Western Intelligence Stretches, President Putin Wants Russia's Security Service To Increase 'Security'

Alpha Group FSB Russia. (Wikimedia Commons/SpetsnazAlpha)

JAKARTA - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said the FSB's internal security agency was to increase its activity, to counter what he said was an increase in espionage and sabotage against Russia by Ukraine and the West.

In a speech to officials, President Putin said that the FSB should stop "the sabotage groups" entering Russia from Ukraine, increasing protection against infrastructure, preventing Western security agencies from reviving what it calls terrorist cells or extremists in Russia.

"Western intelligence agencies have traditionally always been active in Russia, and now they have deployed additional personnel, technical resources, and other resources to us. We must respond appropriately," President Putin said.

He instructed the FSB to prevent the flow of illegal weapons to Russia, as well as strengthen security in four parts of Ukraine that Moscow has captured and claimed to be his, although the majority of UN members considered illegal.

President Putin told the agency he had led, the FSB must strengthen all its counter-intelligence activities.

"Especial information about our military control system and law enforcement structure, defense industry companies, essential technologies, and personal data must be properly protected," he explained, stressing the importance of confidentiality around Russia's latest weapons and equipment.

The president did not mention specific intelligence failures, but his comments implied concerns about potential vulnerabilities.

Within a year since he launched his invasion of Ukraine, Russia has witnessed drone attacks on its own territory, pro-government media hacking, to the murder of the daughter of a prominent nationalist who supported the war last August.

In addition, activists claim to have carried out dozens of attacks on rail infrastructure aimed at disrupting military traffic.

Details are difficult to verify, but the FSB said this month it had detained three Russians involved in "terrorist acts" against rail infrastructure in the Ural region.

In a recent example of cyber disruption, the emergency ministry said hackers on Tuesday had caused regional broadcasters to issue false warnings ordering people to take cover at bomb shelters.

Earlier, President Putin had repeatedly urged Russian citizens to be wary of traitors in their midst, a theme he repeated on Tuesday.

"It is important to identify and stop illegal activities of those who try to divide and weaken our society; use separatism, nationalism, neo-Nazisme and xenophobia as weapons," he explained.

He added that Russia has always experienced such activities. "And now, of course, those efforts are in the most active stages. Attempts to activate all of this trash on our soil."