Federal Security Service

Federal Security Service. The Federal Security Service is the principal security agency of the Russian Federation and the main successor to the Soviet Union's KGB. It is responsible for counterintelligence, internal security, border protection, and combating terrorism and organized crime. The service operates under the direct authority of the President of Russia and is headquartered in the historic Lubyanka Building in central Moscow.

History

The agency traces its origins directly to the Cheka, founded by Felix Dzerzhinsky after the October Revolution. It evolved through various Soviet state security incarnations including the NKVD, the MGB, and most famously the KGB under leaders like Lavrentiy Beria and Yuri Andropov. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the KGB was dismantled and briefly replaced by the Federal Counterintelligence Service. The current agency was officially established by a decree from President Boris Yeltsin, solidifying its role as the primary organ of state security. Key historical events in its post-Soviet development include its central role during the Second Chechen War and the expansion of its counter-terrorism mandate following apartment bombings in Moscow and Volgodonsk.

Structure and organization

The service is headed by a Director of the Federal Security Service, a position held since 2008 by Army General Alexander Bortnikov. Its organizational structure includes numerous directorates, such as the Counterintelligence Service and the Service for the Protection of the Constitutional System, which handle specific security domains. A critical component is the Border Service of the Federal Security Service, responsible for guarding the vast Russia–Ukraine border and other frontiers. The agency also maintains special-purpose units like the elite Alpha Group and Special Purpose Center for counter-terrorism operations. Regional departments operate across all federal subjects of Russia, including in cities like Saint Petersburg and Vladivostok.

Functions and responsibilities

Its primary function is state security, encompassing a wide range of counterintelligence activities against foreign agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency and MI6. The service plays a leading role in combating terrorism, often in coordination with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Guard of Russia. It is also tasked with fighting organized crime, cybercrime, and corruption, and holds significant economic counterintelligence responsibilities. Furthermore, it ensures the security of critical state facilities, government communications, and conducts personnel security checks for sensitive positions within the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Russian government.

Legal basis and oversight

The agency's activities are formally defined by the Federal Law "On the Federal Security Service" and the Constitution of Russia. Operationally, it is governed by the federal laws "On Counterintelligence Activities" and "On Combating Terrorism". Legally, its actions require judicial warrants for certain measures, but its operations are largely opaque. Formal oversight is exercised by the President of Russia and, nominally, by the Federal Assembly of Russia, though parliamentary control is considered limited. The Prosecutor General of Russia also holds some supervisory authority over the legality of its investigations.

International cooperation and controversies

The service engages in international cooperation primarily through bilateral agreements with partners like the Committee for State Security of Belarus and agencies in other Commonwealth of Independent States nations. It has also participated in working groups with counterparts from China and India on issues like cyber security. However, its activities are frequently at the center of major international controversies. It has been accused of extraterritorial operations, including the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London and the Skripal poisoning in Salisbury. The agency is also heavily implicated in allegations of election interference, cyber-attacks, and the suppression of dissent, facing sanctions from the United States Department of the Treasury and the European Union.