China News Service, March 2 (Reporter Meng Xiangjun) On February 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a somewhat special meeting—the executive meeting of the Russian Federal Security Service.
At the meeting, Putin delivered an important speech on the security situation in Russia.
Most notably, Putin has stressed the need to step up counterintelligence efforts and impose "special controls" on Russia's border with Ukraine.
Recently, there have been many incidents in Russia that are suspected to be related to overseas "spying". As the stalemate in the Ukraine crisis continues, Russia has repeatedly pointed the finger at the West, believing that it has carried out a large number of "spying" actions against Russia.
Data map: Russian President Vladimir Putin experiences a sniper rifle.
A matter of national security, Putin reveals six key points
At this meeting of the Russian Federal Security Service, Putin delivered a speech and gave instructions in conjunction with Russia's special military operations in Ukraine.
Based on the combing of "Russia Today", Russian Satellite News Agency and other Russian media, Putin's speech has at least six main points.
Putin emphasized:
• Strengthen anti-espionage work, deploy nets on the Russian-Ukrainian border, block the entry of "sabotage elements", and crack down on arms smuggling
• Strengthening the identification and fight against terrorism and extremism on the Internet, stopping those who "attempt to divide Russia"
• To protect the digital space of the Russian Federation and the security of personal data of residents
• During Russia's special military operations in Ukraine, the priority of the Federal Security Service is to assist the Russian Federation Armed Forces and the Russian Federation State Guard in counter-reconnaissance work
• During special military operations, where Secret Service units are lost, agencies should make every effort to support families
• More attention should be paid to the organization of the FSB in the "Novo-Russian region"
The predecessor of the Russian Federal Security Service was the KGB (KGB), the intelligence agency of the Soviet Union, and Putin was born in the KGB.
As a former intelligence officer, Putin has a clear understanding of the current internal and external security situation facing Russia, and has made the latest research and judgment on it.
Putin urged the Russian Federal Security Service to strengthen counterintelligence work.
Image source: Screenshot of the "Moscow Times" report
Putin said:
"It is necessary to continue to provide assistance to the Russian armed forces and the Russian National Guard when carrying out special military operations against Ukraine, including doing a good job in anti-reconnaissance work and quickly exchanging important combat information."
"The illegal activities of those who seek to divide and weaken our society, and those who use nationalism, separatism, neo-Nazism and xenophobia as weapons, must be exposed and stopped."
"We know that despite their loud statements against international terrorism, they (the West) will never tire of using radicals and extremists ... against us for their own benefit."
There have been many cases of "black hands" pointing directly at the West
In Putin's view, before the Russian army launched special military operations in Ukraine, Western intelligence agencies had already been engaged in activities against Russia, and now they have invested more resources, manpower and technology.
In December 2022, when Putin congratulated the employees of the Russian national security agency on the festival, he asked to "concentrate and condense" military counter-reconnaissance and other institutional forces to stop the actions of foreign intelligence agencies in a timely manner and detect "spies, traitors, and saboteurs." .
Soon after, the Russian Federal Security Service announced that it had "arrested several Ukrainian spies" in Russia.
In fact, after sorting it out, in recent months, Russia believes that there are quite a few incidents related to overseas "spies":
Data map: An aerial view of the Crimean Bridge explosion and fire.
Crimean bridge bombed
Time: October 2022
What happened: A truck exploded on the Crimea bridge, oil tanks were set on fire, and parts of it collapsed
Accused agency: Russia accused the Ukrainian secret service of planning and implementing the matter, but Uzbekistan refused to admit it
The US independent website "Grey Zone" exposed the British private military company "Prewell Partners" to help formulate the bridge bombing plan
Handling method: A criminal case was filed, and 8 persons involved in the planning were arrested, including citizens of Russia, Ukraine, and Armenia
Rogozin case
Time: December 2022
People involved: the "Tsar Wolf" military technical advisory group headed by Rogozin, the former president of the Russian Aerospace Corporation, etc.
What happened: Russian personnel were shelled in Donetsk, Rogozin was injured by shell fragments, and 2 other people died
Accused agencies: Russia refers to Ukrainian spies and Western intelligence agencies
Handling method: Russia launches investigation, Rogozin recovers from surgery
Data map: "Hippocampus" high-mobility multiple rocket launcher system.
Ponomarev case
Time: December 2022
Person charged: Russian-Ukrainian dual citizen Vladislav Ponomaryov
Accused conduct: Sending targeting instructions to the US-made "Himaras" (HIMARS) multiple rocket launcher system formation to strike the Russian military
Accused agency: Ukrainian National Security Agency recruited it for secret cooperation
Handling method: The Russian side filed a criminal case after the arrest
American Citizen Espionage Case
Time: January 2023
Accused persons: U.S. citizens whose names and other information have not been disclosed
Charged conduct: Gathering intelligence information on biological matters
Accused agency: Russia accuses U.S. intelligence agencies of doing it, but U.S. says Russian news is unconfirmed
Handling method: Russia filed a criminal case for "espionage"
In December 2022, Rogozin, the former president of the Russian Aerospace Corporation, underwent surgery to remove shell fragments after being shelled in Donetsk.
The picture shows Rogozin after surgery.
Image source: Rogozin social media accounts
Looking back at the above incidents, the most dramatic one is the Rogozin case.
After the incident, Rogozin "retrieved his life" through surgery.
After removing the shrapnel from his body, he sent the shrapnel to the French ambassador to Russia, Levi, asking him to hand it over to French President Macron.
Why Macron?
On the evening of February 8, 2023 local time, French President Emmanuel Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Elysee Palace in Paris.
China News Agency reporter Li Yang
Because after investigation, the Russian side believes that the shells that hit the Russian personnel came from the French "Caesar" self-propelled howitzer, and this is the weapon that the Macron government supports Ukraine.
Rogozin said that he lost two long-term working partners in the shelling.
He named many Western countries and vowed to retaliate: "France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and other NATO countries committed crimes in Donbass, you should be held accountable!"
"Always be vigilant" and deploy nets to "catch spies"
Recently, Putin also accused that after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the West tried to dominate the world, and its goal was to "split Russia, which was the main body of the former Soviet Union, in order to suppress and control it," so that Russia was forced to respond.
According to Putin, crimes related to terrorism in Russia have increased in the past year.
If the West continues to instigate radicals and extremists to enter Russia to wreak havoc, national security will be difficult.
Therefore, counter-reconnaissance becomes a priority.
Putin not only emphasized the deployment of a group of troops composed of border guards, Federal Security Service aviation forces, and Russian Guards forces to the Russian-Ukrainian border, but also instructed to intensify efforts to combat the threat of terrorism and deploy a network to "catch spies."
Data map: Russian President Vladimir Putin (middle) and Russian Defense Minister Shoigu (left) observe the military exercise.
Putin also listed a number of departments and institutions to be protected, requiring "always vigilance."
These departments include:
· Critical infrastructure
· Place where people gather
·transportation hub
·Military-industrial complex enterprises
· Fuel and energy joint venture
According to other information, the Russian Federation Council's bill stipulates that all training, persuasion, recruitment, arming, financing and propaganda of sabotage activities against Russia, and the establishment of espionage organizations in Russia will be held criminally responsible.
Assisting in espionage is punishable by 8 to 20 years in prison; organizing and financing espionage is punishable by 15 to 20 years; the maximum penalty for such acts is life imprisonment.
(over)