Russia Celebrates Secret Police Day
Today, 91 years ago Felix Dzerzhinsky founded national secret police organization - Cheka, later renamed to NKVD and then to 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.More here.
Following the attempted coup of 1991 (in which some KGB units participated) against Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the KGB was dismantled and formally ceased to exist from November 1991.
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).
posted by Fergie @ 12/20/2008 12:21:00 PM
3 Comments:
Fergie,
I'm Australian but love California - nice folks, good food and wine.
However, for 25 years I was actively engaged in working against the KGB/GRU. Well you might ask Quid custodiet ipsos custodes? The American people appear to have lost faith in the FBI and while there's some reason to question them about many things, you and your fellows should realize that through the "fall of communism" and the USSR; through Yeltsin and Putin, the KGB and GRU kept on going - spying on the West. There was no operational break, let alone dismantling of "the Organs."
It's not politically correct to ask why the West lowered its guard but the Russian Intelligence services now FSB/SVR and GRU continue as they always have done. Putin was proud to be "a Chekist" and authoritarianism is creeping back. He re-instituted "Chekist's Day" years ago and the irony is now that the evil empire is rebuilding.
Putin is making allies of the Iranians - world-class sponsors of terrorism. Don't fall for the trap of moral equivalence. Firstly Georgia and then? Probably the old CIS countries and then Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic States. The only good news if you can use that term is that he has his own domestic terrorism problem and a Muslim population out-breeding Russians.
His time will come as he pursues the old imperial dream of Emperors past. What follows could be very ugly.
@millerj43
Whether you're from Australia, or Chicago-land, doesn't really matter.
The points you highlight, however, do matter -- and thanks for your comments.
Yes, Russian political machinations are rather disconcerting during these times, but the rise of the Russian "intelligence services" has begun to trigger alarms in all sectors of intelligence, including Internet operations.
It is noteworthy... and eyes are peeled.
Happy Holidays.
- ferg
hmm, i think ill go watch the movie 'Eastern Promises' since it deals a little bit about the KGB, and it has Viggo in it.
-jack
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