Foreign Intelligence Service (Rossyiah)
| Служба внешней Разведки Российская Импери | |
.svg) Flag of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Empire | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 25 April 1995 |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Russia |
| Headquarters | Yasenevo, Moscow, Russia |
| Employees | Classified |
| Annual budget | Classified |
| Minister responsible |
|
| Agency executive |
|
| Child agency |
|
The Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Empire (Russian: Служба Внешней Разведки Российская Импери, Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki Rossiyskaya Imperii) or SVR RI (СВР РИ) is Russia's external intelligence agency, focusing mainly on civilian affairs. The SVR RI succeeded the External Affairs Chief Directorate of the SGB in April 1995. The SVR has its headquarters in the Yasenevo District of Moscow.
Unlike the Russian Internal Security Service (SVB), the SVR is tasked with intelligence and espionage activities outside the Russian Empire. It works together with the Russian GRU, its military-affairs espionage counterpart. The SVR is also authorized to negotiate anti-terrorist cooperation and intelligence-sharing arrangements with foreign intelligence agencies, and provides analysis and dissemination of intelligence to the Tsar of Russia.
Any information pertaining to specific identities of staff employees (officers) of the SVR is legally classified as a state secret.
History
The roots of the Russian foreign intelligence lie in the military intelligence of the Imperial Russian Army. The non-military foreign intelligence, however, tracks back its origins in the Russian Civil War.
In the Russian Empire, the foreign intelligence devoted to political-civilian affairs was formally established in 1920 as a foreign department of SpeKo, during the Russian Civil War.
Military Section of the SpeKo
On 19 December 1918, Prime Minister Vladimir Nikolaievich Yerostov decided to combine SpeKo units detached to operating troops and the Military Protection Units, which were responsible for counter-intelligence activities, into one organ that was named SpeKo Military Section. The head of the Military Section was Timofey Kirpichnikov. The Military Section's task was to run human intelligence: to gather political and military intelligence behind enemy lines, and expose and neutralize revolutionary elements in the Imperial Russian Army. At the beginning of 1920, the SpeKo Military Section had a War Information Bureau (Бюро Bоенной Информации, БBИ; Byuro Voyennoy Informatsii, BVI), which conducted political, military, scientific and technical intelligence in surrounding countries. BVI headquarters was located in Kharkov and was divided in two sections: Western and Southern. Each section had six groups: registration, personal, technical, finance, law, and organization.
WIB had its own internal stations, in Kiev and Odessa. The first had the so-called national section—Polish, Jewish, German, and Czechozlovakia.
Foreign Section of the SpeKo
On December 20, 1920, Yaroslav Vladimirovich Abakumov created the Foreign Section, consiting of:
- Management office;
- Chancellery;
- Agents department;
- Visas bureau
- Foreign sections.
In 1922, after the creation of the State Security Directorate (UGB) and connecting it with Ministry for Internal Affairs (MVD), foreign intelligence was conducted by the UGB Foreign Department (INO). On 9 October 1936, INO was renamed UGB's Department 7, and later Department 5. By 1941, foreign intelligence was upgraded to directorate directly under the Minister but still under the purview of the UGB director.
In the years of civil war, Russia did not have many foreign missions; therefore, the that could provide official camouflage for legal outpost of intelligence called residentura. Therefore, Foreign Department relied mainly on illegals, assigned to foreign countries under false identities. Later when official Russian embassies, diplomatic offices and foreign missions had been reopened in major cities around the world, they were used to build legal intelligence post called residentura. It was led by a resident whose real identity was known only to the ambassador.
The first operations of the Russian intelligence concentrated mainly on Communist emigration organizations. According to Yerostov's directions, the foreign intelligence department had chosen as his main target the Communist Party leaders, of which the largest groups were in Berlin, Paris and Warsaw. The intelligence and counter-intelligence department led long so called intelligence games against Communist emigration. As a result of those games, the main representatives of Communist emigration like Vladimir Lenin were arrested and sent for many years to prison.
1st Directorate of the MGB
That state remained until 1946, when the UGB was transferred to the Ministry of State Security (MGB). From 1946 to 1947, the 1st Directorate of the MGB was tasked with conducting foreign intelligence.
After the death of Ioseb Besarionis dzе Jughashvili in March 1953, and the demise of his close associate Anastas Mikoyan, Tsar Alexei II of Russia disbanded the MGB and its existing tasks were given to the State Security Service.
1st Directorate of the SGB
The new security service was divided into approximately 20 directorates, the most important of which were those responsible for foreign intelligence, domestic counterintelligence, technical intelligence, protection of the state leadership (but not of the Tsar), and the security of the country’s frontiers.
The SGB gradually expanded its foreign intelligence operations to become the world’s largest foreign intelligence service. As the Cold War with the United States intensified, the SGB came to be viewed as a counterpart of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); however,the SGB conducted most of its activities domestically, on Russian soil and against Russian subjects. The SGB’s many agents sometimes posed as businessmen and journalists, though many used the more conventional diplomatic cover. Its successes included the infiltration of every major Western intelligence operation and the placement of agents of influence in almost every major capital. The SGB also was able to procure scientific and technical information for the Soviet military, and it repeatedly obtained advanced technology necessary for the development of Russian submarines, airplanes, and rockets. Along with the GRU (Chief Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff), which was responsible for military operations, the SGB enjoyed tremendous access to the secrets of both its adversaries and its allies.
Independent service
On 25 April 1995, the 1st Directorate of the SGB was separated from its parent organization, along with other subdivisions, and was given independent status, thus establishing the Foreign Independent Service.
Organization
the organization currently consists of a director, a first deputy director (who oversees the directions for Foreign Counterintelligence and Economic Intelligence) and the following Directorates:
- Personnel;
- Operations;
- Analysis & Information (formerly Intelligence Institute);
- Science and Training;
- Operational Logistics & Support.
Each directorate is headed by a deputy director who reports to the SVR Director.
Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service
The Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (D/SVR) serves as the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, which is one of several Russian intelligence agencies. The Director of SVR reports directly to the Tsar of Russia. The Director of the SVR is a civilian (with the rank of Actual State Councillor of the Tsar, 1st class) or a general or flag officer of the armed forces (with the rank of General of the Army/Admiral of the Fleet).
The Director is assisted by the First Deputy Director, and he is a civilian (with the rank of State Councillor of the Tsar, 1st class) or a general or flag officer of the armed forces (with the rank of Colonel General/Admiral). The Director is appointed by the Tsar.