On February 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in an expanded FSB council – the first since the start of the military operation in Ukraine. Part of Putin’s speech was open. Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov before the event declared that it would be a “serious conversation”.
The main topics of the council were the results of the work of the FSB for 2022 and the definition of priority tasks for 2023. RTVI collected the main statements of Putin to the board.
On the participation of FSB officers in the military operation in Ukraine
“FSB units were directly involved in a special military operation, solving complex and non-standard operational tasks here, covering the state border, actively fighting terrorism, organized crime, corruption and extremism. ”
There are casualties among FSB agents. The management of the special service should “do everything” to support the families of the victims in addition.
The FSB and other special services should use the acquired combat experience “to strengthen the national security of our country, to protect the state, society, the rights and freedoms of our citizens.”
About work on the border with Ukraine
The Russian-Ukrainian section of the border should be under the special control of the FSB border service. Now a grouping is deployed there, which includes units of border agencies, FSB aviation, armed forces and the National Guard.
“Your task is to put a barrier in the way of sabotage groups, to stop attempts to illegally transport weapons and ammunition to Russia.”
On the confrontation with Western intelligence agencies
Press Service of the President of Russia
Overall, there is a need to strengthen the counterintelligence line. Western intelligence agencies sent additional personnel, technical and other resources against Russia. “We have to react appropriately.”
What information should be most protected?
about the latest weapons and equipment, about control systems, about military and law enforcement structures, about defense industry companies, about critical technologies, about personal data.
About terrorism and extremism
Over the past year, the number of terrorist and extremist crimes has increased. “Obviously, this is related to the attempts of the Kiev regime to use terrorist methods <...> and the will of the West to revive the cells of extremists and terrorists <...> in our territory.”
In particular, it is necessary to monitor critical infrastructure, places of massive stay of people, transport hubs, enterprises of military-industrial and energy complexes.
Young people are the most vulnerable category for those who try to use the Internet and social networks to promote ideas of terrorism and extremism.
On “scum” attempts to divide society
“It is necessary to identify and stop the illegal activities of those who try to divide and weaken our society, using separatism, nationalism, neo-Nazism and xenophobia as a weapon. This has always been applied to our country, and now the attempts are, of course, the most active. Try to activate all this scum on our lands.
