Vladimir Putin has shrugged off criticism from the head of MI6, saying the UK spy boss will “probably revisit his assessments” of Russia.

The president said that Richard Moore is “new” to the role, following Mr Moore’s description of Russia as an “objectively declining power economically and demographically”.

Mr Moore moved into the top job at MI6 in October.

During a recent interview with Times Radio, he voiced frustration with Russia’s behaviour, including the novichok attack in Salisbury, allegations that Russia’s military intelligence agency was behind a blast at a Czech arms factory in 2014, and the country’s actions in Ukraine.

Mr Moore said: “When you get that pattern of reckless behaviour, of course you then look at what is happening around Ukraine and of course it worries us.

“It is why we have coordinated so closely with our allies to make sure we are getting firm messages back to President Putin.

“It is an extremely challenged place.

“And clearly the treatment of Alexei Navalny as we saw with the thousands of protesters on the streets of well – not just Moscow – of a number of cities shows that there is a deal of disaffection with Mr Putin.”

Mr Putin was asked about the comments during a news conference.

He responded: “You said that the new head of MI6 has given these assessments, so he is new and I think he is going to get some experience and he will probably revisit his assessments (on) if Russia is a declining power.

“So why bother? Why be concerned? Just live your life and don’t try to spoil the Russian-British relations further.”

Mr Putin noted the two countries had seen increased trade last year, adding: “So if you don’t try to interfere into this process then everything is going to be good”.

The relationship between London and Moscow has been tense since the novichok attack in 2018, which is believed to have been conducted by two Russian agents aiming to kill Sergei Skripal, a former Russian spy turned double agent for MI6.

Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia survived but Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after she sprayed herself with the chemical, thinking it was perfume. Her partner was seriously ill.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab recently said Russia played a part in the forced diversion of a Ryanair flight to Belarus, which allowed authorities there to arrest a journalist and his girlfriend.

Mr Raab said it was “very difficult to believe” the incident had happened “without at least the acquiescence of the authorities in Moscow”.

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