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Russian Intelligence and Security Services

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GRU

GRU Generalnovo Shtaba Glavnoje Razvedyvatel'noje Upravlenije Главное Разведывательное Управление

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

GRU or Glavnoje Razvedyvatel'noje Upravlenije is the acronym for the foreign intelligence directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, (formerly the General Staff of the ). GRU is the English transliteration of the Russian acronym ГРУ , which stands for "Главное Разведывательное Управление", meaning Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff. The full name is GRU GSh (GRU Generalnovo Shtaba (or "GenShtaba"), i.e. "GRU of the General Staff"). The GRU is 's largest . It deploys six times as many agents in foreign countries as the SVR which is the KGB intelligence successor. It also commanded 25,000 troops in 1997. [1] The current GRU Director is General of the Army Valentin Vladimirovich Korabelnikov.

History

The GRU was created in 1918 by the Bolshevik under Lenin, and given the task of handling all , particularly the collection of intelligence of military or political significance from sources outside the Soviet Union. The GRU operated residencies all over the world, along with the SIGINT () station in Lourdes, , and throughout the former Soviet bloc countries, especially in , Latvia, and Estonia. The first head of the GRU was Janis Karlovich Berzin, a Latvian Communist and former member of the , who remained in the post until 28 November 1937, when he was arrested and subsequently liquidated during Stalin's purges. The GRU was wellknown in the Soviet government for its fierce independence from rival power blocs, even the CPSU and KGB. At the time of the GRU's creation, Lenin infuriated the Cheka (predecessor of the KGB) by ordering it not to interfere with the GRU's operations. Nonetheless, the Cheka infiltrated the GRU in 1919. This planted the seed for a fierce rivalry between the two agencies, which were both engaged in , and was even more intense than the rivalry between the FBI and CIA in America would be in a future time. The existence of the GRU was not publicized during the Soviet era. It became widely known in Russia, and the West outside the narrow confines of the intelligence community, during perestroika, in part thanks to the writings of "Viktor Suvorov" (Vladimir Rezun), a GRU agent who defected to Britain in 1978, and wrote about his experiences in the Soviet military and intelligence services. According to Suvorov, even the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union couldn't enter GRU headquarters without going through a security screening. The GRU is still a very important part of the Russian Federation's intelligence services, especially since it was never split up like the KGB was. The KGB was dissolved after aiding a failed coup in 1991 against the then Soviet leader . It has since been divided into the SVR (Foreign Intelligence Service) and the FSB ().

Activities

According to the Federation of American Scientists: "...Though sometimes compared to the US Defense Intelligence Agency, [the GRU's] activities encompass those performed by nearly all joint US military intelligence agencies as well as other national US organizations. The GRU gathers human intelligence through military attaches and foreign agents. It also maintains significant signals intelligence and imagery reconnaissance and satellite imagery capabilities." [1] GRU Space Intelligence Directorate had put more than 130 SIGINT satellites into orbit. GRU and KGB SIGINT network employed about 350,000 specialists. [2] According to GRU defector Stanislav Lunev, "Though most Americans do not realize it, America is penetrated by Russian military intelligence to the extent that arms caches lie in wait for use by Russian ". He also described a possibility that compact tactical nuclear weapons known as "suitcase bombs" are hidden in the US [3][4] and noted that "the most sensitive activity of the GRU is gathering intelligence on American leaders, and there is only one purpose for this intelligence: targeting information for spetsnaz (special forces) squads [in the event of war]". The American leaders will be easily assassinated using the "suitcase bombs", according to Lunev. [3] GRU is "one of the primary instructors of terrorists worldwide" according to Lunev [3] Terrorist reportedly worked for this organization. [5][6][7] During the 2006 GeorgianRussian espionage controversy several officers (allegedly working for GRU) were accused by the Georgian authorities of preparations to commit and terrorist acts such as arson. [citation needed ] GRU detachments from were transferred to Lebanon independently of the Interim Force in Lebanon after the 2006 IsraelLebanon conflict "to improve Russia’s image in the Arab world", according to .[8] was assassinated by two GRU officers. GRU officers have also been accused of creating criminal death squads.[9]

Miscellaneous

Chechnya

Dmitry Kozak and Vladislav Surkov from the current Putin administration reportedly served in GRU.[2] Two Chechen former warlords SaidMagomed Kakiev and are of "West" and "East" battalions that are controlled by GRU (each battalion includes close to a thousand fighters). [10]

Baranov

In 2002, Bill Powell wrote Treason ,[11] an account of the experiences of former GRU Vyacheslav Baranov. Baranov had been recruited by the CIA and agreed to spy for them, but was betrayed to the by a in either the FBI or the CIA and spent five years in prison before being released. The identity of the mole remains unknown to this day, although speculation has mounted that it could have been .

Historic agents • , an American journalist and exGRU agent who broke with in 1938 • , a scientist who stole atomic secrets from the Project. • Eugene Franklin Coleman • Arvid Jacobson • Joseph Milton Bernstein • Boris Bukov • Lydia Stahl, • Robert Osman • • Mary Jane Keeney and Philip Keeney • • Irving Charles Velson, Brooklyn Navy Yard; American Labor Party candidate for State Senate • William Spiegel • Vincent Reno • Ward Pigman • GRU "Illegals" • Boris Devyatkin • Moishe Stern • Joshua Tamer • Alfred Tilton • Alexander Ulanovsky • Ignacy Witczak • Yakov Grigorev Naval GRU • Jack Fahy (Naval GRU), Office of the Coordinator of InterAmerican Affairs; Board of Economic Warfare; Department of the Interior • Edna Patterson Naval GRU, served in US August 1943 to 1956 GRU defectors • Viktor Suvorov • Stanislav Lunev • Oleg Penkovsky, a GRU officer who played an important role during the • , a GRU cipher clerk who defected in • , a GRU defector who predicted that Stalin and Hitler would conclude a NaziSoviet nonaggression pact • Juliet Poyntz, a founding member of the Communist Party of the United States, allegedly killed for an attempt to defect • Iavor Entchev, a communist member of GRU; defected to United States during . Further reading • David M. Glantz. Soviet military intelligence in war. Cass series on Soviet military theory and practice ; 3. : Cass, 1990. ISBN 0714633747, ISBN 071464076X • Raymond W. Leonard. Secret soldiers of the revolution: Soviet military intelligence, 19181933. Contributions in military studies ; 183. Westport, Conn. ; London : Greenwood Press, 1999. ISBN 0313309906 • Stanislav Lunev. Through the Eyes of the Enemy: The Autobiography of Stanislav Lunev , Regnery Publishing, Inc., 1998. ISBN 0895263904 • Viktor Suvorov Aquarium (Аквариум), 1985, Hamish Hamilton Ltd, ISBN 0241115450 • Viktor Suvorov Inside Soviet Military Intelligence , 1984, ISBN 0026155109 • Viktor Suvorov Spetsnaz , 1987, Hamish Hamilton Ltd, ISBN 0241119618 Fiction • The GRU appears in and plays a significant plot role in the video game Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater . • The GRU is noted in the book Deep Six by Clive Cussler. • The GRU is also noted in the book Tom Clancy's EndWar by David Michaels. • The GRU symbol was also the inspiration for the bat symbol in the Batman series References 1. ^ Lunev, Stanislav (12 September 1997), "Changes may be on the way for the Russian security services", The , http://www.jamestown.org/publications_details.php?volume_id=4&issue_id=217&article_id=2507 2. ^ Christopher Andrew and (2000). The : The KGB in Europe and the West. Gardners Books. ISBN 0140284877. 3. ^ a b c Stanislav Lunev. Through the Eyes of the Enemy: The Autobiography of Stanislav Lunev , Regnery Publishing, Inc., 1998. ISBN 0895263904 4. ^ Symposium: Al Qaeda’s Nukes by Jamie Glazov, FrontPageMagazine, October 27, 2006 5. ^ Western leaders betray by Andre Glucksmann. PrimaNews, March 11, 2005 6. ^ CHECHEN PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER: BASAEV WAS G.R.U. OFFICER The Jamestown Foundation, September 08, 2006 7. ^ Analysis: Has Chechnya's Strongman Signed His Own Death Warrant? by Liz Fuller, RFE/RL, March 1, 2005 8. ^ posts two Chechen platoons in S. Lebanon, one headed by an exrebel , "to improve Russia’s image in the Arab world" by DEBKAfile 9. ^ Special services are making teams for (Russian) by Igor Korolkov, , January 11, 2007. English translation 10. ^ Land of the warlords, by Nick Paton Walsh, Guardian Unlimited 11. ^ Powell, Bill (20021101), Treason: How a Russian Spy Led an American Journalist to a U.S. , Simon & Schuster, ISBN 0743229150 External links • History of military intelligence from the Agentura.ru project (in English) • Information from FAS.org • Another FAS site • President Putin visits new GRU headquarters • GRU High Command and leading GRU officers • Ivan Ilyichev – Head of GRU • GRU structure See also • Farewell Dossier • Vatutinki • • SMERSH • Leopold Trepper, an organizer of the Soviet spy ring Rote Kapelle (Red Orchestra) prior to World War II • • Nuclear suitcase bomb

A GRU Spetsnaz unit prepares for a helicopter mission at airport in in 1988. Photo by Mikhail Evstafiev.

DIRECTORATE OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE (GRU)

R312A. Russian sleeve patch for the Central Intelligence Department of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.$5.00 R312B. As above but embroidered. $10.00 R312C. As above but on camouflage.$6.00 R312E. Embroidered type 2. $7.50 R262. Russian sleeve patch for GRU military intelligence. $6.00

SPETSNAZ OF THE GRU

R302A. Russian GRU sleeve patch for Spetsnaz Unit Bat with parachute. $6.00 SOLD OUT R302B. Russian embroidered GRU sleeve patch for Spetsnaz Unit Bat with parachute. 8.00 R311A. Russian GRU sleeve patch for spetsnaz.Black bat on blue and yellow.$6.00 R311B. As above but on camouflage.$6.00 R311C. As above but embroidered.$8.50 R643. Russian Sleeve patch for operational group GBP Kobra.$6.00 R717A. Russian sleeve patch for the GRU's 14th spetsnaz brigade. $6.00 R717B. Russian embroidered sleeve patch for the GRU's 14th spetsnaz brigade. $10.00 R730. Russian sleeve patch for the 16th spetsnaz brigade of the GRU.$6.50 R938. Russian sleeve patch for the GRU's spetsnaz team of combat swimmers.Main recon dept of the HQ of the Russian Armed Forces. $6.00 R1215. Sleeve patch for the 102nd separate reconnaissance batalion. $6.00 Russian spetsnaz of the GRU breast patches R1281A. Russian breast patch military intelligence units. $6.00 R1281C. As above but on camouflage for field uniform. $6.00 R863. Russian breast patch for military intelligence units. SOLD OUT R959. Russian breast patch for military intelligence units.White on blue.$6.00 R1010. Russian breast patch for military intelligence units.Yellow on black.$6.00 Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Служба Внешней Разведки Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Foreign Intelligence Service (Russian: Служба Внешней Разведки Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki (or SVR ) is Russia's primary external intelligence agency. The SVR is the successor of ( FCD ) of the KGB since December 1991. [1] The headquarters of SVR are still in Yasenevo, Moscow, just beyond the Moscow Automobile Ring Road. Unlike the FSB, the SVR is responsible for intelligence and espionage activities outside the Russian Federation. It works in cooperation with the Russian military intelligence organization GRU, which reportedly deployed six times as many spies in foreign countries as the SVR in 1997. [2] However SVR is reportedly more influential behind the scenes than GRU or the FCD was, especially with regard to defining Russian foreign policy.[3] The SVR is also authorized to negotiate antiterrorist cooperation and intelligencesharing arrangements with foreign intelligence agencies, and provides analysis and dissemination of intelligence to the Russian president. [3]

History

SVR is the official foreignoperations successor to many prior Sovietera foreign intelligence agencies, ranging from the original 'foreign department' of the Cheka under Lenin, to the dreaded OGPU and NKVD of the Stalinist era, followed by the First Chief Directorate of the KGB. From the beginning, foreign intelligence played an important role in the Soviet Union's foreign policy, when Bolshevik intelligence services were formed during the . On December 19, 1918, the Central Committee Bureau of the RKP(b) decided to combine military front Cheka units and Military Control Units, which were controlled by the Military Revolutionary Committee, into one organization, the 'Special Section' (department) of the Cheka, headed by Mikhail Kedrov. The task of the Special Section was to collect human intelligence by gathering political and military information behind enemy lines, and to expose, neutralize, and liquidate counterrevolutionary elements in the Red Army. At the beginning of 1920, a subsection was formed in the Special Section named the War Information Bureau (WIB) which conducted political, military, scientific and in surrounding countries. The Red Army's defeat in the 1920 Polish–Soviet War was the primary motivation for the formation of a large independent foreign intelligence department in the Cheka. Officially, the SVR dates its own beginnings to the founding of the Special Section of the Cheka on December 20, 1920. The head of the Cheka, , created the Foreign Department (Innostranny Otdel INO) to improve the collection as well as the dissemination of foreign intelligence. The new department consisted of the Management Office (INO chief and two deputies), the Chancellery, an Agent department, a visa bureau, and various foreign country sections. On February 6, 1922, the Foreign Department of the Cheka became part of a renamed organization, the State Political Directorate , or GPU. The first head of the 'Foreign Department' of the GPU was a Bolshevik and Comintern leader, Mikhail Trilisser. The Foreign Department was placed in charge of intelligence activities overseas, including collection of important intelligence from foreign countries and the liquidation of defectors, emigres, and other assorted 'enemies of the people'. In 1922, after the creation of the State Political Directorate (GPU) and its merger with the People's Commisariat for Internal Affairs of the RSFSR, foreign intelligence was conducted by the GPU Foreign Department, and between December 1923 and July 1934 by the Foreign Department of Joint State Political Administration or OGPU. In July 1934, the OGPU was reincorporated into the NKVD. In 1954, the NKVD in turn became the KGB, which in 1991 became the SVR. In 1996, the SVR issued a CDROM in 1996 entitled Russian Foreign Intelligence: VChKKGBSVR , which claims to provide "a professional view on the history and development of one of the most powerful secret services in the world" where all these services are presented as a single evolving organization. [3] Former SVR chief Sergei Lebedev stated “there has not been any place on the planet where a KGB officer has not been.” During their 80th anniversary celebration, went to SVR headquarters to meet with other former KGB/SVR chiefs Kryuchkov, Shebarshin, Primakov, and Trubnikov, as well as other famous agents, including the British double agent and exSoviet spy .[4]

SVR Legal Authority

The "Law on Foreign Intelligence" was written by SVR leadership itself and adopted in August 1992. This Law provided conditions for "penetration by chekists of all levels of the government and economy", since it stipulated that "career personnel may occupy positions in ministries, departments, establishments, enterprises and organizations in accordance with the requirements of this law without compromising their association with foreign intelligence agencies." [5] A new "Law on Foreign Intelligence Organs" was passed by the and the Federation Council in late 1995 and signed into effect by thenPresident on 10 January 1996. The law authorizes the SVR to carry out the following: • (1) Conduct intelligence; • (2) Implement active measures to ensure Russia's security; • (3) Conduct military, strategic, economic, scientific and technological espionage; • (4) Protect employees of Russian institutions overseas and their families; • (5) Provide personal security for Russian government officials and their families; • (6) Conduct joint operations with foreign security services; • (7) Conduct electronic in foreign countries. The Russian Federation President (currently ) can personally issue any secret orders for the SVR, without asking the houses of the Federal Assembly: State Duma and Federation Council.

SVR Command Structure

Mikhail Fradkov is current SVR Director. The SVR Director is appointed by and reports directly to the (currently Dmitry Medvedev). The Director provides briefings to the President every Monday and on other occasions as necessary. The Director is also a member of the Security Council of Russia and the Defense Council (svr.gov.ru). According to published sources, the SVR included the following directorates in 1990s[6][7] : • Directorate PR Political Intelligence . It included 17 Departments, each responsible for different countries of the world (espionage in USA, Canada, Latin America, etc.) • Directorate S Illegal Intelligence . It includes 13 Departments responsible for preparing and planting "illegal agents" abroad, conducting terror operations and sabotage in foreign countries, "biological espionage", recruitment of foreign citizens on the Russian territory and other duties. • Directorate X Scientific and Technical Intelligence • Directorate KR External CounterIntelligence . This Directorate "carries out infiltration of foreign intelligence and security services and exercises surveillance over Russian citizens abroad." • Directorate OT Operational and Technical Support • Directorate R Operational Planning and Analysis . It evaluates SVR operations abroad. • Directorate I Computer Service (Information and dissemination) . This directorate analyzes and distributes intelligence data and publishes a daily current events summaries for the President • Directorate of Economic Intelligence According to SVR web site [2], this organization currently consists of a Director, a First Deputy Director (who oversees the directions for Foreign and Economic Intelligence) and the following departments: • Personnel; • Operations; • Analysis & Information (formerly Intelligence Institute); • Science; • Operational Logistics & Support. Each Directorate is headed by a Deputy Director who reports to the SVR Director. The Red Banner Intelligence Academy has been renamed the Academy of Foreign Intelligence (ABP are its Russian initials) and is housed in the Science Directorate. Within the Operations Dept of Directorate S, there is the elite Special Operations (Spetsnaz) Group called .

Involvement in Russian foreign policy

During Yeltsin presidency, SVR fought with Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for directing Russian foreign policy. SVR director Yevgeni Primakov upstaged the foreign ministry by publishing warnings to the West not to interfere the unification of Russia with other former Soviet and attacking the NATO extension as a threat to Russian security, whereas foreign minister Andrey Kozyrev was telling different things. The rivalry ended in decisive victory for the SVR, when Primakov replaced Kozyrev in January 1996 and brought with him a number of SVR officers to the foreign ministry of Russia [3] . In September 1999, Yeltsin admitted that the SVR plays a greater role in the Russian foreign policy than the Foreign Ministry. It was reported that SVR defined Russian position on the transfer of nuclear technologies to Iran, NATO expansion, and modification of the AntiBallistic Missile Treaty [8] . SVR also tried to justify annexation of the by the Soviet Union in WWII using selectively declassified documents [9] . SVR sends to the Russian president daily digests of intelligence, similar to the President's Daily Brief produced by CIA in the US. However, unlike the CIA, the SVR recommends to the president which policy options are preferrable. [3]

Front organizations

According to Shvets, a former KGB agent “In the days of the Soviet Union, the number of spies was limited because they had to be based at the foreign ministry, the trade mission or the news agencies like Tass. Right now, virtually every successful private company in Russia is being used as a cover for Russian intelligence operations.” [10] For example, close connections of SVR with Russian gas company Gazprom and oil company LUKoil have been reported. [1] Although every Russian company abroad may be a of SVR or GRU (and in fact some of them have been organized by SVR [7] ), the most famous of them is Russian aviation company . In the past, this company conducted forceful "evacuations" of Soviet citizens from foreign countries back to the USSR. People whose loyalty was questioned were drugged and delivered unconsciousness by Aeroflot planes, assisted by the company KGB personnel, according to former GRU officer Victor Suvorov [11] . In 1980s and 1990s, specimens of deadly bacteria and viruses stolen from Western laboratories were delivered by Aeroflot to support Russian program of biological weapons. This meant "delivering the material via an international flight of the Aeroflot airline in the pilots' cabin, where one of the pilots was a KGB officer". [7] At least two SVR agents died, presumably from the transported pathogens. [7] When businessman was appointed as a top manager of Aeroflot in 1996, he found that the airline company worked as a "cash cow to support international spying operations" [12] : 3,000 people out of the total workforce of 14,000 in Aeroflot were FSB, SVR, or GRU officers. All proceeds from ticket sales were distributed to 352 foreign bank accounts that could not be controlled by the Aeroflot administration. Glushkov closed all these accounts and channeled the money to an accounting center called Andava in .[12] He also sent a bill and wrote a letter to SVR director Yevgeni Primakov and FSB director asking them to pay salaries of their intelligence officers in Aeroflot in 1996. [12] Glushkov has been imprisoned since 2000 on charges of illegally channeling money through Andava. Since 2004 the company is controlled by , a highranking FSB official who is a close associate of Vladimir Putin.Another front organization of SVR is alleged to be the headed by Patriarch Alexius II who is allegedly a former KGB agent DROZDOV. [13][14][15][16] Many priests of Russian Orthodox Church successfully recruited spies in the US. [4] According to former KGB officer Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy, "a grandiose operation is underway: the uniting of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia with the Moscow Patriarchate, or more precisely, with the Russian state. If this happens, the Orthodox Church here will become a bastion of Russian influence and a center of espionage." [17]

Operations

Espionage According to former GRU Colonel Stanislav Lunev, "SVR and GRU (Russia's political and military intelligence agencies, respectively) are operating against the U.S. in a much more active manner than they were during even the hottest days of the Cold War." [18] . From the end of 1980s, KGB and later SVR began to create "a second " of "auxiliary agents in addition to our main weapons, Illegals and special agents", according to former SVR officer Kouzminov [7] . These agents are legal immigrants , including scientists and other professionals. Another SVR officer who defected to Britain in 1996 described details about several thousand of Russian agents and intelligence officers, some of them "illegals" who live under deep cover abroad [3] Recently caught Russian high profile agents in US are Aldrich Hazen Ames, , , Robert Philip Hanssen and George Trofimoff.

Cooperation with foreign intelligence services An agreement on intelligence cooperation between Russia and was signed in 1992. This secret treaty covers cooperation of the GRU and the SVR with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Military Intelligence Directorate. [4] It was reported that SVR trained Iraqi spies during collaboration of Russia with Saddam Hussein.[19][20] . The SVR also has cooperation agreements with the services of certain former Soviet republics, such as Azerbaijan and .[4]

Assassinations abroad "In the Soviet era, the SVR – then part of the KGB – handled covert political abroad" [1] . These activities are reportedly continue [1] . Igor the Assassin who believed to have been the actual poisoner of in 2006 was allegedly an SVR officer [3]. However SVR denied its involvement in assassination of Alexander Litvinenko SVR spokesperson said about Litvinenko: "May God give him health." [4]. It was reported that in September 2003, an SVR agent in London was making preparations to assassinate Boris Berezovsky with a binary weapon, and that is why Berezovsky had been granted a speedy asylum in Britain [12] . GRU officers who killed Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev in Qatar in 2004 reportedly claimed that supporting SVR agents let them down by not evacuating them in time, so they have been arrested by Qatar authorities [1] .

Recruitment

SVR actively recruits Russian citizens who live in foreign countries. "Once the FSB or SVR officer targets a Russian émigré for recruitment, they approach them, usually at their place of residence and make an effort to reach an understanding," said former FSB officer Aleksander Litvinenko.[21] "If he or she refuses, the intelligence officer then threatens the wouldbe recruit with legal prosecution in Russia, and if the person continues to refuse, the charges are fabricated". It was reported that SVR prey on successful Russian businessmen abroad. [21] Today, Russian intelligence can no longer recruit people on the basis of Communist ideals, which was the "first pillar" of KGB recruitment, said analyst Konstantin Preobrazhenskiy. "The second pillar of recruitment is a love for Russia. In the West, only Russian immigrants have feelings of filial obedience toward Russia. That’s precisely why [the SVR] works with them so often. A special was created just for this purpose. It regularly holds Russian immigrant conferences, which Putin is fond of attending." [17]

Public Perception in Russia

According to Russian media surveys (2004 and 2005), the Russian public realizes the need to have an active foreign intelligence capability in order to defend their homeland. The SVR appears to be positively perceived by most Russians as they view its mission as vital to their own security. This is a stark contrast to how citizens in Western countries tend to view their own nation's respective foreign intelligence services (Rossiskaya Gazeta, December 2005). [citation needed ]

Notable Russian intelligence agents

• February 1994 Aldrich Hazen Ames was charged with providing highly since 1985 to the Soviet Union and then Russia. The information he passed led to the execution of at least 9 United States agents in Russia. In April, he and his wife pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit espionage and to evading taxes. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. [22] • November 1996 Harold James Nicholson was arrested while attempting to take Top Secret documents out of the country. He began spying for Russia in 1994. He was a seniorranking Central Intelligence Agency officer. In 1997, he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to more than 23 years in prison. [22] • December 1996 Earl Edwin Pitts was charged with providing Top Secret documents to the Soviet Union and then Russia from 1987 until 1992. In 1997, he pleaded guilty to two counts of espionage and was sentenced to 27 years in prison. [22] • June 2000 George Trofimoff, a naturalized citizen of Russian parents, was arrested for spying for the Soviet Union and Russia since about 1969. Having retired as a colonel in the Reserve, he was the highest ranking military officer ever accused of spying. He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. [22] • October 2000 Sergei Tretyakov, an SVR officer working undercover at the Russian UN mission defected to the United States with his family. • February 2001 Robert Philip Hanssen was arrested for spying for the Soviet Union and Russia for more than 15 years of his 27 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He passed thousands of pages of classified documents on nuclear war defenses and Sensitive Compartmented Information and exposed three Russian agents of the United States, (two of whom were tried and executed). He pleaded guilty to espionage and was sentenced to life in prison. [22]

Directors

• Yevgeni Primakov (December 1991 – 1996) • Vyacheslav Trubnikov (1996–2000) • Sergei Lebedev (May 20, 2000 – October 6, 2007) • Mikhail Fradkov (October 6, 2007 present)

See also • • Robert Hanssen • United States government security breaches • FSB • GRU • Federal Protective Service • OSNAZ • FAPSI • First Chief Directorate • Ninth Chief Directorate • KGB • Lourdes SIGINT Station Notes 1. ^ a b c d e The Security Organs of the Russian Federation. A Brief History 19912004 by Jonathan Littell, Psan Publishing House 2006. 2. ^ The Jamestown Foundation 3. ^ a b c d e f Vasili Mitrokhin and Christopher Andrew (2000). The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West. Gardners Books. ISBN 0140284877. 4. ^ a b c d PDF voulume about SVR espionage activities, Office of the Director of National Intelligence 5. ^ The HUMINT Offensive from Putin's Chekist State Anderson, Julie (2007), International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, 20:2, 258 316 6. ^ SVR Organization Russia / Soviet Intelligence Agencies 7. ^ a b c d e Alexander Kouzminov Biological Espionage: Special Operations of the Soviet and Russian Foreign Intelligence Services in the West , Greenhill Books, 2006, ISBN 1853676462 [1]. 8. ^ Whither Russian foreign intelligence? By Victor Yasmann, Asia Times, June 6, 2000 9. ^ Russian intelligence justifies Soviet annexation of Baltic states 10. ^ Putin spy war on the West The Sunday Times May 20, 2007, by Mark Franchetti and Sarah Baxter 11. ^ Viktor Suvorov Aquarium (Аквариум), 1985, Hamish Hamilton Ltd, ISBN 0241115450 12. ^ a b c d Alex Goldfarb and Marina Litvinenko. Death of a dissident: The Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko and the Return of the KGB , The Free Press (2007) ISBN 1416551654 13. ^ Ридигер: досье 14. ^ Secret 2 15. ^ Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West, Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0140284877 16. ^ and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on RussiaPast, Present, and Future. 1994. ISBN 0374527385. 17. ^ a b Interview with Konstantin Preobrazhensky , January 27, 2006 18. ^ Expulsion of Russian Spies Teaches Moscow a Needed Lesson by Stanislav Lunev, March 22, 2001 19. ^ Russia now admits training Iraqi spies 20. ^ Iraq's Russian Arms Buyer Headed Germ Warfare Program; Russian Spies Unmasked in London Financial System 21. ^ a b Russia steps up espionage 22. ^ a b c d e Defense Personnel Security Research Center, Espionage Cases 19752004 , http://www.dss.mil/training/espionage/Names.htm, retrieved on 19 February 2006

External links • Служба внешней разведки Российской Федерации, official homepage in Russian • USA counterintelligence site, Office of the Director of National Intelligence • PDF voulume about SVR espionage activities, Office of the Director of National Intelligence • Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), site of Federation of American Scientists • Russian security services • Special services of Russia,, Agentura.Ru Profile • A gold mine' for spy agency by Stewart Bell and Adrian Humphreys, National Post, December 27, 2006 • Russian Espionage Activity Against Estonia Continues • Russia: A Rogue Intelligence State By Reuel Marc Gerecht • Vyacheslav Trubnikov The Russian Governor of • RUSSIA'S NEW COLD WAR FOURPAGE INVESTIGATION BY NEIL MACKAY, The Sunday Herald, Nov 26, 2006 • Voices from the East by J.R. Nyquist • SVR in Maps

Federal Agency for Government Communication and Information

(FAPSI)

Федеральное Агентство Правительственной Связи и Информации (ФАПСИ)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

FAPSI (Russian: ФАПСИ) or Federal Agency of Government Communications and Information (FAGCI) (Russian: Федеральное Агентство Правительственной Связи и Информации) is a Russian government agency, one of the successors of KGB. Now it is part of FSB [2]. History

FAPSI was created from the 8th (Government Communications) and 16th (Electronic Intelligence) Chief Directorates of the KGB. It is the equivalent to the American Agency. On September 25, 1991, the Soviet Union Gorbachev dismantled the KGB into several independent departments. One of them became the Committee on Government Communications under President of Soviet Union . On December 24, 1991 after the disbanding of the Soviet Union the organization became the Federal Agency of Government Communications and Information under President of Russian Federation . On March 11, 2003 the agency was reorganized into the Service of Special Communications and Information (Russian: Служба специальной связи и информации, Спецсвязь России) of FSB.

Structure

According to the press, the structure of FAPSI copies the structure of the US , it includes: • Chief R&D Directorate (Главное научнотехническое управление) • Chief directorate of government communications • Chief directorate of security of communications • Chief directorate of information technology (Главное управление информационных систем) • Special troops of FAPSI • Academy of • Military School of FAPSI in , sometimes referred as the world largest hacker's school • Military school of communications in Orel • Moscow Department of Penza Scientific Research Electrotechnics Institute (МО ПНИЭИ), manufacturer of software and hardware used by the above agencies

Chiefs

16th directorate of KGB • Nikolai Nikolaevich Andreev (19681973) • General Igor Vasilievich Maslov (1973?) Committee on Government Communications under President of Soviet Union • General A.V. Starovoitov(1991) Federal Agency of Government Communications and Information • General A.V. Starovoitov(19911998) • Vladislav Petrovich Sherstyuk (19981999) former chief of Radioelectronics intelligence department of the agency • Vladimir Georgievich Matykhin (19992003) a civilian specialist on cryptography and data protection Service of Special Communications and Information • Yu. P. Kornev (20032005)

FAPSI and the Internet

FAPSI was always interested in monitoring of Internet activities. In 1994 it bought major Russian internet provider of that time RELCOM. According to their explanation they were not interested in interception of the network traffic, but in Internet experience of the firm and in utilization of "FAPSI's excess computing power and network bandwidth". In 1995 by decree of President Boris Yeltsin all cryptographic systems except those licensed by FAPSI were forbidden in the Russian Federation. There are widespread rumors that all systems licensed by FAPSI have backdoors allowing the agency to freely access the encrypted information. Since 1998 they require that all Internet providers in Russia install their hardware named SORM (СОРМ — Система Оперативно Розыскных Мероприятий, System of Operative Investigative Actions) that allows filtering and remote control of internet traffic from FAPSI headquarters. Internet providers must pay for the devices (around US$15,000 [3]) directly to FAPSI. Despite the original resistance of Internet providers they complied. It is claimed, however, that no legal document requires ISPs to provide these services free of charge, and some people report that one large St. Petersburg ISP told FSB that it does not decline their request, but is going to bill them appropriately, for which this ISP never saw FSB come back. [4]

Mishaps of the agency

One of the tasks of the agency is to protect government websites from getting hacked. Often they fail to do it by a very simple scenario the domain is not paid for in time and becomes a trophy of cybersquatting. In January 2004 site the election site http://www.putin2000.ru registered personally for Vladimir Putin was not paid for in time and became a pornographic site. Eventually the site was closed down [1] ; and as of May, 2008, it operates as a replica of the 2000 election site, with notices that all materials on this site are presented exactly as they appeared in March 2000 [2] . The agency's site, http://www.fagci.ru/, has become a website of a tourist agency (as retrieved in January 2007).

References 1. ^ (Russian) http://www.compromat.ru/main/internet/putin2000.htm 2. ^ News page of Putin's 2000 election site [1]

External links English • FAPSI Operations by Federation of American Scientists • Jonathan Littell, "The Security Organs of the Russian Federation. A Brief History 19912004" Psan Publishing House 2006. • Lourdes SIGINT facility in Cuba, part 1 • Lourdes SIGINT facility in Cuba, part 2 • Cyber Warfare and Telecommunications Espionage Russian • http://www.agentura.ru/dossier/russia/fapsi/ • http://www.agentura.ru/dossier/russia/fapsi/story/ • http://www.compromat.ru/main/fsb/ushi.htm • http://www.relcom.ru/Relcom/History/Full/ • http://www.compromat.ru/main/internet/putin2000.htm

Federal Protective Service (FSO) Федеральная служба охраны ( ФСО)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the Russian Federation, the Federal Protective Service ( FSO ) (Russian: Федеральная служба охраны, ФСО) is a federal government agency concerned with the tasks related to the protection of several, mandated by the relevant law, highranking state officials, including the President of Russia, as well as certain federal properties. It traces its origin to the USSR's Ninth Chief Directorate of the KGB. On May 27, 1996 the law "On State Protection" reorganized the GUO (Glavnoye Upravlenie Okhrani) into the FSO (Federal Protection Service). Under the law (article 7), "the President of the Russian Federation, while in office, shall not be allowed to forego state protection." [1]

Structure and command

Since May 18 2008, the agency is headed by General Evgeny Murov. FSO has roughly 20,000 30,000 uniformed personnel plus several thousand plainclothes personnel and controls the "black box" that can be used in the event of global nuclear war [2] . It also operates the secure highlevel communications system and the secure subway system used by the government Moscow metro2. It reportedly [3] includes, inter alia , Russia president's personal security service, though the latter is not listed as one of the structural units on the FSO official website. One of its units is the Kremlin Regiment.

Anecdotal evidence and opinions

The FSO is a powerful institution with a range of rights and powers, including the right to conduct searches and surveillance without warrants, make arrests, and give orders to other state agencies. The Service under Putin was alleged to be effectively supervised by , head of the president's personal security service [2] . The service is still subordinated to Vladimir Putin and allegedly used to "keep an eye" on the current Russian president Medvedev [4]

History of the federal protective services

• Special department by VChK College • Special department of GPU • Special department by OGPU College Dec, 1929 • 5th department (special safeguard) of Operod, SOU OGPU Jan, 1930 Mar, 1931 • 5th department (special safeguard) of Operod, SOU OGPU Mar Jun, 1931 • 4th department of Operod, OGPU Jun, 1931 • Operod of OGPU • Operative division (Operod) of GUGB NKVD USSR Jul, 1934 Nov, 1936 • Division of safeguard by GUGB NKVD USSR Dec, 1936 Jun, 1938 • Department of ’s commandant, NKVD USSR • 1st division of 1st Department by NKVD USSR Jun Sep, 1938 • 1st division of GUGB • 1st division of NKGB • Department of Moscow Kremlin’s commandant, NKGB USSR • 1st division of NKVD • Department of Moscow Kremlin’s commandant, NKVD USSR • Sixth department of NKGB USSR Apr, 1943 Mar, 1946 • Department of Moscow Kremlin’s commandant, NKGB USSR • Sixth department of MGB USSR Mar, 1946 Apr, 1946 • Department of safeguard No. 1, MGB Apr, 1946 Dec, 1946 • Department of safeguard No. 2, MGB Apr, 1946 Dec, 1946 • Department of Moscow Kremlin’s commandant, MGB USSR Dec, 1946 • Headquarters of safeguard, MGB USSR Dec, 1946 May, 1952 • Department of safeguard, MGB May, 1952 • Ninth department of MVD USSR Mar, 1953 Mar, 1954 • Tenth department of MVD USSR Mar, 1953 Mar, 1954 • Ninth department of KGB by SM USSR Mar, 1954 • Tenth department of KGB by SM USSR Mar, 1954 • Fifteenth department of KGB by SM USSR • Ninth department of KGB USSR • Fifteenth department of KGB USSR • Service of safeguard, KGB USSR • Department of safeguard by USSR President • Main Administration of Protection (GUO Glavnoye Upravlenie Okhrani) (19921996) • Federal Protective Service (FSO) (1996today)

References 1. ^ Статья 7 Федерального Закона О государственной охране 1996 года 2. ^ a b Pete Earley. Comrade J.: The Untold Secrets of Russia's Master Spy in America after the End of the Cold War , Putnam Adult (January 24, 2008), ISBN 0399154396, pages 298301. 3. ^ Служба безопасности Президента (СБП) 4. ^ Померяться силами Grani.ru May15, 2008. See also • FSB • Kremlin Regiment External links • Official website

Presidential or Kremlin Regiment Президентский полк [ Prezidentskiy polk ]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kremlin Regiment (also called The Presidential Regiment , Russian: Кремлëвский полк [ Kremlyovskiy polk ], Президентский полк [ Prezidentskiy polk ]) is a unique military regiment, a part of Russian Federal Protective Service with the status of a special unit. The regiment ensures the security of the Kremlin and its treasures and guards the highest state officials. Meanwhile in accordance with a federal law of December 8, 1997 "On Immortalizing the Soviet People’s Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 19411945" the regiment maintains a guard of honor at the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The regiment is housed in the historic Kremlin Arsenal. Regiment, 2006. As the leaders of the Soviet Union had moved from Petrograd to the Moscow Kremlin in the early 1918, their protection was entrusted to the Red Latvian Riflemen, under the command of the Commandant's of the Kremlin. In September 1918, the Latvian Riflement left for the fronts of the Civil War, and replaced in the Kremlin by the cadets of a Red Army officer's school that was redeployed into the Kremlin for this purpose. In October 1935, the officer's school was moved from Kremlin to elsewhere, and a Special Purpose Battalion (since April 8, 1936, Special Purpose Regiment) was created to replace them in the Kremlin guard duty. On January 28, 1936, the battalion and the Kremlin Garrison ( Komendatura Kremlya ), to which it was subordinated were transferred from the People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR to the People's Commissariat of the Internal Affairs (NKVD) of the USSR. Thus, it was deemed appropriate to focus such an important area of public safety, in one specific unit, and UKMK and 1st Division NKVD as operational units logged in Narkomat (People's Commissariat) of Internal Affairs. It is important to note that UKMK and 1st Division were separate public safety is not subordinate to each other, which would not prevent them closely cooperate and collaborate in the organization of activities to ensure the public safety. On April 8, 1936, in accordance with Order No. 122 for the Moscow Kremlin Garrison, the Special Purpose Battalion was renamed Special Purpose Regiment; this day is considered the birthday of the regiment. However, the Regiment's Day is celebrated annually on May 7. When the Soviet German War began in 1941, the units of the Kremlin Garrison were made responsible for defending the Kremlin, where the State Defense Committee and Chief Military Headquarters were located. On June 25, 1941, the Commandant of the Garrison ordered the regiment to reinforce the defenses, and the regiment set up roundtheclock guard on the Kremlin walls. In 19421943 four groups of snipers from the Kremlin Regiment were sent to the Western and Volkhov Fronts. The snipers killed a total of more than 1,200 German soldiers and officers. Meanwhile the regiment lost 97 men during the war [1] . On February 23, 1944 the Kremlin Regiment was decorated with the Red Banner of Combat. Three battalions from the regiment took part in the Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 on . In 1952 the regiment was reorganized into the Separate Special Purpose Regiment. On May 7, 1965 it was decorated with the for its military achievements during the SovietGerman War. On May 8, 1967 the regiment took part in the ceremony of unveiling the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the . In 1973 the unit was renamed to the Separate Red Banner Kremlin Regiment. The regiment finally came to be called its current name in accordance with a presidential decree of March 20, 1993. On May 7, 2006 the regiment gained a new banner. It has also recently acquired special ceremonial uniforms closely modelled on those worn on parade by the of the Russian Imperial Guard until 1914. These are worn in addition to modern style dress uniforms adopted during the final years of the Soviet period. Both types of uniform are in dark green with medium blue facings.

Notable servicemen of Kremlin Regiment Many notable Russian politicians served in Kremlin regiment including former Mikhail Kasyanov [1], former head of Russian Secret Service [2] and deputy of the State Duma Andrei Lugovoi [3] who was indicted by UK authorities on charges of murdering Alexander Litvinenko. Notes 1. ^ The Presidential Regiment See also • Federal Protective Service of Russia • OMON • Federal Security Service of Russia External links • Kremlin Guards Don Spacesuits In Battle Against Winter Weather

Commemorative badge for 60 years of the Kremlin Guard service

www..tridentmilitary.com

Kremlin Guard

Plaque commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Regiment in 2006.

Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Gardens, Moscow Marching at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB exKGB) Федеральная Служба Безопасности Российской Федерации (ФСБ) Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federaciyi

Collar Badge. B56. FSB academy badge.On blue.75 years of VChK,KGB,FSB. $20.00 . FSB badge. $20.00. 75th anniversary.19211996

FSB (KGB) SHOULDER BOARDS AND RANK INSIGNIA

RSB76. Russian FSB Warrant officer shoulder boards.$15.00pr RSB57. Russian FSB parade shoulder boards for rank of Major through Colonel.$15.00pr FSB1. Russian FSB 1star General shoulder boards.Everyday.$45.00 FSB1P. Russian FSB 1star General shoulder boards.Parade.$45.00 FSB2. Russian FSB 2star General shoulder boards.Everyday.$45.00 FSB2P. Russian FSB 2star General shoulder boards.Parade.$45.00 FSB3. Russian FSB 3star General shoulder boards.Everyday.$45.00 FSB3P. Russian FSB 3star General shoulder boards.Parade.$59.95

RUSSIAN FSB-FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE (KGB)

R1282L. Sleeve patch for the FSB. $6.00 SOLD OUT R1282E. Sleeve patch for the FSB. Embroidered. $7.50 R565A. Flag sleeve patch for the new Russian FSB (former KGB) on black.$6.50 R565B. Flag sleeve patch for the new Russian FSB (former KGB) on blue. $6.50 R565C .Embroidered flag sleeve patch for the new Russian FSB (former KGB) on dark blue. $10.00 R854. Russian eagle sleeve patch for the FSB.$7.00 R1283. Russian FSB sleeve patch. $6.00

Russian FSB (KGB) breast patches

R1005. Russian FSB breast patch."Sluzhba byezopasnosti" with shield.3.5cm x 12cm.Type 1.$5.00 R1004. Russian FSB breast patch."Sluzhba byezopasnosti".3.5cm x 12cm.Type 2.$5.00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation ( FSB ) (Russian: ФСБ, Федеральная служба безопасности Российской Федерации; Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federaciyi ) is the main domestic security service of the Russian Federation and the main successor agency of the Sovietera Cheka, NKVD, and KGB. The FSB is involved in counterintelligence, internal and border security, counter, and surveillance. Its headquarters are on Lubyanka Square, downtown Moscow, the same location as the former headquarters of the KGB. The service was formerly known as the Federal Counterintelligence Service (FSK). A bill calling for the reorganization, expansion and renaming of FSK passed both houses of the Russian parliament and was signed into law on April 3, 1995 by Boris Yeltsin. It was made subordinate to the Ministry of Justice by presidential decree on March 9, 2004. [1]

Overview

The FSB is engaged mostly in domestic affairs, while espionage duties were taken over by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (former First Chief Directorate of the KGB). However, the FSB also includes the FAPSI agency, which conducts electronic surveillance abroad. In addition, the FSB operates freely within the territories of the former Soviet republics, and it can conduct anti terrorist military operations anywhere in the World if ordered by the President, according to the recently adopted terrorism law. All and intelligence agencies in Russia work under the guidance of FSB if needed. For example, the GRU, spetsnaz and detachments of Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs work together with the FSB in Chechnya. The FSB is responsible for of the Russian state, counterespionage, and the fight against , terrorism, and drug . However, critics claim that it is engaged in suppression of internal dissent, bringing the entire population of Russia under total control, and influencing important political events, just as the KGB did in the past. To achieve these goals, it is said the FSB implements and a variety of active measures, including , through the statecontrolled mass media, provocations, and persecution of opposition politicians, investigative journalists, and dissidents.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] The FSB is a very large organization that combines functions and powers similar to those exercised by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Protective Service, the Secret Service, the National Security Agency (NSA), U.S. and Border Protection, United States , and Drug Enforcement Administration. FSB also commands a contingent of Internal Troops, spetsnaz, and an extensive network of civilian informants. [10] The number of FSB personnel and its budget remain state secrets, although the budget was reported to jump nearly 40% in 2006. [11] The number of Chekists in Russia in 1992 was estimated as approximately 500,000. [12] Some observers note that FSB is more powerful than KGB was, because it does not operate under the control of the Communist Party as KGB did in the past. [13] According to Ion Mihai Pacepa, "In the Soviet Union, the KGB was a state within a state. Now former KGB officers are running the state. They have custody of the country’s 6,000 nuclear weapons, entrusted to the KGB in the 1950s, and they now also manage the strategic oil industry renationalized by Putin. The KGB successor, rechristened FSB, still has the right to electronically monitor the population, control political groups, search homes and businesses, infiltrate the federal government, create its own front enterprises, investigate cases, and run its own prison system. The Soviet Union had one KGB officer for every 428 citizens. Putin’s Russia has one FSBist for every 297 citizens." [14] Peter Finn of argues that the FSB is now the leading political force in Russia, which simply replaced the Communist Party.[11] Alexander Litvinenko and claim in their book, : Terror from within , that the FSB became an international criminal organization that actually promotes and perpetrates the terrorism and organized crime in order to achieve its political and financial goals, instead of fighting the terrorism and crime. [15][16][17]

History

Initial reorganization of the KGB

During the late 1980s, as the Soviet government and economy were disintegrating, the KGB survived better than most state institutions, suffering far fewer cuts in its personnel and budget. Following the attempted coup of 1991 (in which some KGB units participated) [18] against Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the KGB was dismantled and formally ceased to exist from November 1991. [19] In late 1991 the domestic security functions of the KGB were reconstituted as the Federal Counterintelligence Service (FSK), which was placed under the control of the president. The FSK had been known initially for some time as the Ministry of Security. In 1995, the FSK was renamed and reorganized into the FSB by the Federal Law of April 3, 1995, "On the Organs of the Federal Security Service in the Russian Federation", granting it additional powers, enabling it to enter private homes and to conduct intelligence activities in Russia as well as abroad in cooperation with the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). [20] The FSB reforms were rounded out by decree No. 633, signed by Boris Yeltsin on June 23, 1995. The decree made the tasks of the FSB more specific, giving the FSB substantial rights to conduct cryptographic work, and described the powers of the FSB director. The number of deputy directors was increased to 8: 2 first deputies, 5 deputies responsible for departments and directorates and 1 deputy director heading the Moscow City and Moscow regional directorate. Yeltsin appointed ColonelGeneral Mikhail Ivanovich Barsukov as the new director of the FSB. In 1998 Yeltsin appointed as director of the FSB Vladimir Putin, a KGB veteran who would later succeed Yeltsin as federal president. [21] Yeltsin also ordered the FSB to expand its operations against labor unions in Siberia and to crack down on rightwing dissidents. As president, Putin increased the FSB's powers to include countering foreign intelligence operations, fighting organized crime, and suppressing Chechen separatists.

Post2000 On June 17, 2000, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree, according to which the FSB was supposed to have a director, a first deputy director and eight other deputy directors, including one statssecretary and the chiefs of six departments (Economic Security Department, Counterintelligence Department, Organizational and Personnel Service, Department of activity provision, Department for Analysis, Forecasting and Strategic Planning, Department for Protection of the Constitutional System and the Fight against Terrorism). On June 11, 2001, the President introduced one more deputy director position. According to a decree signed by Putin on March 11, 2003, by July 1 Service of Russia had been transferred to FSB while FAPSI, agency of government telecommunications, had been abolished, granting FSB with a major part of its functions. On August 12, 2003 Putin allowed the FSB to have three first deputy directors, including the Chief of the Border Guard Service (Vladimir Pronichev), and specified that a deputy director position must be assumed by the Chief of the Inspection Directorate. On July 11, 2004, the President reorganized FSB again. [22] It was prescribed to have a director, two first deputy directors (Sergei Smirnov and Vladimir Pronichev, one of whom should be the Chief of the Border Guard Service (Pronichev). On December 2, 2005, Putin authorized FSB to have one more deputy director. This position was assumed by Vladimir Bulavin on March 3, 2006. In the beginning of 2006 the Italian news agency ANSA reported the publication on the FSB website of an offer, open to Russian citizens working as spies for a foreign country, to work as double agents. In September 2006, the FSB was shaken by a major reshuffle, which, combined with some earlier reassignments (most remarkably, those of FSB Deputy Directors Yury Zaostrovtsev and Vladimir Anisimov in 2004 and 2005, respectively), were widely believed to be linked to the Three Whales Corruption Scandal that had slowly unfolded since 2000. Some analysts considered it to be an attempt to undermine FSB Director Nikolay Patrushev's influence, as it was Patrushev's team from the Karelian KGB Directorate of the late 1980s – early 1990s that had suffered most and he had been on vacations during the event. [23][24][25]

Role

Counterintelligence

ThenFSB Director Nikolay Kovalev said in 1996: "There has never been such a number of spies arrested by us since the time when German agents were sent in during the years of World War II." The FSB reported that around 400 foreign intelligence agents were uncovered in 1995 and 1996. [26] In 2006 the FSB reported about 27 foreign intelligence officers and 89 foreign agents whose activities were stopped. [27] An increasing number of scientists have been accused of espionage and illegal technology exports by FSB during the last decade: researcher Igor Sutyagin,[28] physicist Valentin Danilov,[29] physical chemist Oleg Korobeinichev, [30] academician Oskar Kaibyshev, [31] and physicist Yury Ryzhov. [32] Some other widely covered cases of political prosecution include investigator [33] and journalist Vladimir Rakhmankov. [34] All these people are either under arrest or serve long jail sentences. Ecologist and journalist Alexander Nikitin, who worked with the Bellona Foundation, was accused of espionage. He published material exposing hazards posed by the 's nuclear fleet. He was acquitted in 1999 after spending several years in prison (his case was sent for reinvestigation 13 times while he remained in prison). Other cases of prosecution are the cases of investigative journalist and ecologist Grigory Pasko, [35][36] Vladimir Petrenko who described danger posed by military chemical warfare stockpiles, and Nikolay Shchur, chairman of the Snezhinskiy Ecological Fund.[26] Other arrested people include Viktor Orekhov, a former KGB officer who assisted , Vladimir Kazantsev who disclosed illegal purchases of devices from foreign firms, and Vil Mirzayanov who had written that Russia was working on a nerve gas weapon. [26] It has been reported that the FSB uses drugs to erase the memories of people who had access to secret information. [37]

Counterterrorism

Over the years, FSB and affiliated state security organizations have killed all elected and appointed presidents of the Chechen of Ichkeria including Dzhokhar Dudaev, Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, Aslan Maskhadov, and AbdulKhalim Saidullaev. Just before his death, Saidullaev claimed that the Russian government "treacherously" killed Maskhadov, after inviting him to "talks" and promising his security "at the highest level." [38] During the Moscow theater crisis and school hostage crisis, all hostage takers were killed on the spot by FSB spetsnaz forces. Only one of the suspects, NurPashi Kulayev, survived and was convicted later by the court. It is reported that more than 100 leaders of terrorist groups have been killed during 119 operations on North Caucasus during 2006. [27] On July 28, 2006 the FSB presented a list of 17 terrorist organizations recognized by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, to Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, which published the list that day. The list had been available previously, but only through individual request. [39][40] Commenting on the list, Yuri Sapunov, head of antiterrorism at the FSB, named three main criteria necessary for organizations to be listed. [41]

Anticorruption and organized crime

The FSB cooperates with Interpol and other national and international law enforcement agencies.[citation needed ] It has provided information on many Russian criminal groups operating in Europe.[citation needed ] FSB has also been involved in preparation of requests for extradition of highprofile suspects who escaped abroad, such as Aleksander Litvinenko, , , Leonid Nevzlin, and Boris Berezovsky. However, these requests have been denied by UK, US, Danish, and Israeli courts. [citation needed ]

Border protection

The Federal Border Guard Service (FPS) has been part of the FSB since 2003. Russia has 61,000 kilometers of sea and land borders, 7,500 kilometers of which is with , and 4,000 kilometers with China. One kilometer of border protection costs around 1 million rubles per year. Vladimir Putin called on the FPS to increase the fight against international terrorism and "destroy terrorists like rats". [42] Export control

The FSB is engaged in the development of Russia's export control strategy and examines drafts of international agreements related to the transfer of dualuse and military commodities and technologies. Its primary role in the nonproliferation sphere is to collect information to prevent the illegal export of controlled nuclear technology and materials. [43]

Organization

Structure of the Federal Office (incomplete):

• Counterintelligence Service (Department) chiefs: Oleg Syromolotov (since Aug 2000), Valery Pechyonkin (September 1997 – August 2000) o Directorate for the Counterintelligence Support of Strategic Facilities o Military Counterintelligence Directorate chiefs: Alexander Bezverkhny (at least since 2002), Vladimir Petrishchev (since January 1996) • Service (Department) for Protection of the Constitutional System and the Fight against Terrorism – chiefs: Alexey Sedov (since March 2006), Alexander Bragin (2004 – March 2006), Alexander Zhdankov (2001 2004), German Ugryumov (20002001) o Directorate for Terrorism and Political Extremism Control – chiefs: Mikhail Belousov, before him Grafov, before the latter Boris Mylnikov (since 2000) • Economic Security Service (Department) – chiefs: (since March 2, 2004), Yury Zaostrovtsev (January 2000 – March 2004), Viktor Ivanov (April 1999 – January 2000), Nikolay Patrushev (1998 – April 1999), Alexander Grigoryev (August 28 – October 1, 1998). • Operational Information and Service (Analysis, Forecasting, and Strategic Planning Department) – chiefs: Viktor Komogorov (since 1999), Sergei Ivanov (19981999) • Organizational and Personnel Service (Department) – chiefs: Yevgeny Lovyrev (since 2001), Yevgeny Solovyov (before Lovyrev) • Department for Activity Provision – chiefs: Mikhail Shekin (since September 2006), Sergey Shishin (before Shekin), Pyotr Pereverzev (as of 2004), Alexander Strelkov (before Pereverzev) • Border Guard Service – chiefs: Vladimir Pronichev (since 2003) • Control Service – chiefs: Alexander Zhdankov (since 2004) o Inspection Directorate – chiefs: Vladimir Anisimov (2004May 2005), Rashid Nurgaliyev (July 12 2000 2002), o Internal Security Directorate – chiefs: Alexander Kupryazhkin (until September 2006), Sergei Shishin (before Kupryazhkin since December 2002), Sergei Smirnov (April 1999 – December 2002), Viktor Ivanov (1998 – Aril 1999), Nikolay Patrushev (19941998) • Science and Engineering Service (Department) – chiefs: Nikolai Klimashin • Investigation Directorate – chiefs: Nikolay Oleshko (since December 2004), Yury Anisimov (as of 2004), Viktor Milchenko (since 2002), Sergey Balashov (until 2002 since at least 2001), Vladimir Galkin (as of 1997 and 1998)

Besides the services (departments) and directorates of the federal office, the territorial directorates of FSB in the federal subects are also subordinate to it. Of these, St. Petersburg and Directorate of FSB and its predecessors (historically covering both Leningrad/ and Leningrad Oblast) have played especially important roles in the history of this organization, as many of the officers of the Directorate, including Vladimir Putin and Nikolay Patrushev, later assumed important positions within the federal FSB office or other government bodies. After the last Chief of the Soviet time, Anatoly Kurkov, the St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast Directorate were led by (November 29, 1991 1992), Viktor Cherkesov (1992 –1998), Alexander Grigoryev (October 1, 1998 – January 5, 2001), Sergei Smirnov (January 5, 2001 – June 2003), Alexander Bortnikov (June 2003 – March 2004) and Yury Ignashchenkov (since March 2004).

Heads of the FSB

On June 20, 1996, Boris Yeltsin fired FSB Director Mikhail Barsukov and appointed Nikolay Kovalyov as acting Director and later Director of the FSB.

• Nikolai Golushko, December 1993 February 1994 • Sergei Stepashin, February 1994 June 1995 • Mikhail Barsukov, July 1995 June 1996 • Nikolai Kovalev, July 1996 July 1998 • Vladimir Putin, July 1998 August 1999 • , August 1999 12 May 2008 • Aleksandr Bortnikov, since 12 May 2008

Controversies The FSB has the power to enter any home or business without a search warrant if there is sufficient reason to believe that "a crime has been, or is being, committed there". [44][45] Article 24 of the law exempts the agency from certain oversight by Russia’s Public Prosecutor. [20] Human rights activists have claimed that the FSB has been slow to shed its KGB heritage, and there have been allegations that it has manufactured cases against suspected dissidents and used threats to recruit agents. At the end of the 1990s, critics charged that the FSB had attempted to frame Russian academics involved in joint research with Western armscontrol experts. [46] Despite early promises to reform the Russian intelligence community, the FSB and the services that collect foreign intelligence and signals intelligence (the SVR and the Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information) remained largely unreformed and subject to little legislative or judicial scrutiny. [47] Although some limits were placed on the FSB's domestic surveillance activities – for example, spying on religious institutions and charitable organizations was reduced – all the services continued to be controlled by KGB veterans schooled under the old regime. [47] Moreover, few former KGB officers were removed following the agency's dissolution, and little effort was made to examine the KGB's operations or its use of informants. [48]

Alleged FSBorganized coup

Starting from 1998, people from state security services came to power as Prime Ministers of Russia: a KGB veteran ; former FSB Director Sergei Stepashin; and finally former FSB Director Vladimir Putin who was appointed in August 8, 1999. In August 7, separatist guerrilla leader Shamil Basayev began an incursion into leading to the start of the Dagestan War which was regarded by as a provocation initiated from Moscow to start war in Chechnya, because Russian forces provided safe passage for Islamic fighters back to Chechnya. [49] It was reported that Aleksander Voloshin of the Yeltsin administration paid money to Shamil Basayev to stage this military operation. [50][51][52] (Basayev reportedly worked for Russian GRU at this time and earlier). [53][54][55] On September 4, a series of four Russian apartment bombings began. Three FSB agents were caught while planting a large bomb in the basement of an apartment complex in the town of in September 22. [17] That was last of the bombings. Russian Minister of Internal Affairs Rushailo congratulated police with preventing the terrorist act, but FSB Director Nikolai Patrushev declared that the incident was a training exercise just an hour later, when he had learned that the FSB agents were caught. [15] The next day, Boris Yeltsin received a demand from 24 Russian governors to transfer all state powers to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, according to [56] . The began on September 24. This war made Prime Minister Vladimir Putin very popular, although he was previously unknown to the public, and helped him to win a landslide victory in the presidential elections on March 26, 2000. This was a successful coup d'état organized by the FSB to bring Vladimir Putin to power, according to former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko, lawmaker Sergei Yushenkov, and journalist , a Johns Hopkins University and Hoover Institute scholar. [15][56][17] All attempts to independently investigate the Russian apartment bombings were unsuccessful. Vicechairman of the commission created to investigate the bombings, Sergei Yushenkov, was assassinated. Another member of this commission died presumably from poisoning by thallium. Investigator Mikhail Trepashkin hired by relatives of victims was arrested and convicted by Russian authorities for allegedly disclosing state secrets.

FSB as ruling political elite

According to former Russian Duma member Konstantin Borovoi, "Putin's appointment is the culmination of the KGB's crusade for power. This is its finale. Now the KGB runs the country." [57] , director of the Moscowbased Center for the Study of Elites, has found that up to 78% of 1,016 leading political figures in Russia have served previously in organizations affiliated with KGB or FSB. [11] She said: "If in the Soviet period and the first postSoviet period, the KGB and FSB people were mainly involved in security issues, now half are still involved in security but the other half are involved in business, political parties, NGOs, regional governments, even culture... They started to use all political institutions." [11] "Like cockroaches spreading from a squalid apartment to the rest of the building, they have eventually gained a firm foothold everywhere," said , a Soviet dissident. [57] This situation is very similar to that of the former Soviet Union where all key positions in the government were occupied by members of the Communist Party. The KGB or FSB members usually remain in the "acting reserve" even if they formally leave the organization ("acting reserve" members receive second FSB salary, follow FSB instructions, and remain "above the law" being protected by the organization, according to Kryshtanovskaya). [58] As Vladimir Putin said, "There is no such thing as a former KGB man" .[59] GRU defector and writer Victor Suvorov explained that members of Russian security services can leave such organizations only in a coffin, because they know too much. Soon after becoming prime minister of Russia, Putin also claimed that "A group of FSB colleagues dispatched to work undercover in the government has successfully completed its first mission." [57] The idea of the KGB acting as a leading political force rather than a security organization has been discussed by historian ,[60] journalist , writer and former GRU officer Victor Suvorov, retired KGB Oleg Kalugin,[61] and Evgenia Albats. According to Avtorkhanov, "It is not true that the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party is a ... An absolute power thinks, acts and dictates for all of us. The name of the power – NKVD – MVD – MGB. ... in ideology, Chekism in practice. Chekism from top to bottom." [60] According to Albats, most KGB leaders, including Lavrenty Beria, , and , have always struggled for the power with the Communist Party and manipulated the communist leaders. Moreover, FSB has formal membership, military discipline, an extensive network of civilian informants, [10] hardcore ideology, and support of population (60% of Russians trust FSB), [62] which makes it a perfect totalitarian . [12] However the FSB party does not advertise its leading role because the secrecy is an important advantage. With regard to death of Aleksander Litvinenko, the highestranking Soviet Bloc intelligence defector, Lt. Gen. Ion Mihai Pacepa stated that there is "a band of over 6,000 former officers of the KGB – one of the most criminal organizations in history – who grabbed the most important positions in the federal and local governments, and who are perpetuating Stalin’s, Khrushchev’s, and Brezhnev’s practice of secretly assassinating people who stand in their way." [63] It is well known that certain very senior clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate are members of the FSB. They use their ecclesiastical positions to further the interests of the Russian State in foreign countries. Suppression of internal dissent

Many Russian opposition lawmakers and investigative journalists have been assassinated while investigating corruption and alleged crimes conducted by FSB and state authorities: Sergei Yushenkov, Yuri Shchekochikhin, Galina Starovoitova, Anna Politkovskaya, Alexander Litvinenko, , Nadezhda Chaikova, Nina Yefimova, and many others. [49][64][65][10] Former KGB officer believes that murders of writers Yuri Shchekochikhin (author of "Slaves of KGB" [66] ), Anna Politkovskaya, and Aleksander Litvinenko show that FSB has returned to the practice of political assassinations [67] which were conducted in the past by the Thirteenth KGB Department. [68] Just before his death, Alexander Litvinenko accused Vladimir Putin of personally ordering the assassination of Anna Politkovskaya.[69] Political dissidents from the former Soviet republics, such as and Uzbekistan, are often arrested by FSB and extradited to these countries for prosecution, despite protests from international human rights organizations. [70][71] Special services of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan also kidnap people at the Russian territory, with the implicit approval of FSB. [72]

Criticism of antiterrorist operations

Use of excessive force by the FSB spetsnaz was criticized with regard to resolving Moscow theater hostage crisis and Beslan hostage crisis. According to Sergey Kovalev, the Russian government kills its citizens without any hesitation. He provided the following examples: murdering of by the poison gas during Moscow theater hostage crisis; burning school children alive by spetsnaz soldiers who used RPO flamethrowers during Beslan school hostage crisis; crimes committed by death squads in Chechnya;[73] and assassination of Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev.[74] Anna Politkovskaya and Irina Hakamada, who conducted unofficial negotiations with terrorists, stated that the hostage takers were not going to use their bombs to kill the people and destroy the building during Moscow theater hostage crisis.[75] According to Anna Politkovskaya, most of the "Islamic terrorism cases" were fabricated by the government, and the confessions have been obtained through the of innocent suspects. "The plight of those sentenced for Islamic terrorism today is the same as that of the political prisoners of the Gulag Archipelago... Russia continues to be infected by ", she said. [76]

Alleged involvement in terrorist acts

Former FSB officer Aleksander Litvinenko and investigator Mikhail Trepashkin alleged that Moscow theater hostage crisis was directed by a Chechen FSB agent. [77][78] Yulia Latynina and other journalists also accused the FSB of staging many smaller terrorism acts, such as market place bombing in the city of Astrakhan, bus stops bombings in the city of Voronezh, and the blowing up the Moscow train, [79][80] whereas innocent people were convicted or killed. Journalist Boris Stomakhin claimed that a bombing in Moscow metro in 2004 [81] was probably organized by FSB agents rather than by the unknown man who called the and claimed his responsibility. [82] Stomakin was arrested and imprisoned for writing this and other articles. [83] Many journalists and workers of international NGOs were reported to be kidnapped by FSBaffiliated forces in Chechnya who pretended to be Chechen terrorists: Andrei Babitsky from Radio Free Europe, Arjan Erkel and Kenneth Glack from Doctors Without Borders, and others. [84]

Alleged involvement in organized crime

Former FSB officer Aleksander Litvinenko accused FSB personnel of involvement in organized crime, such as drug trafficking and contract killings.[85] It was noted that FSB, far from being a reliable instrument in the fight against organized crime, is institutionally a part of the problem, due not only to its cooptation and penetration by criminal elements, but to its own absence of a legal bureaucratic culture and use of crime as an instrument of state policy. [86]

International affairs

FSB collaborates very closely with secret police services from some former Soviet Republics, especially Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.[87][88] The FSB is accused of working to undermine governments of Baltic states [88] and .[89] During the 2006 GeorgianRussian espionage controversy, several Russian GRU officers were accused by Georgian authorities of preparations to commit sabotage and terrorist acts. [citation needed ] Chairman of the United Nations Special Commission Richard Butler found than many Russian statecontrolled companies were involved in the OilforFood Programmerelated fraud. As a part of this affair, former FSB Director Yevgeny Primakov had received large kickbacks from Saddam Hussein according to Butler. [90] The KGB, FSB and Russian government had very close relationships with Saddam Hussein and Iraqi Intelligence Service Mukhabarat according to Yossef Bodansky, the Director of Research of the International Strategic Studies Association.

See also

• Chronology of Soviet secret police agencies • Chekism • • Numbers station, stations of uncertain origin thought to broadcast coded messages • Spetsnaz, Russian special forces • GRU, Russia's military intelligence agency • OMON, special units of Russian police • SVR, Russia's primary foreign intelligence agency • Federal Protective Service, government protection agency • FSK, KGB successor (1991—1995), then reorganized into the FSB • KGB, main predecessor to the FSB • FAPSI, Russia's main electronic and signals intelligence agency • SORM, law that allows the FSB to monitor communications • Active measures, a form of Soviet • Russian apartment bombings, 1999 • Three Whales Corruption Scandal, 2000 • Alexander Litvinenko poisoning, 2006

References

1. ^ Presidential Edict No. 314, O sisteme i strukture federalnykh organov ispolnitelnoy vlasti, 9 March 2004; in Rossiyskaya gazeta, [1], 12 March 2004. 2. ^ The Perils of , By Arnold Beichman, Washington Times, February 11, 2007 3. ^ Putinism On the March, by George F. Will, Washington Post, November 30, 2004 4. ^ The Essence of Putinism: The Strengthening of the Privatized State by Dmitri Glinski Vassiliev, Center for Strategic and International Studies, November 2000 5. ^ What is ‘Putinism’?, by Andranik Migranyan, Russia in Global affairs , 13 April, 2004 6. ^ Putinism: highest stage of robber capitalism, by Andrei Piontkovsky, The Russia Journal, February 713, 2000. The title is an allusion to work "Imperialism as the last and culminating stage of capitalism" by 7. ^ Review of Andrei's Pionkovsky's Another Look Into Putin's Soul by the Honorable Rodric Braithwaite, Hoover Institute 8. ^ Andrei Illarionov: Approaching Zimbabwe (Russian) Partial English translation 9. ^ Russia After The Presidential Election by Mark A. Smith Conflict Studies Research Centre 10. ^ a b c Slaves of KGB. 20th Century. The religion of betrayal (Рабы ГБ. XX век. Религия предательства), by Yuri Shchekochikhin Moscow, 1999. 11. ^ a b c d In Russia, A Secretive Force Widens by P. Finn Washington Post, 2006 12. ^ a b Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on RussiaPast, Present, and Future. 1994. ISBN 0374527385. 13. ^ Symposium: KGB Resurrection, interview with , Ion Mihai Pacepa, and R. James Woolsey, Jr., FrontPageMagazine.com, April 30, 2004. 14. ^ Symposium: When an Evil Empire Returns, interview with Ion Mihai Pacepa, R. James Woolsey, Jr., Yuri YarimAgaev, and Lt. Gen. Tom McInerney, FrontPageMagazine.com, June 23, 2006. 15. ^ a b c A. Litvinenko and A. Goldfarb. from Lubyanka (Russian) GRANI, New York, 2002. ISBN 0972387803. 16. ^ Yuri Felshtinsky, Alexander Litvinenko, and Geoffrey Andrews. Blowing up Russia : Terror from within. New York 2002. ISBN 1561719382. 17. ^ a b c David Satter. Darkness at Dawn: The Rise of the Russian Criminal State. Yale University Press. 2003. ISBN 0300 098928. 18. ^ THE MILITARY AND THE AUGUST 1991 COUP McNair Paper 34, The Russian Military's Role in Politics, January 1995. 19. ^ But see N. Gevorkian, The KGB: "They still need us" , 49 Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 36 (1993)). 20. ^ a b On Organs of the Federal Security Service in the Russian Federation Russian Federation Federal Law No. 40FZ. Adopted by the State Duma 22 February 1995. Signed by Russian Federation President B. Yeltsin and dated 3 April 1995. 21. ^ Mark Tran. Who is Vladimir Putin? Profile: Russia's new prime minister. Guardian Unlimited August 9, 1999. 22. ^ FSB Reform: Changes Are Few and Far between 23. ^ Фсб Закрытого Типа 24. ^ Mass Dismissals at the FSB Kommersant Moscow 25. ^ Ъ Кит и меч 26. ^ a b c Counterintelligence Cases by GlobalSecurity.org 27. ^ a b Story to the Day of Checkist by Vladimir Voronov, for grani.ru, December 2006. 28. ^ Case study: Igor Sutiagin 29. ^ AAAS Human Rights Action Network 30. ^ Russian Scientist Charged With Disclosing State Secret 31. ^ Oskar Kaibyshev convicted 32. ^ Researchers Throw Up Their Arms 33. ^ Trepashkin case 34. ^ Russia: 'Phallic' Case Threatens Internet Freedom 35. ^ Grigory Pasko site 36. ^ The Pasko case 37. ^ "A nuclear chemist has been returned to a childhood state". by Aleksei Tarasov Novaya Gazeta (Russian) 38. ^ Russia Used '' To Kill Maskhadov, March 8, 2006 (RFE/RL) 39. ^ "17 particularly dangerous" (in Russian), Rossiyskaya Gazeta (20060728). Retrieved on 13 August 2006. 40. ^ "‘Terror’ list out; Russia tags two Kuwaiti groups", Arab Times (20060813). Retrieved on 13 August 2006. 41. ^ "Russia names 'terrorist' groups", BBC News (20060728). Retrieved on 13 August 2006. 42. ^ Putin Calls On FSB To Modernize Border Guards by Victor Yasmann for Radio Free Europe, December 2005. 43. ^ "Status of the State Licensing System of Control over Exports of Nuclear Materials, Dualuse Commodities and Technologies in Russia: Manual for foreign associates in Russia," International Business Relations , Department of Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Fuel Cycle (Moscow, 2002). 44. ^ Aleksandr Platkovskiy, "Pod novoy vyveskoy vozrozhdayetsya staroe KGB," Izvestiya, 18 March 1995, pp. 12 45. ^ "Russia, Keeps Getting Back," Economist, 15 April 1995, pp. 5152. 46. ^ Peter Finn. In Russia, A Secretive Force Widens Washington Post, December 12, 2006. 47. ^ a b FSB Reform: Changes Are Few and Far between Agentura.Ru 48. ^ Charles Gurin. FSB RESTRUCTURING MORE MODEST THAN EXPECTED EURASIA DAILY MONITOR, Volume 1, Issue 53 (July 16, 2004) 49. ^ a b Politkovskaya, Anna (2003) A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya 50. ^ The Second RussoChechen War Two Years On by John B. Dunlop, ACPC, October 17, 200 51. ^ Paul Klebnikov: Godfather of the Kremlin: The Decline of Russia in the Age of Gangster Capitalism, ISBN 015 6013304 52. ^ The Operation "Successor" by and Yuriy Felshtinsky (in Russian). 53. ^ Western leaders betray Aslan Maskhadov by Andre Glucksmann. PrimaNews, March 11, 2005 54. ^ CHECHEN PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER: BASAEV WAS G.R.U. OFFICER The Jamestown Foundation, September 08, 2006 55. ^ Analysis: Has Chechnya's Strongman Signed His Own Death Warrant? by Liz Fuller, RFE/RL, March 1, 2005 56. ^ a b Sergei Yushenkov: That was a coup in 1999. 57. ^ a b c The KGB Rises Again in Russia by R.C. Paddock Los Angeles Times, January 12, 2000 58. ^ Interview with Olga Kryshtanovskaya (Russian) "Siloviks in power: fears or reality?" by Evgenia Albats, , 4 February 2006 59. ^ A Chill in the Moscow Air by Owen Matthews and Anna Nemtsova Newsweek International, Feb. 6, 2006 60. ^ a b "Idea which is worth of dying for it", The Chechen Times №17, 30.08.2003 61. ^ The Triumph of the KGB by retired KGB Major General Oleg D. Kalugin The Centre for Counterintelligence and Security Studies 62. ^ Archives explosion by Maksim Artemiev, grani.ru, December 22, 2006 63. ^ The Kremlin’s Killing Ways by Ion Mihai Pacepa, Online, November 28, 2006 64. ^ condemns the political murder of Russian human rights advocate Galina Starovoitova 65. ^ Yushenkov: A Russian idealist 66. ^ «Рабы ГБ. XX век. Религия предательства» 67. ^ Бывший резидент КГБ Олег Гордиевский не сомневается в причастности к отравлению Литвиненко российских спецслужб svobodanews.ru 68. ^ *Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin, The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West , Gardners Books (2000), ISBN 0140284877 69. ^ Alexander Litvinenko at the Frontline Club accusing Vladimir Putin of the assassination of journalist Anna Politkovskaya (In Russian and English) 70. ^ "An oppositioner was transferred to Rakhmonov" by Novaya Gazeta 71. ^ FSB serves to Islam by Aleksander Podrabinek Novaya Gazeta 72. ^ "Special services of former Soviet republics at the Russian territory" by Novaya Gazeta (Russian) 73. ^ Russia Condemned for Chechnya Killings 74. ^ Sergey Kovalev Interview to Radio Free Europe 75. ^ Ïðåçèäåíòñêèå Âûáîðû – Íàø Ïîñëåäíèé Øàíñ Óçíàòü Ïðàâäó 76. ^ Stalinism Forever by Anna Politkovskaya The Washington Post 77. ^ Lazaredes, Nick (04 June 2003). "Terrorism takes front stage – Russia’s theatre siege". SBS. http://news.sbs.com.au/dateline/index.php?page=archive&daysum=20030604#. Retrieved on 20061128. 78. ^ (Russian)"М. Трепашкин: «Создана очень серьезная группа»". Chechen Press State News Agency. 1 December 2006. http://www.chechenpress.info/events/2006/12/01/03.shtml. Retrieved on 20061201. 79. ^ Special services stage undermining activities by Yulia Latynina, Novaya Gazeta, 03 April, 2006. 80. ^ The marketplace was blown up by photorobots by Vjacheslav Izmailov, Novaya Gazeta, 07 November, 2005. 81. ^ The Moscow metro bombing by Roman Kupchinsky, RFE/RL Reports, 12 March, 2004 82. ^ Pay back for genocide (Russian) by Boris Stomakhin 83. ^ ARTICLE 19’S Statement on the conviction of Russian newspaper editor Boris Stomakhin, 23 November 200 84. ^ Special services of delivery (Russian) by Vyacheslav Ismailov, Novaya Gazeta 27 January, 2005 85. ^ A. Litvinenko and A. Goldfarb. Gang from Lubyanka (Russian) GRANI, New York, 2002. ISBN 0972387803. Full book in Russian 86. ^ Russia's Great Criminal Revolution: The Role of the Security Services by J. M. Waller and V. J. Yasmann, Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, Vol. 11, No. 4, December 1995. 87. ^ Special services of the former Soviet Union work in Russian Federation (Russian) by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Dorogan, Novaya Gazeta, 27 February, 2006. 88. ^ a b Special services of Russian Federation work in the former Soviet Union (Russian) by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Dorogan, Novaya Gazeta, 27 March, 2006. 89. ^ Moscow Accused of Backing Georgian Revolt by Olga Allenova and Vladimir Novikov, Kommersant, Sep. 07, 2006. 90. ^ Arms Aide Who Quit Assails U.N. on Iraq New York Times

Further reading • Yuri Felshtinsky, Alexander Litvinenko, and Geoffrey Andrews. Blowing up Russia : Terror from within. 2002. ISBN 1 561719382 • Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on RussiaPast, Present, and Future. 1994. ISBN 0374527385. • David Satter. Darkness at Dawn: The Rise of the Russian Criminal State. Yale University Press. 2003. ISBN 030009892 8.

External links

• Official website of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (Russian)

Profiles

• Federal Security Service (FSB) Country Studies (Data as of July 1996) • Russian Security Services AXIS Information and Analysis (AIA) • Federal Security Service (FSB) FAS Intelligence Resource Program • Power Ministries / Intelligence Russian Federation PostSoviet Newsletter • Federal Security Service (FSB) Agentura.Ru • Federal Security Service (FSB) GlobalSecurity • Federal Security Service (FSB) BBC News

Reports

• Poison pins, rocks and fake logs: the secret arsenal of a long, silent war by Jeremy Page, , March 02, 2006 • Slaves of KGB. 20th Century. The religion of betrayal (Рабы ГБ. XX век. Религия предательства), Moscow, 1999. (Russian) • Funding for the Russian secret services Agentura.Ru • Russian Secret Services' Links With AlQaeda AXIS Information and Analysis (AIA) • Terrorism prevention in Russia: one year after Beslan Agentura.Ru • Spy Scare from Oleksy to Sutyagin. How failed KGB/SVR agents served on the jury in the trial of Igor Sutyagin Agentura.Ru • Crash Course in KGB/SVR/FSB Disinformation and Active Measures CI Centre • "The Triumph of the KGB" by Oleg Kalugin CI Centre • Russia: HighProfile Killings, Attempted Killings In The PostSoviet Period, Radio Free Europe , October 19, 2006 • Putin Made Good on Promise to FSB. By Francesca Mereu Friday, February 8, 2008. Page 1. • KGB old boys tightening grip on Russia BBC 22 February 2008 • FSB Blues by Yulia Latynina The Moscow Times 16 July 2008

Lubyanka, headquarters of the FSB

[Federal Counterintelligence Service] (FSK) Федеральная Служба Контрразведки Federalnaya Sluzhba Kontrrazvedki

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The FSK ( Federalnaya Sluzhba Kontrrazvedki ( Федеральная Служба Контрразведки ), Federal Counterintelligence Service) was a state security organization, initially of the USSR, and, after its dissolution, of the Russian Federation. The FSK was the successor organization to the KGB. It existed from 1991 to 1995, when it was reorganized into the FSB.

Origin

The KGB was dissolved when its chief, ColonelGeneral Vladimir Kryuchkov, used the KGB's resources in aid of the attempted coup of 1991 to overthrow Mikhail Gorbachev. On August 23, 1991 ColonelGeneral Kryuchkov was arrested, and General was appointed KGB Chairmanand mandated to dissolve the KGB. [1] On November 6, 1991, the KGB officially ceased to exist.

Heads of the FSK

• Viktor Pavlovich Barannikov January 1992 July 1993 • Nikolai Mikhailovich Golushko July 1993 February 1994 • Sergei Vadimovich Stepashin February 1994 June 1995

Restructuring into FSB

The FSK was reorganized into the FSB (Federal'naya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti Rossiyskoi Federatsii (Федеральная служба безопасности Российской Федерации) Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation) by the Federal Law of April 3, 1995, "On the Organs of the Federal Security Service in the Russian Federation", making the new FSB a more powerful organization.

References

1. ^ But see N. Gevorkian, The KGB: "They still need us" , 49 Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 36 (1993)).

External links

• weird unexplained death of comrades stalin and vyacheslav molotov by

Alpha Group

Spetsgruppa A

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

J Creadet the 28 July 1974, The Alpha (Alfa) Group (also known as Spetsgruppa A ) is an elite dedicated counterterrorism unit that belongs to OSNAZ (specialpurpose forces) of the FSB (former KGB), or more specifically the "A" Directorate of the FSB Special Operations Center (TsSN). 's primary function is believed to be to carry out urban counterterrorist missions under the direct sanction and control of the Russian political leadership. However, little is publicly known and other plausible missions would include a variety of , policing and/or covert operations, similar to the missions of its secretive pennant , the "V" Group (Vympel). Alfa Group has access to state of the art small arms and equipment. They have employed chemical agents in hostage rescue operations (see Moscow hostage crisis chemical agent) and are capable of functioning in an NBC environment. Little further information is publicly available. It is assumed that Alpha is equipped with sniper and countersniper capability, tactical emergency medical services, demolitions, tactical intelligence and other functions typical of both police special teams and the special operations community. It is unknown whether they have dedicated hostage negotiators.

History

Soviet Union

"Alfa Group" or Group A, a special forces (spetsnaz) or special operations detachment OSNAZ unit attached to the KGB was created on 28 July 1974 within the First Chief Directorate of the KGB on the orders of Yuri Andropov, then Chairman of the KGB. It was intended for counterterrorism operations to give the KGB the capacity to respond to such incidents as the 1972 on its own territory. However, from the beginning, its assigned missions far exceeded its formal scope. [1] The Group was tasked with liberating hijacked airliners within the Soviet Union, such as Aeroflot Flight 6833 as well as making sensitive arrests such as that of CIA spy Adolf Tolkachev Their most notable mission during the Soviet period was the attack on the Amin's palace in Afghanistan on 27 December 1979, the special operation which began the SovietAfghan War. According to many Russian sources of information (including the memoirs of the Alfa and other special units' officers that took part in the seizure), the operation was called "Storm 333". The operation involved storming a high hill under extremely heavy fire and lots of intense close combat resulting in the death of the Afghan president, Hafizullah Amin, and his approximately 200 elite guards. In the operation Alfa group (called Thunder at the time) lost only two men while the other Soviet forces lost 19. Other governmental buildings such as the Ministry of Interior building, the Internal Security (KHAD) building and the Darul Aman Palace were also seized during the operation, which Alfa group's veterans called the most successful in the group's history. The unit served extensively in the following Soviet occupation of Afghanistan as well. In October 1985, Alfa was dispatched to , Lebanon, when four Soviet diplomats had been taken hostage by militant Sunni Muslims. By the time Alfa was onsite, one of the hostages had already been killed. The perpetrators and their relatives were identified by supporting KGB operatives, and the latter were taken hostage. Following the standard policy of 'no negotiation', Alfa proceeded to sever some of their hostages' body parts and sent them to the perpetrators with a warning that more would follow if the Russian hostages were not released immediately. The tactic was a success and no other Russian national was taken hostage in the Middle East for the next 20 years, [2] until the 2006 abduction of Russian diplomats in Iraq. During the Soviet coup attempt of 1991 the Alfa group (under the command of Major General Viktor Karpukhin) was assigned the task of entering the , Russia's parliament building, and killing Boris Yeltsin and the other Russian leaders following a planned assault on the entrance by paratroopers. This order was unanimously refused. [3] Unit members mingled through the crowds and assessed the possibility of undertaking such an operation. According to their statements in the following months, it could have been carried out with success, and achieved its main objectives within 20 to 25 minutes, but would have resulted in hundreds if not thousands of civilian deaths. Russian Federation

According to some Russian military sources, the unit was "degraded" and demoralised by the political manipulation it suffered in the political battles surrounding the collapse of the Soviet Union, with the KGB seeking to use it in the hardline 1991 plot against Mikhail Gorbachev, and the Russian president Boris Yeltsin also using it as an instrument of power when attacking the Russian White House during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis.[4] Following the 1993 crisis, Alfa and Vympel were briefly transferred to the MVD (Interior Ministry). [5] The unit continued to exist after the collapse of the Soviet Union and has been used in a variety of crisis situations such as their highly controversial actions ending the Moscow theater hostage crisis in 2002 (called by the Alfa men "our first successful operation for years" [6] ) and the Beslan school hostage crisis in 2004 in which the group suffered its highest official losses in history. See also • OMON • SOBR • Rus (special forces) • Spetsnaz • Vityaz (MVD) • Vympel Notes 1. ^ The End of the KGB by Jonathan Littell 2. ^ Davies, pg. 108. 3. ^ Satter, pg. 18. 4. ^ Botched operation was a disaster waiting to happen, , September 4 2004 5. ^ The Early Yeltsin Years by Jonathan Littell 6. ^ Troops bring freedom and death to theatre of blood, The Guardian , October 27 2002 References • Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin (1999). The sword and the shield: the Mitrokhin archive and the secret history of the KGB . New York: Basic Books. ISBN 0465003109., pages 389391 • Barry Davies, (2005). The Spycraft Manual: the insider's guide to espionage techniques . Carlton Books Ltd. ISBN 1 844425770. • David Satter (2001). Age of Delirium: the decline and fall of the Soviet Union . New Haven, Conn: Yale University Press. ISBN 0300087055. External links • (Russian) veterans association • (Russian) Alpha Group veterans association newspaper • (Russian) Memoirs of the Amin's palace seizure veterans

FSB's Alpha Group

R710 .Large subdued embroidered sleeve patch for Alpha group.$15.00 R556A. Large embroidered sleeve patch for Alpha group.On Red. $20.00 R556C. Large embroidered sleeve patch for Alpha group.On Blue. $20.00 R556B. Large embroidered sleeve patch for Alpha group.On Maroon. $20.00 . R800. Russian sleeve patch for the Association of Veterans of Spetsnaz unit Alpha. $6.00

Vympel Вымпел

Vega Group or Spetsgruppa V

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vympel (Russian: Вымпел, meaning "Pennant" from German "Wimpel", also known as Vega Group or Spetsgruppa V ) is a Russian special forces unit. The exact lineage is not known but the unit was formed in 1981 by the KGB Gen. Drozdov within the First Chief Directorate of the KGB as a dedicated OSNAZ unit specialised in deep penetration, sabotage, universal direct and covert action, embassy protection and espionage cell activation in case of war. Most of the Vympel operatives mastered two or three foreign languages, for they were supposed to act in foreign countries, deep behind enemy lines. Vympel quickly gained the reputation of being the best Soviet special forces unit ever, [citation needed ] surpassing its GRU and MVD counterparts. However, after the collapse of the USSR, Vympel was decimated by endless reorganisation and redefinition: it passed under the aegis of the Security Ministry before being receded to the GUO (both institutions were shortlived offspring of the exKGB during the Boris Yeltsin era) and finally passed to the MVD. The had no use for such a unit. The bulk of the Vympel operatives could not stand the humiliation of being subordinated to the police, and duly resigned (of 278 officers, only 57 accepted to remain within the MVD). The unit was re named Vega.In 1995, the FSB Special Operations Center (TsSN FSB) was logically granted control over Vympel. Vympel regained its original name and was reintegrated in the Intelligence Service structures. The emphasis shifted from covert and clandestine sabotage operations to counterterrorism and nuclear safety enforcement. Vympel operatives undergo special training related to improvised or special explosive devices, permitting them to use 'terroristlike' tactics to carry out their operations. Physical training includes close hand combat, parachute training, diving, underwater combat techniques, climbing, ropetech alpinism. Regional groups of Vympel were deployed in cities with especially important nuclear objects. Vympel (i.e. the Directorate "V" of the TsSN FSB) is still a classified and secretive unit. It took part in Russia's Chechen campaigns and on 4 October, 1993 in storming the building. Little is known about its current operations and activities, the exception being the capture of the Chechen terrorist and rebel leader in March 2000 and the assault on the school in Beslan in September 2004.

See also • Alpha Group, a sister KGB/FSB unit specialised in counterterrorism

External links • Boris Volodarsky, License to Kill, Wall Street Journal, 20 December 2006 Пограничная служба России

RUSSIAN BORDER GUARD

KGB BORDER GUARDS

Border Guard Shoulder Boards and Ranks insignia

1, 2, 3. 4Star Generals – Cadete – Warrant Officers – Inferior Officers – Superior Officers Air PATCHES

www.tridentmilitary.com

R465. Russian Border Guard commendant company. $5.00 R467. Russian sleeve patch for the"Sosnovy Bor" border guard brigade.$5.00 R468. Sleeve patch for the""control point.$5.00 R469. "St. Petersburg"border guard brigade. $5.00 R470. Russian Border Guard sleeve patch for the "Ivangorod"control point.(Estonian Border) $6.00

R471. "Moscow"border guard control point. $5.00 R473. Russian sleeve patch for the NorthWestern Border Guard District.St.Petersburg office. $5.00 R474. ""border guards sleeve patch. $5.00 R475. Russian border guards sleeve patch for the Headquarters of the Transbaykal Border Guard district. $5.00 R54. Russian Arctic border guards sleeve patch. $6.00 R257. ""border guard brigade. $5.00

R504. Russian naval border guards sleeve patch. $5.00 R507. Large sleeve patch for 2nd division, Holitsin Border Guard college.$6.00 R338. Sleeve patch for Russian arctic border guard brigade. $5.00 R514. Sleeve patch for the Moscow border guard brigade. $6.00 R248A. Federal border guard left sleeve patch.On green. $5.00 R248B. Russian Federal Border Guard left sleeve patch.On Blue.$6.00

R566. Like R248 but embroidered on green. $7.50 R249A. Federal border guard sleeve patch.on black.$5.00 R249B. As above but embroidered.$8.50 R681. Flag patch for Border Guards on green.$6.00 R682. Sleeve patch for Coast Guard unit in the city of Bartijsk.$5.00

R718. Sleeve patch of the Caucasus border guard district."Sochi". $6.00 R723. Sleeve patch for the Transcaucasus border guard district. Khichauri unit.$6.00 R511. Sleeve patch for Border Guard spetsnaz. $6.00 SOLD OUT R739. Border Guard headquarters officers sleeve patch. $6.00 R742. Border Guard aviation sleeve patch for head commanders. $6.00 R735. Border Guard sleeve patch for Artic air regiment. $6.00

R763. Russian border guard sleeve patch for the RadioTechnical department.$6.00 R826. Russian Border Guard Headquaters Commanders sleeve patch. $6.00 R827. Russian Border Guard Deputy Directors sleeve patch.$6.00 R828.Russian Border Guard Directors sleeve patch.$6.50 R830. Russian Border Guard sleeve patch for the Northern Caucasus Khounsah .$6.00 R843. Russian Border Guard sleeve patch for the Pskov border guard brigade.$6.00

R844. Russian Border Guard sleeve patch for the Border Guard providing service.$6.00 R845. Russian Border Guard sleeve patch for Generals and officers of the Border Guard Central Administration office.$7.00 R846. Russian Border Guard sleeve patch for the Border Guard Medical services.$6.00 R848. Russian Border Guard sleeve patch for Border Guard radio technical units.$6.00 R858. Russian Border Guard sleeve patch for Spetsnaz unit Barss.$6.00 R900. Russian Border Guard sleeve patch for the FarEastern region.$6.00

Border Guard breast patches

R1002. Russian Border Guard breast patch.$5.00

RUSSIAN BORDER GUARD HAT INSIGNIA

RUSSIAN BORDER GUARD COLLAR INSIGNIA

RUSSIAN BORDER GUARD SPECIALIST BADGES

RAFSB9. Border Guard officer Master specialist badge. $20.00 RAFSB10. Border Guard officer 1st class specialist badge. $15.00 RAFSB11. Border Guard officer 2nd class specialist badge. $15.00 RAFSB12. Border Guard officer 3rd class specialist badge. $15.00

RUSSIAN BORDER GUARD BADGES

B37. Russian Border Guard breast badge.Bronze eagle $20.00 B86. Russian border guard K9 unit badge. $15.00 B179. Russian border guard breast badge for 50th patrol of guarding state borders.$15.00 B178. Russian border guard breast badge for 100th patrol of guarding state borders.$15.00 RB115. Russian Border Guard breast badge for the 300th patrol of Guarding State borders.$15.00 B96. Russian Border Guard breast badge for the 500th patrol of Guarding State borders.$15.00 B106. Russian Border Guard breast badge for troops of the Soujarvi Border Crossing.RussianFinnish border.$15.00 B155. Russian Border Guard service badge.Type 1.$15.00 B177. Russian border guard breast badge with hanger.Screwback.Type 2.$15.00 B180. Russian border guard breast badge with hanger.Screwback.Type 3.$15.00 B181. Russian border guard breast badge with hanger.Screwback.Type 4.$15.00

Soviet Border Troops

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

NKVD border guards watching the frontier

Soviet Border Troops , (Russian: Пограничные войска СССР, Pogranichnyie Voiska SSSR) were the militarized border guard of the Soviet Union, subordinated to its subsequently reorganized state security agency: first to Cheka /OGPU, then to NKVD/MGB and, finally, to KGB. Accordingly, they were known as NKVD Border Troops and KGB Border Troops (with Russian abbreviations НКВД СССР / КГБ СССР added on the end of official names). Unlike border guards of many other countries, Soviet Border Troops were a centralized force including also the maritime borderguarding units (i.e., a coast guard). History In 1934, under the NKVD, Border Troops were immediately subordinated to the GUPVO (abbreviated "Chief Directorate of Border and Internal Guard"). In 1939 they were reorganized into the GUPV ("Chief Directorate of Border Troops"). NKVD Border Troops consisted of infantry, , reconnaissance, naval and airforce units. Since the 1930s, the distinctive part of Soviet Border Troops uniform is the intensively mediumgreen colored parts of headwear and insignia. The color is also present on a maritime Border Troops ensign.

World War II Border Troops units on the western USSR frontier saw particularly fierce combat in the first weeks of the German invasion of the USSR (JuneJuly 1941). They bore the brunt of the initial German assault, and due to this, suffered high casualty rates. Border Troop sevicemen were among the defenders of the . Border troops from other parts of the Soviet border were also involved in the fighting of the war. Notably, the 105th, 157th, and 333rd Border Troops regiments (operating like regular army units) took part in the Battle for in 1945. A distinct problem in the first days of the war were German Brandenburger Regiment commandos. They had obtained NKVD Border Troops uniforms and led many infiltration missions across the Red Army lines to inflict subversion.[citation needed ] During and after the war, 150 border guards were awarded the title of the of the Soviet Union and over 13,000 of them were decorated with different orders and medals.

PostWar history After the formation of the KGB, Soviet Border Troops became subordinated to this agency and remained so until the end of Soviet rule. As such, the Troops were concentrating on the tasks of preventing Soviet citizens from escaping to the West and fighting espionage infiltrations. The former task created a number of anecdotes about SovietJewish illegal emigrants that attempt to cross the border and trick the Border Troops patrol. A dense and sophisticated system of field engineering devices was created to keep Soviet border intact (including its complicated terrain and harsh climate zones). The most notable in that system was the tracecontrol strip (Russian: контрольноследовая полоса) a primitive labourdemanding method making surface crossing virtually impossible. The mission also required significant manpower and intensive maritime presence. The Border Troops consisted of conscripts drafted by the same system as for the , and small number of professional enlistees. Officers were trained in specialized academies (particularly, in the city of Khmelnytskyi, Ukrainian SSR). Both conscripts and officer candidates for Border Troops were carefully selected and checked by the KGB. This made service in the troops privileged.

Famous people linked to Soviet Border Troops , the President of modern Belarus served as an officer, whilst Mikhail Saakashvili, the President of modern Georgia, and Viktor Yuschenko, the President of modern , served their conscript service in the Soviet Border Troops. , the second last Soviet leader (CPSU Secretary General) also served as a border guard on the USSRChinese border, before becoming more involved in politics.

Dissolution and legacy With the fall of Soviet Union, Border Troops formations in most Soviet republics became border guards of the respective independent states. These new guards mostly changed their name and subordination. However, they retained some Soviet traditions, most notably the greencolored uniform and "Border Guard's Day" (Russian: День пограничника), an official holiday celebrated both by active service and former border guards. The new states of and Tajikistan are unique exceptions. Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan was guarded by the Russian Border Guard (engaging in heavy fighting) until the late 1990s under a special treaty. Armenia's border is still guarded by Russians under similar conditions.

See also • Border Guard Service of Russia • Border Security Zone of Russia External links • Oral History: A soldiers account of his service in the border guards and NKVD • NKVD.org: information site about the NKVD Border Guard Service of Russia Пограничная служба России

Emblem of the Russian Border Guard Service Russian Border Guard Ensign

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Border Guard Service of Russia (Russian: Пограничная служба России) is a branch of Federal Security Service of Russia tasked with patrol of the Russian border. Border Troops were a centralized force including the maritime border guard units (i.e., a coast guard).

Imperial Russia

Border Guards were created in the in the 18th century, however, the origin of the Russian border service can be traced to Prince Mikhail Vorotynsky and his Great Abatis Border in the 16th century. In 1782 Catherine II of Russia created Border Customs Guards originally manned by Russian as well as lowranking cavalry troops. General Mikhail Barklay de Tolly organized in 1810 numerous border posts consisted of 11 regiments of Don and Cossacks along all Western Russian border. Within two years Russian Border Guards were first to fight the 's invasion of Russia. In 1832 Cossacks and cavalry were replaced by armed customs officials subordinate to the ministry of finance in peacetime (in wartime the border guards were automatically transferred to the army). In the same year the coast guard was created, originally to observe Black sea and Azov sea coasts. In 1893 Count Sergei Witte Russian minister of finance in the Alexander III's government reformed the service into Separate Corpus of Border Guards a paramilitary rather than civilian organization headed by an army general. In 1906 about 40 000 soldiers and officers served in the Separate Corpus of Border Guards responsible for the defence of the vast Imperial border.

Soviet period

Soviet Border Troops , (Russian: Пограничные войска СССР, Pogranichnyie Voiska SSSR) were the militarized border guard of the Soviet Union, subordinated to its subsequently reorganized state security agency: first to Cheka /OGPU, then to NKVD/MGB and, finally, to KGB. Accordingly, they were known as NKVD Border Troops and KGB Border Troops (with Russian abbreviations НКВД СССР / КГБ СССР added on the end of official names). Unlike border guards of many other countries, Soviet Border Troops were a centralized force including also the maritime border guard units (i.e., a coast guard).

Modern period

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Federal Border Guard Service of Russia was created on December 30, 1993 and given a status of separate ministry. This organization retained some old traditions, most notably the greencolored uniform and "Border Guarder's Day" (an official holiday commemorated by celebrations of exservicemen). First minister of FPS (Federal Border Service) was Andrey Nikolayev, young and outspoken general who later became deputy of the State Duma. Russian Border Guards were also stationed outside of Russia most notably in southern Tajikistan, in order to guard the border with Afghanistan, until summer 2005. On AfghanTajik border on many occasions they were engaged in heavy fighting with drugtraffickers and Islamic extremists. Armenia's border with and Iran is also still guarded by the Russians. On March 11, 2003 Russian president Vladimir Putin changed the status of Border Guard Service from a separate ministry into a branch of Russian Federal Security Service. The current head of Border Guard Service of Russia is General Vladimir Pronichev. Border Guard Service of Russia is still tasked with a defence of the longest national border in the world.

Mission

Responsibilities of Border Guard Service of Russia include: • defence of the Russian national border, prevention of illegal crossing of the land and sea border by people and goods (smuggling). • protection of economic interests of the Russian Federation and its natural resources within land and sea border areas, territorial waters and internal seas, including prevention of poaching and illegal fishing. • combat any threats to national security in the border area, including terrorism and foreign infiltration. Organization

Command • The head of the Border Service Army General Vladimir Pronichev Egorovich (Deputy Director of Russia's FSB) • First Deputy Head of the Border Service General Vladimir Rozhkov • First Deputy Head of the Border Service the head of the Organizational Department, ColonelGeneral Mansur Valiev Masgutovich • Deputy head of Russia's FSB Border Service the chief international treaty management LieutenantGeneral Alexander L. Manilov • Deputy Chief of the Border Service LieutenantGeneral Victor Trufanov Trofimovich • Deputy Chief of the Border Service Maj. Gen. Alexander O. Mizon • Deputy Chief of the Border Service Maj. Gen. Nikolai Nikolaevich Rybalkin • Deputy Chief of the Border Service Gennady Simuhin Semenovich

Structure FS Russia is headed by a single centralized system, which includes: • ; • foreign intelligence corps; • operational entities engaged in intelligence, counter, operational investigative activities, to ensure its own security system FPS Russia; • border guards and other organs of the Border Service, provided by federal law; • border troops FPS Russia; • military educational institutions, vocational education, • enterprises, institutions and organizations in Russia under the FPS (hereinafter referred to authorities and troops FPS Russia), according to federal law

Lineup

Changes in the regional structure of the Border Service, instead of ten regional border (see the old structures FPS) for the new scheme includes regional offices of the border (in the federal districts) and 30 border offices. Includes the Maritime Border Guard. Regional border districts: • Regional Border Directorate of the Central Federal District • Regional Border Management for the Southern Federal District • Regional Border Directorate of the • Regional Border Directorate of the • Regional Border Directorate for the Siberian Federal District • North West Regional Border Management • Arctic regional border management on • Regional Border Directorate for the Far Eastern Federal District The military educational institutions, vocational education: As adopted by presidential decree dated 23 April 2001, № 457 • Border Academy of Russia's FSB; • Military Medical Institute, the Border Service of Russia's FSB in the Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy; • Golitsynsky Military Institute of the Border Service; • Military Institute of the Border Service; • Kurgan Military Institute of the Border Service; • Moscow Military Institute of the Border Service; • Military Institute, the Border Service; • The First Cadet Corps of the Border Service. Enterprises, institutions and organizations which are subordinate to the Border Service: • medical and health institutions of the Border Service; • Repair Plant; • parts logistics, technical and other support.

Maritime Border Guard

• Maritime Guard of the Border Service is part of Federal Security Service. This unit performs the role of a coastguard [1] .and has a significant combat capability: The strength is listed below: • (FFG): 6 (1 reserve) Krivak III class • Light Frigates (FFL): 12 Grisha II class • Offshore Patrol Vessels: 27 various types • Patrol Icebreakers: 6 Ivan Susanin class icebreaker • Patrol boats (PCF): 66 • River craft: 22

Russian Border Guard (coast guard) vessel #183

References • Приложение N 2 к Указу Президента Российской Федерации от 19 июля 1997 г. N 732 Annex 2 to N decree of the President of the Russian Federation of 19 Jul, 1997 N 732 Index rename and timeframe structural units of the Border Service • Пограничные и внутренние войска (охрана) ВЧКОГПУНКВДМВД СССР The border and internal troops (Guard) VCHKOGPUNKVDUSSR Ministry of Internal Affairs • С 29 сентября 1918 г. Штаб корпуса войск (внутренней охраны) ВЧК From 29 September 1918 The headquarters of the hull forces (internal security) VCHK • С 1 апреля 1921 г. Управление войск ВЧКОГПУ From 1 April 1921 The Office of troops VCHKOGPU • С 1 декабря 1922 г. Штаб войск ОГПУ In December 1, 1922 The headquarters of the troops OGPU • С 3 октября 1923 г. Инспекция войск ГПУ ОГПУ 3 October 1923 Inspektsiya troops GPU OGPU • С 6 ноября 1926 г. Главное управление пограничной охраны и войск ОГПУ 6 November 1926 The Directorate of Border Guard Troops and OGPU • С 10 июля 1934 г. Главное управление пограничной и внутренней охраны (ГУПВО) НКВД СССР 10 July 1934 General Directorate of Border and internal security (GUPVO) Soviet NKVD • С 29 сентября 1938 г. Главное управление пограничных и внутренних войск (ГУПВВ) НКВД СССР With 29 Sept., 1938 General Directorate of Border and Interior Troops (GUPVV) Soviet NKVD From 1938 to 1957: • Главное управление пограничных войск (ГУПВ) The Directorate of Border Troops (GUPV) • Главное управление войск по охране железнодорожных сооружений The Directorate of troops for the protection of railway facilities • Главное управление войск по охране особо важных предприятий промышленности The Directorate of troops for the protection of critical business industry • Главное управление конвойных войск (ГУКВ) The Directorate escort troops (GUKV) • Главное управление военного снабжения (ГУВС) General Directorate of Military Supplies (GUVS) • Главное военностроительное управление The main military construction management • С 9 июня 1956 г. ГУПВВ МВД СССР 9 June 1956 GUPVV USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs • Со 2 апреля 1957 г. ГУПВВ МВД СССР было расформировано в связи с передачей погранвойск из ведения МВД СССР в ведение КГБ при СМ СССР From 2 April 1957 GUPVV USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs was disbanded in connection with the transfer of border troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the Soviet KGB when the Soviet Union SM The border troops (Guard): • С 28 мая 1918 г. пограничная охрана при Наркомате финансов (позднее в военном ведомстве и Наркомате внешней торговли) May 28 1918 Border Guard when Narkomate Finance (later in the military and Narkomate Foreign Trade) • С 24 ноября 1920 г. функции в ОО ВЧКГПУ, затем в КРО ГПУ и в штабе отдельного пограничного корпуса (пограничный отдел) Штаба войск ОГПУ 24 November 1920 features in the GS VCHKGPU, then to the CGB GPU and the headquarters of a (Border Division) headquarters troops OGPU • С 28 июля 1923 г. Отдел пограничной охраны ГПУОГПУ 28 July 1923 Department of Border Guard GPU, OGPU • С 6 ноября 1926 г. Главное управление пограничной охраны и войск ОГПУ 6 November 1926 The Directorate of Border Guard Troops and OGPU • С 10 июля 1934 г. ГУПВО НКВД СССР 10 July 1934 Soviet NKVD GUPVO • С 29 сентября 1938 г. ГУПВВ НКВД СССР With 29 Sept., 1938 Soviet NKVD GUPVV • С 8 марта 1939 г. ГУПВ НКВД СССР Since 8 March 1939 Soviet NKVD GUPV • С 17 октября 1949 г. ГУПВ МГБ СССР With 17 Oct., 1949 GUPV MGB USSR • С 14 марта 1953 г. ГУПВ МВД СССР With 14 March, 1953 GUPV USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs • 9 июня 1956 г. на базе ГУПВ, ГУВКО и ВСУ МВД СССР было организовано ГУПВВ МВД СССР 9 Jun, 1956 based GUPV, GUVKO and MAT USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs was organized by the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs GUPVV • Со 2 апреля 1957 г. ГУПВ КГБ при СМ СССР From 2 April 1957 GUPV KGB when the Soviet Union SM • С 5 июля 1978 г. ГУПВ КГБ СССР On 5 July 1978 GUPV KGB • From December 1991 after the reorganization of KGB, the General Directorate of Border Troops were abolished and formed the Committee for the Protection of the State border of the Soviet Union with the Joint Command of the border forces led by was assigned to the post of chairman of the Committee Chief of Soviet border troops. • В 1992 г. созданы Пограничные войска Российской Федерации, которые были подчинены Министерству безопасности. In 1992 a Border troops of the Russian Federation, which have been subordinated to the Ministry of Security. • В 1993 г. образована Федеральная пограничная служба Главное командование Пограничных войск Российской Федерации со статусом федерального министерства. In 1993 Federal Border Service General Command of Border Troops of Russian Federation with the status of federal ministries. • С 1994 года переименована в Федеральную пограничную службу (ФПС России). Since 1994 renamed the Federal Border Service (FPS Russia). • С 4 мая 2002 г. Since May 4th, 2002 ФПС России переименована в Пограничную службу Российской Федерации, которая состоит из специально уполномоченного федерального органа исполнительной власти по пограничной службе (ФПС России), войск, органов и других организаций. FPS Russia renamed the Border Service of the Russian Federation, which consists of specially authorized federal executive body for the Border Service (FPS Russia), troops and other organizations. • 11 марта 2003 года Владимир Путин упразднил передал функции ФПС в ведение ФСБ. ФПС России переименована в ПС ФСБ России 11 Mar., 2003 Vladimir Putin abolished the function of FPS conveyed to the FSB. FPS Russia renamed PS Russia's FSB Source: Лубянка. Lubyanka. Органы ВЧКОГПУНКВДНКГБМГБМВДКГБ 19171991. Справочник, документы (Международный фонд Демократия, Москва 2003) Authorities VCHKOGPUNKVDNKGBMGBMVDKGB 19171991. Reference documents (International Fund for Democracy, Moscow 2003)

See also • Border Security Zone of Russia External links • Official website in Russian. • Border Guard profle on agentura.ru in Russian. • Russian nonmilitary security forces Border Security Zone of Russia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Border Security Zone in Russia is the designation of a strip of land (usually, though not always, along a Russian state border) where economic activity and access are restricted without permission of the FSB [1] . In order to visit the zone, a permit issued by the local FSB department is required [1] . The restricted access zone (of 7.5 km. width generally, but e.g. running as much as 90 km deep along the Estonian border) was established in the Soviet Union in 1934, and later expanded, at times including vast territories [citation needed ]. In 1935–1936 in order to secure the western border of the Soviet Union many nationalities considered unreliable (Poles, Germans, Ingrian Finns, Estonians, Latvians) were forcibly transferred from the zone by forces of NKVD. [2] During the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the state borders changed dramatically but the zone was not corrected accordingly and hence effectively ceased to exist. In 1993 the Law on the State Border was adopted and reestablished a border strip with restricted access, which should not exceed 5 km (although in fact it became much wider in some places) [3] . In 2004 the law was amended, the 5 km restriction was excluded, and FSB was legally authorized to draw the zone’s limits on its own without coordination with local authorities [4][3] In 2006 FSB Director Nikolay Patrushev and his deputy Sergei Smirnov issued decrees delimiting the zone, which now expanded much and included many large settlements, important transport routes and resort areas, especially in the Republic of Karelia, Leningrad Oblast and .[3][5][6] . In 2007, pressured by the public, FSB curtailed the zone in some places [5][6]

References 1. ^ a b (Russian) Приказ Федеральной службы безопасности Российской Федерации от 28 сентября 2006 г. N 452 г. Москва Об утверждении Правил пограничного режима. 2. ^ (English) Martin, Terry (1998). The Origins of Soviet Ethnic Cleansing. The Journal of Modern History 70.4, p.813– 861. 3. ^ a b c (Russian) Пограничная зона и пограничный режим на территории Ленинградской области и Республики Карелия. 2006. 4. ^ (Russian) Федеральный закон от 01 апреля 1993 г. N 47301 в редакции от 7.03.2005 "О Государственной границе Российской Федерации", Статья 16. 5. ^ a b (Russian) Погранзона в Карелии сокращена почти втрое, 4 June 2007. 6. ^ a b (Russian) В Приморье окончательно определены пограничные зоны, 30 May 2007. See also • Border Guard Service of Russia • USSR Border Troops • Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation External links • News from Border Security Zone of Russia (Russian) • Приказы ФСБ об установлении пограничной зоны