Putin says Russian security services exposed activity of 46 foreign spies last year

Russian security services exposed the activity of 46 foreign spy service officers and 258 agents last year, President Vladimir Putin said Monday as he addressed a board meeting of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB).

“Counterintelligence is a traditional sphere of activity for the FSB, and that’s really a sector with intensive field operations,” Putin said.

“The current situation requires a dramatic increase of quality of fieldwork and analysis,” he said. “We should boost the efficiency of counterintelligence operations, including their technological componen," the president added.

Terrorist underworld has some chances to commit attacks

Putin stated that underground terrorist networks still have some chances to commit terrorist attacks in Russia and will try to stage them in different Russian regions other than the North Caucasus.

“The situation still remains quite difficult, as the terrorist underworld still has some opportunities to commit terrorist attacks against civilians despite serious losses,” the president said, recalling the suicide bombings in the Russian southern city of Volgograd at the end of the previous year.

“Extremist, radical groupings try to intensify their activity not only in the North Caucasus, but also shift it to other regions of our country - Volga River region, Central Russia, and try to instigate interethnic and religious conflicts, and wage aggressive propaganda among young people,” Putin said, adding that, moreover, terrorists “use the most advanced information means, technologies, including the Internet and social networks."

Putin also concerned that citizens of CIS states and Russia recruited by terrorists may be sent against Russia.

“The fact that several citizens of Russia and CIS states who are recruited by terrorists and radicals and who are participating in hostilities in Afghanistan, Syria and other regions of the world and are passing terrorist training and ideological brainwashing there cause serious concerns.” 

“There are all reasons to believe that then they may be dispatched against Russia and our neighbours in the CIS,” he said, adding that “We should be prepared for this and should have the whole arsenal of preventive measures.

Protection of IT resources

Putin has asked the Federal Security Service to enhance the protection of national IT resources and communication lines.

“The protection of national information resources, communication lines and data bases of bodies of power and government, which contain classified information, must be enhanced,” Putin emphasized.

“As we know and as the whole world knows, there are more than enough of those eager to hearing others’ secrets,” the Russian president said.

Preventing radicals from occupying government posts

Russia will never let non-governmental organizations be used for destructive purposes the way it happened in Ukraine, President Putin said. He urged the FSB to prevent radicals, crimnals, and ex-convicts from taking the posts in Crimea's governing bodies.

Economic security

Putin has asked the FSB to “put barriers” in the way of those who may be trying to launder money abroad.

“I am expecting you to work more actively in such an important field as economic security and struggle against organized crime and corruption,” Putin said.

He said it was of the essence to not only uproot corruption schemes, but also to put barriers in the way of those who may be trying to launder money and hide it on foreign accounts, invest in real estate and other assets, including those outside Russia.

Putin said the FSB should step up work along these lines. He also asked to make better use of the services of those citizens “who are prepared to help us in this work.”

“The public is looking forward to results in this respect. Society’s wide support is the most important condition for struggle against corruption,” Putin said.