI6’s verified YouTube channel as the UK proactively reaches out to potential new agents in different parts of the world. “As the world changes, and the threats we’re facing multiply, we must ensure the UK is always one step ahead of our adversaries,” said Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. “Our world-class intelligence agencies are at the coalface of this challenge, working behind the scenes to keep British people safe. Now we’re bolstering their efforts with cutting-edge tech so MI6 can recruit new spies for the UK, in Russia and around the world.”