History of the emergence and development of the FSB. State Security Committee of the USSR

Second Main Directorate - internal security and counterintelligence (created on March 18, 1954, by 1980 there were 17 departments in its structure);

Third Main Directorate - military counterintelligence (created on March 18, 1954, from February 1960 to June 1982 - Third Directorate);

The Fourth Directorate - ensuring state security in transport (liquidated on February 5, 1960 (its functions from July 25, 1967 to September 1973 were performed by the 12th Department of the Second Main Directorate, and from September 1973 to September 1981 by Directorate "T" of the Second Main Directorate), restored on September 10, 1981 by order of the KGB of the USSR *00170 dated September 10, 1981 (the structure and staff were announced by order of the KGB of the USSR *00175 dated September 24, 1981);

Fifth Directorate - ideological counterintelligence (order of the KGB of the USSR * 0096 of July 25, 1967);

Sixth Directorate - Economic Counterintelligence and Industrial Security (liquidated on February 5, 1960; restored by the decision of the KGB Board "On measures to strengthen counterintelligence work to protect the country's economy from subversive actions of the enemy" (announced by order of the USSR KGB *00210 dated October 25, 1982). Structure and the staff of the Sixth Directorate were announced by order of the KGB of the USSR * 00215 of November 11, 1982. Previously, these tasks were solved by the 9th, 11th and 19th departments of the Second Main Directorate, and since September 1980, by Directorate “P” as part of this directorate.

2nd department (counterintelligence at nuclear industry facilities) - issues of regime, security and secret paperwork were dealt with by units of the Ministry of Medium Engineering - see Yuri Khabarov’s book “This Fatal Month of October”;

Seventh Directorate - external surveillance and protection of the foreign diplomatic corps (created on March 18, 1954);

DDP Service (security of the diplomatic corps);

Group "A" (formed by order of the KGB Chairman * 0089OV dated July 29, 1974) of the ODP service - Group "Alpha" (reported directly to the Chairman of the KGB and the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee);

7th department (material and technical support for external surveillance equipment: cars, television cameras, photographic equipment, tape recorders, mirrors);

10th department (monitoring public places visited by foreigners: parks, museums, theaters, shops, train stations, airports);

11th department (supply of accessories necessary for surveillance: wigs, clothes, makeup);

12th department (monitoring of high-ranking foreigners);

Eighth Main Directorate - encryption service (created in March 1954);

Ninth Directorate - protection of party and government leaders (created on March 18, 1954):

Directorate of the Commandant of the Moscow Kremlin (from March 18, 1954 to June 25, 1959 - Tenth Directorate of the KGB);

Commandant's Office for the protection of buildings of the CPSU Central Committee;

Fifteenth Main Directorate - construction and operation of “reserve facilities” - bunkers for leading the country in the event of a nuclear war. Created by separation from the Ninth Directorate of the KGB (KGB order * 0020 of March 13, 1969). According to the temporary Regulations on the Fifteenth Directorate of the KGB (announced by KGB Order *0055 of June 1, 1971):

“...the main task of the Department is to ensure constant readiness for the immediate reception of those being sheltered in protected points (objects) and the creation in them of the conditions necessary for normal work during a special period.” The Fifteenth Directorate was supposed to carry out its work “in close cooperation with the Ninth Directorate of the KGB.” In September 1974, four directorates were created in the Fifteenth Directorate of the KGB: The Sixteenth Directorate - electronic intelligence, radio interception and decryption (separated on June 21, 1973 from the Eighth Directorate by order of the KGB of the USSR * 0056 of June 21, 1973); Main Directorate of Border Troops (created on April 2, 1957); Government Communications Directorate (GCC) (created by order of the KGB of the USSR * 0019 dated March 13, 1969 on the basis of the Government Communications Department);

Government Communications Troops Headquarters;

ATS-1 - city telephone service for the highest category of subscribers (about 2000 numbers in 1982);

ATS-2 - city government communications (about 7,000 subscribers in Moscow and 10,000 throughout the country (including zone stations) in 1983);

PM (HF) communications - government long-distance communications (about 5,000 subscribers in 2004) - HF communications devices were in the capitals of socialist states, consulates general and embassies, headquarters of Soviet foreign groups TROOPS, ETC.; Educational institutions of the Government Communications Department: Oryol Higher Command School of Communications named after. M.I. Kalinin (faculties "Long-Range (Government) Communications", "Wired and Semiconductor Communications", etc.) - created in accordance with the order of the KGB Chairman *0212 dated June 14, 1971 October 1, 1972. The KGB Military Technical School in the city of Bagrationovsk (Kaliningrad region) was transformed into the Higher Military Command School of Communications (based in the city of Orel) for the training of command officers with higher education. In July 1972, the first intake of cadets for 4-year training was made in the city of Orel. By 1975, 2,303 officers had been graduated, of whom 1,454 (that is, 63.2%) were sent directly to the government communications troops. In 1993, the last graduation of officers under the 4-year program was made. From 1976 to 1993, the school trained about 4,000 specialists, of whom more than 60% were sent to government communications agencies and troops. The KGB Military Technical School (VTU) was founded according to the order of the KGB Chairman *0287 dated September 27, 1965 on the basis of the military camp of the 95th Border Detachment and the first building of the Higher Border Command School, the educational process began in September 1966 (training period is 3 years, retraining courses - from 3 to 5 months). More than 60% of graduates were trained directly for the government communications troops, the rest for the bodies and troops of the KGB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Investigation Department (according to the resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR *99 -33 dated February 13, 1973, had the status and rights of independent management (without changing the formal name); Tenth Department (created on October 21, 1966) - accounting, statistics, archives; Operational and technical management (OTU):

The sixth department (created on July 2, 1959, from June 1983 - the Sixth Service) - correspondence clarification;

Preparation of documents for operational purposes, examination of handwriting and documents;

Radio counterintelligence;

Production of operational equipment (including management of toxicological and bacteriological laboratories for the development of poisons);

Central Research Institute of Special Research;

Central Research Institute of Special Equipment; Military Construction Directorate (created according to the order of the KGB of the USSR * 05 dated January 4, 1973 on the basis of the military construction department of KHOZU);

FPO - financial planning department;

Mobilization Department;

KHOZU - economic management;

Secretariat (since July 18, 1980, KGB Administration (Resolution of the USSR Council of Ministers * 616 -201 of July 18, 1980);

Inspectorate under the Chairman of the KGB (since November 27, 1970, the Inspectorate Department (KGB Order of the USSR * 0569 dated November 27, 1970). By KGB Order *0253 dated August 12, 1967, the Group of Referents under the Chairman of the KGB was renamed the Inspectorate under the Chairman of the KGB. In the announced order * 00143 dated October 30, 1967 it was stated that it: “... was created for the purpose of organizing and practical implementation in the Committee and its local bodies of control and verification of the implementation of the most important Leninist principle of the activities of the Communist Party and the Soviet state, a proven means of improving the state apparatus and strengthening connections with the people." The regulations defined the status of the new unit: "... is an operational control and inspection apparatus (with the rights of independent management of the Committee) and will be signed by the Chairman of the Committee." Tasks of the Inspectorate: "The main thing in the work of the Inspectorate is to provide assistance to the management State Security Committee in the clear and timely implementation of tasks assigned to the bodies and troops of the KGB, organizing a systematic verification of the implementation of decisions of the CPSU Central Committee, the Soviet government and legal acts of the KGB in the interests of further improving intelligence, operational, investigative work and work with personnel. The Inspectorate subordinates all its activities to the strictest observance of socialist legality." The twelfth department (created by order of the KGB of the USSR *00147 dated November 20, 1967) - the use of operational equipment (including wiretapping of telephones and premises);

Group of consultants under the Chairman of the KGB (created by order of the KGB of the USSR *00112 dated August 19, 1967 with a total staff of 10 people (the staff included 4 senior consultants, 4 consultants);

The representative office of the USSR KGB in the GDR had the status of an independent management of the KGB; Liaison Bureau of the KGB of the USSR with publishing houses and other media bodies ("Press Bureau of the KGB") (split into an independent division on November 26, 1969, until that time it was part of the Group of Consultants under the Chairman of the KGB);

Military Medical Directorate (created in 1982 on the basis of the medical directorate of KHOZU);

Duty Service of the KGB of the USSR (Head of the Duty Service - 1st Deputy Head of the Secretariat); Party committee

KGB educational institutions (training personnel for intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative and operational-technical units):

Higher Red Banner School of the KGB named after. Dzerzhinsky (VKSh) - now the FSB Academy,

Investigative Faculty - from 1969 to 1979, the department for training investigators at the Higher School of Management,

Faculty * 1 - training of military counterintelligence officers,

Faculty *2 - training of counterintelligence operatives who speak Western and Eastern languages,

Faculty * 3 - training of counterintelligence operatives who speak oriental languages ​​- created on September 1, 1974,

Faculty * 5 - "Faculty of advanced training for management staff and specialists of the State Security Committee." Created June 11, 1979. Main tasks: training the leadership of the KGB of the USSR from party, Soviet and Komsomol workers; advanced training of management staff and specialists of the KGB of the USSR,

Faculty * 6 - training of certified specialists and advanced training of operational and management personnel of security agencies of friendly countries. Created July 12, 1971. Retraining and advanced training courses for management and operational staff of operational and technical units. Opened on September 3, 1971. Since 1996-

Faculty * 7.

Faculty * 8 - distance learning,

Faculty * 9 - training of operational personnel who speak foreign languages ​​of the countries of the Middle East and Africa (languages: Fula, Hausa and Swahili). Created September 1, 1980

Special courses of the KGB of the USSR at the High School of the KGB (other official names: KUOS (Advanced Courses for Officers) and military unit 93526) were created on March 19, 1969 by a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR as an autonomous educational unit as a separate faculty - department of special disciplines (special department). The training period is seven months. They were part of the First Faculty of the Higher School of Higher Education of the KGB of the USSR. During 1970 - 1990, special courses annually graduated 60 -65 commanders of operational reconnaissance groups for operations behind enemy lines. Red Banner Intelligence Institute of the KGB - now the Academy of the Foreign Intelligence Service; Higher training courses for operational personnel with a one-year training period:

Higher training courses for KGB operational personnel in Minsk,

Higher training courses for KGB operational personnel in Kyiv,

Higher training courses for KGB operational personnel in Tbilisi,

Higher training courses for KGB operational personnel in Tashkent,

Higher training courses for KGB operational personnel in Sverdlovsk,

Higher training courses for KGB operational personnel in Novosibirsk,

Higher training courses for KGB operational personnel in Leningrad;

Scientific and Technical Council on Operational Technology;

A separate training center (military unit 35690, “Priboy”) is located in Balashikha-2 (Moscow region), the training center of the Alpha group.

At all times in the history of states, secret organizations played a huge role in the field of defense and security, which over time transformed into entire secret services. Over the years, the role of secret intelligence services in the work of the state machine grew stronger, the structure of organizations increased, and methods of work improved. Intelligence and counterintelligence methods are becoming the most important tools for achieving political goals. In many ways, it is the intelligence services that are responsible for starting or preventing armed conflicts. Obtaining secret information from abroad, control over the main state institutions within the political system and social and public life become the pillars of state security.

It is no exaggeration to say that the modern history of intelligence services would be incomplete without mentioning the KGB, the most secret service in the world. It was in the Soviet Union that the most powerful and largest intelligence service was created, which kept the whole world under control for almost half a century.

It is customary to speak of the USSR as the most totalitarian state in the history of the 20th century. A country that was constantly in a hostile foreign policy environment was forced to have not only powerful and combat-ready armed forces. A well-organized secret intelligence service becomes an effective instrument of a secret, silent war that has been ongoing since the very first day of the existence of the Soviet Union. Much has been written about the KGB, including studies by historians and memoirs of employees of the world's most secret intelligence agency.

Today, most of the information about the Soviet intelligence service is the result of state secret archives opened in the early 90s. An important piece of information about the methods and working styles of the Soviet intelligence service, the history of the KGB becomes clear only today, 26 years after the official cessation of the organization's activities. The limited information about the work of one of the most powerful intelligence services in the world is explained by the fact that the successor to the Soviet intelligence service today is the Russian Federal Security Service. This organization is the basis of state security of modern Russia, continuing the work of its predecessor. The KGB today is no longer remembered as a secret monster organization, but as the most productive and combat-ready foreign and domestic intelligence service.

Stages of formation of the largest intelligence service in the world

From the very first days of the existence of the Soviet state, active measures were taken at the very top to organize a powerful intelligence and counterintelligence service. Initially (1917-1922) these functions were assigned to the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission (VChK). Later, on the basis of the first Soviet intelligence service, the Main Political Directorate was created, which is part of the structure of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs. This secret structure laid the foundations for the state security of the Soviet Union, which became one of the most important links in the defense capability of the young state. From this moment on, the activities of the Soviet intelligence services begin to become overgrown with rumors and myths, and the first secrets of the KGB are born, which will become known only after many decades.

The Soviet secret service was led in those years by individuals whose activities subsequently received mixed reviews. At first, the Main Directorate of State Security was headed by Genrikh Yagoda, who laid the foundations for future mass political repressions. He was replaced in his post by Nikolai Yezhov, who spun the flywheel of repression of 1937-38.

These two temporary workers were replaced by Lavrentiy Beria, who headed the NKVD, to whom the functions of the intelligence service were entrusted. It was with the period of Beria’s tenure as People’s Commissar that the rapid qualitative growth of the Soviet intelligence service was associated, despite the contradictory methods and style of work of this leader. From that time on, only professionals, persons with an unquestionable reputation and a rich track record were appointed to the highest leadership positions of Soviet intelligence.

The history of the creation of the most secret intelligence service

The end of World War II meant the beginning of a new military-political confrontation, into which the post-war world began to plunge after Winston Churchill's anti-communist speech in Fulton. The experience of the Soviet intelligence services during the armed confrontation showed the need to organize a qualitatively new organization. To successfully contain the anti-Soviet and ideological influence of the West, to counter the aggressive aspirations of the United States and its allies, to maintain internal political stability in the country, an independent and powerful intelligence service was required. It is customary to talk about the KGB as a separate structure, but for many years this huge mechanism worked in a complex and intricate interdepartmental system.

The subordination of Soviet intelligence to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which existed until 1954, was interrupted. This was caused by an acute party crisis that arose in the leadership system of the Soviet Union after the death of I. Stalin. The concentration of leadership of the most influential power structures of the Soviet state in the hands of Lavrentiy Beria could lead to unpredictable consequences. Moreover, according to the intelligence officers themselves, the presence of the intelligence and counterintelligence service in the structure of the internal affairs system was extremely inconvenient and incorrect from the point of view of the quality of work.

In 1954, two important decisions were made regarding the transformation of state security agencies. First, the Decree of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the CPSU appeared, by which the intelligence service was removed from the subordination of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Literally a month later, on March 13, 1954, this issue was resolved at the level of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and finally adopted legislative form. The Decree spoke about the creation of the State Security Committee of the Soviet Union, which would be subordinate to the Council of Ministers of the USSR. In this form, with some intradepartmental and subordinate changes, Soviet intelligence, departments and departments of the KGB as a whole existed until 1991, when the Soviet Union ceased to exist.

The creation of a new structure was initiated by Sergei Kruglov, who was the Minister of Internal Affairs at that time. After the historical Decrees, Ivan Serov became the Chairman of the State Security Committee of the USSR. Since the Committee had the functional structure and rights of the Ministry, its leaders were appointed by Decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the proposal of the Head of the Soviet Government.

After Serov, the high post was occupied by A.N. Shelepin, KGB Colonel General V.E. Semichastny, Yu.V. Andropov, V.V. Fedorchuk, V.M. Chebrikov and V.A. Kryuchkov.

V.E. Semichastny was perhaps the only leader who managed to translate all his vast combat experience into the work of the department entrusted to him. All subsequent Chairmen of the Committee after Semichastny were people of a new formation, brought up on ideological considerations.

From this list, three names are the most notable not only in the history of the Soviet secret intelligence service, but also of the entire Soviet state. During the years of leadership of the department V.E. Semichastny experienced the most acute and critical moments of the new Soviet history. The Prague Spring, the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis are just the most well-known foreign policy crises, during the resolution of which KGB operations played almost a decisive role.

Yu.V. Andropov is a man who served as Chairman of the Committee for 15 long years, from 1967 to 1982. Kryuchkov headed the KGB during the most critical period of its history and was noted for his participation in the famous State Emergency Committee, which marked the beginning of the end of the Soviet period of rule.

Shelepin was the only civilian to head the Soviet intelligence service. All subsequent Chairmen had high military ranks, starting with the rank of colonel general and ending with the rank of army general. Yu.V. Andropov, Chebrikov and Kryuchkov had military ranks of general, equivalent to the rank of KGB general, and during their tenure as Chairman of the KGB they remained at various times members of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee.

The role of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the activities of the Soviet intelligence service is a separate discussion. In world history, this is perhaps the only case when the ruling party elite controlled the activities of a secret organization, directing and controlling its activities.

Legal basis for the activities of the State Security Committee and its main functions

Unlike foreign intelligence services, such as the American CIA and NSA, the British Mi 5 and Mi 6, the German BND, which were accountable to their Governments and Presidents, the Soviet intelligence service remained a state-party institution throughout its entire period of activity. According to his status, a service employee is a communist, he is also a KGB officer, a member of the Communist Party. The Committee itself was completely subordinate to the Central Committee and the Politburo of the CPSU. The leading role of the party is enshrined in the status of a committee, so there is a close merging of the party nomenklatura with the departments and directorates of the KGB.

Acting in this way, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union had in its hands a powerful repressive power apparatus, providing support to the leading party elite in the foreign political arena and exercising strict control within Soviet society.

All the work of the Committee until 1991 was regulated by Resolutions of the Plenums and Presidiums of the CPSU Central Committee, Resolutions of the Government of the USSR, and at a later stage by Resolutions of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Soviet Union. In total, history knows about more than five thousand documents, decisions, and decrees regulating the activities of the Soviet intelligence service. In most cases, the activities of the KGB were not tied to the current Soviet legislation. Sharp contradictions and discrepancies often arose in the working methods that guided local departments and departments of the USSR KGB with legal norms.

Despite the fact that the general idea of ​​​​the activities of the Committee is, one way or another, clear, throughout the entire history of the existence of the KGB there have been many controversial issues in the activities of security agencies in the management system of a totalitarian state. The main functions of the institution, which are prescribed and approved in the Regulations on the State Security Committee of the USSR, were:

• the primary task was to carry out intelligence activities abroad;
• internal and external fight against espionage in favor of foreign intelligence services;
• control and counteraction to the leakage of important scientific and technical information abroad;
• protection of the state border of the Soviet Union;
• protection of strategic facilities on the territory of the USSR;
• protection of political figures and leaders of the Soviet state;
• ensuring the smooth operation of the government apparatus at all levels.

Based on the main functional tasks, the internal structure of the organization was built. Depending on the field of activity and directions, the work was carried out by KGB departments, which in turn had a lot of special and specialized departments.

In total, the structure of the Committee had 9 main departments, the main of which were 1, 2, 3 and 4 departments. The most powerful in technical terms and in terms of personnel training was the First Directorate, responsible for foreign intelligence. In this huge and complex structure, many other departments and subdepartments dealing with related issues closely interacted. This may include such important functions as operational analysis and planning, counterintelligence work abroad. These services were assisted by the departments for the creation of an illegal residency, scientific and technical intelligence, and the operational and technical service. The KGB colonel was higher in rank than his army counterpart, especially when it came to powers. Special service officers also differed from army officers in their uniform. Each rank had its own distinctive uniform details. The senior officers wore sea-green tunics framed with gold embroidery; the officers wore steel-gray tunics.

Personnel for such a specific institution were trained by the KGB Higher School named after. Dzerzhinsky. The main contingent is career military personnel of the Soviet Army, Navy and Border Service.

The uniforms of privates and sergeants were qualitatively different. The border service troops had their own ceremonial uniform, different from others. New insignia were introduced for soldiers, sergeants and officers of all ranks. Military shoulder straps of enlisted personnel were blue, cornflower blue. The gap on the officer's shoulder straps was of a similar color. The uniform of the KGB was constantly changing due to the combined arms reform. From stand-up tunics they moved to double-breasted and single-breasted tunics. Instead of blue breeches, tonal trousers with the color of a straight uniform were introduced.

The departments of the First Directorate dealing with active measures deserve special attention. This area included the introduction of an agent into the structure of Western intelligence services, the creation of subversive organizations on the territory of hostile states, and the deployment of saboteurs. Most of the secret missions worked by this department were carried out by the special unit “A”, the “Vympel” unit or the KGB special forces, part of the structure of the Seventh Directorate. These paramilitary units of the State Security Committee carried out the most risky and dangerous operations outside the country, aimed at protecting and releasing political leaders and seizing strategic targets abroad.

Soviet KGB special forces distinguished themselves during the operation to capture Amin's palace in the Republic of Afghanistan. The special forces of unit “A” took part in special operations in Baku (January 1990), during the events in the Lithuanian capital in 1991 and during the August putsch in Moscow in August 1991.

The special units that were part of the KGB had an army structure and, together with the border guards of the KGB troops, represented personnel divisions, brigades and separate detachments.

Finally

As of 1991, the staffing level of all directorates and departments, paramilitary units of the State Security Committee was 480 thousand people. The border troops alone numbered 220 thousand people. The number of operational workers of all ranks was about 1000 people.

From the memoirs of the last chairman of the KGB of the USSR, V.V. Bakatin, it became known that in 1991 the number of KGB employees was about 480,000 people, including paramilitary units.

The second and third departments of the KGB of the USSR were engaged in counterintelligence activities, with the difference that the third department completely controlled the military sphere, relations with foreign countries, and the work of the military-industrial complex. The responsibility and activities of the Fourth Directorate included work to combat anti-Soviet elements. This department was also called the ideological department.

To analyze the activities of the numerous departments, subdivisions and directorates available in the structure of the Committee, much more time and space will be required. To put it simply, the Soviet intelligence service controlled all spheres of the Soviet state, from foreign policy to internal social processes. The KGB officially ceased to exist in 1991, first becoming the Inter-Republican Security Service, then becoming the central intelligence service. The KGB Higher School was renamed the FSB Academy of the Russian Federation in August 1992.

Today, the FSB of the Russian Federation is a fundamental element of state security in modern conditions, continuing the glorious traditions of the cloak and dagger warriors of the Soviet era.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the organization of the Soviet intelligence service. On this occasion, a commemorative medal “100 years of the Cheka-KGB-FSB” was issued, which emphasizes the continuity of the modern domestic intelligence service, the Federal Security Service, with the security agencies of the Soviet period.

The first mention of such a body as the FSB of the Russian Federation appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century.

December 20, 1917 By resolution of the Council of People's Commissars, the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission (VChK) was formed to combat counter-revolution and sabotage in Soviet Russia. F.E. was appointed its first chairman. Dzerzhinsky. He held this post until February 6, 1922. From July to August 1918 The duties of the Chairman of the Cheka were temporarily performed by Y.Kh. Peters.

In the first months of its existence, before moving to Moscow, the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission was a small institution with only 40 employees and employees. The Cheka had at its disposal a team of soldiers of the Sveaborzh regiment and a group of Red Guards. On January 14, 1918, the Council of People's Commissars instructed F.E. Dzerzhinsky to organize detachments of “energetic and ideological” sailors to combat profiteering. By the spring of 1918, the Cheka already had several detachments. In addition to the team of Sveaborzhians, she had with her a detachment of scouts, a detachment of scooter riders, a detachment of sailors and a combat team. Abdullaev R.A. "History of state and law of Russia." - Volgograd, 2006. - P.34.

In March 1918, after moving to Moscow, the Cheka had departments: combating counter-revolution, profiteering, crimes in office, nonresident, and an information bureau. At the end of 1918-1919, the Cheka created secret operational, investigative, transport, military (special), operational, instructor departments, an information bureau and a control and audit board. At the end of 1920-beginning of 1921, the Cheka created an administrative department, an administrative-organizational, secret-operational and economic department, as well as a foreign department.

After a long series of reorganizations in 1922, 1934, 1941 and 1946, through the GPU-OGPU-NKVD-NKGB-MGB-MVD, the security agencies were transformed into the State Security Committee under the Council of Ministers of the USSR. According to the then existing order, an important political decision on the separation of state security structures from the Ministry of Internal Affairs into an independent department was made by the Presidium of the CPSU Central Committee on February 8, 1954, based on a note by the USSR Minister of Internal Affairs S.N. Kruglova. Lubyanka: Bodies of the Cheka-OGPU-NKVD-NKGB-MGB-MVD-KGB // www.fsb.ru

On April 2, 1957, the KGB under the Council of Ministers of the USSR transferred border troops from the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and created the Main Directorate of Border Troops (GUPV) to manage them.

Great importance was attached to preventive measures aimed at preventing state crimes. In 1967, the KGB authorities prevented 12,115 people, most of whom allowed manifestations of an anti-Soviet and politically harmful nature without hostile intent.

November 28, 1991 USSR President M.S. Gorbachev signed the Decree “On approval of the Temporary Regulations on the Inter-Republican Security Service.” V.V. was appointed head of this service. Bakatin.

An interesting stage in the history of the activities of the FSB of the Russian Federation was the formation of the KGB of the RSFSR. May 6, 1991 Chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR B.N. Yeltsin and Chairman of the KGB of the USSR V.A. Kryuchkov signed a protocol on the formation in accordance with the decision of the Congress of People's Deputies of Russia of the State Security Committee of the RSFSR, which has the status of a union-republican state committee. V.V. was appointed its head. Ivanenko.

On April 3, 1995, Yeltsin signed the Federal Law “On Bodies of the Federal Security Service in the Russian Federation,” which came into force on April 12, 1995. In accordance with it, the FSK was renamed the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, while no organizational and staffing measures were taken; service employees (including the director and his deputies) remained in their positions without reassignments and re-certifications. On June 23, 1995, the corresponding changes were "retrospective" number" were included in the structure of federal executive authorities. The same decree approved the regulations on the service and the structure of its central apparatus, which, with few exceptions, repeated the structure of the FSK.

V.I. Lenin and the first chairman of the Cheka, F. Dzerzhinsky, created this state institution as a “combat detachment of the party,” that is, as a party-state intelligence service with a clear ideological orientation towards a decisive struggle against political and ideological opponents.

The extreme conditions of counter-revolutionary opposition to the power of the Bolsheviks, the unfolding civil war and foreign intervention justified such a basis for the creation of the special services of the Soviet state. The Cheka, and then the GPU and OGPU acted decisively and offensively, skillfully seizing the initiative from their opponents, who were much more experienced. The personnel of the security agencies of the RSFSR, and later the USSR, were, without a doubt, deeply devoted to communist ideas. And although the general educational level of most of the management, not to mention the operational staff, was low, a clear political line, revolutionary pathos, a sense of exclusivity instilled in the security officers from the first day of service, made the Soviet state security agencies for 10-12 years one of the most powerful intelligence services in the world.

State security agencies have undergone more than ten reorganizations since their creation, with half of them occurring in the period 1991-1994.

The original name is known to everyone - it is the Cheka (1917). After the end of the civil war in 1922, a new abbreviation appeared - GPU. Following the formation of the USSR, the United GPU (OGPU USSR) arose on its basis. In 1934, the OGPU was merged with the internal affairs bodies (police) and the Union-Republican People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs was formed. G. Yagoda became People's Commissar, then N. Yezhov. L. Beria was appointed People's Commissar of Internal Affairs in 1938. In February 1941, the People's Commissariat of State Security (NKGB) was separated from this united structure as an independent one. In July 1941, he was again returned to the NKVD, and in 1943 he was again separated for many years into an independent structure - the NKGB, renamed in 1946 into the Ministry of State Security. Since 1943 it was headed by V. Merkulov.

After Stalin's death, Beria once again united the internal affairs bodies and state security bodies into a single ministry - the Ministry of Internal Affairs and headed it himself. Then S. Kruglov became the Minister of Internal Affairs.

In March 1954, the State Security Committee under the Council of Ministers of the USSR was created, separated from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I. Serov was appointed its chairman. In this post he was successively replaced by A. Shelepin, V. Semichastny, Yu. Andropov (he was in this position for about 15 years), V. Fedorchuk, V. Chebrikov, V. Kryuchkov, L. Shebarshin, V. Bakatin.

Appointed after August 1991 to the post of Chairman of the KGB of the USSR, V. Bakatin developed and began to implement the concept of disintegration of the KGB, i.e. fragmenting it into a number of independent departments in order to deprive it of its monopoly in the sphere of ensuring state security of the country. From the KGB, the Security Directorate, the Foreign Intelligence Service, FAPSI, Border Troops, and special-purpose divisions were transferred to the jurisdiction of the President.

After such “transformations,” the KGB of the USSR ceased to exist and from November 1991 began to be called the Inter-Republican Security Service (MSB USSR).

Throughout all 74 years of its existence, organs. The Cheka-KGB were a unique state organization, and their activities were comprehensive both in terms of the level of tasks they solved and in covering almost all spheres of life of the state and society. The bodies of the Cheka-KGB in the Center and locally, along with the CPSU and the Soviet system, were one of the three structural components of the Soviet state and social system. The rigid hierarchy of the KGB bodies, control, carried out along with party bodies, over the Armed Forces, the country's economy, national and cultural policies, foreign personnel, etc. made the State Security Committee a super-special service that had no analogues in the world before.

Naturally, the exceptional position in the state and society, the ability to quickly concentrate the enormous potential, if necessary, of the entire society, to solve the problems set by the leadership of the party, made the organs of the Cheka-KGB an extremely effective system, especially in extreme situations - during war years and aggravation of social tension . Thus, it was L. Beria, using the state security agencies, who mobilized the country’s enormous resources to create atomic weapons in the shortest possible time.

The Cheka-KGB system was truly a phenomenon. The thing is. that the KGB was a unique complex of intelligence services. The USSR State Security Committee included foreign intelligence (First Main Directorate), counterintelligence (Second Main Directorate), military counterintelligence (Third Main Directorate), transport and communications security (Fourth Directorate), economic counterintelligence (Sixth Directorate), ideological counterintelligence and political investigation (Department "3"), the fight against organized crime (Department for Combating Organized Crime), protection of the top leadership of the USSR and the CPSU (Security Service), border guards (Main Directorate of Border Troops), special troops (Main Directorate of Special Forces), ensuring government communications (Government Communications Department), encryption service (Eighth Main Directorate), decryption and radio interception service (Sixteenth Main Directorate), etc. The total number of KGB troops and agencies in 1991 reached about 420 thousand people.

This gigantic mechanism made it possible to quickly maneuver forces and concentrate them on the most important areas of work at the moment, reduce financial and material costs, and avoid duplication. This structure of the KGB ensured the acquisition of important information from various sources, its effective cross-checking, comprehensive analysis and synthesis, although, of course, it turned the committee to a large extent into a monopolist supplier of the most important information for the leadership of the USSR. The absence of interdepartmental barriers between intelligence, counterintelligence and other services ensured the rapid coordination, development and successful implementation of complex long-term operations. This significantly increased the effectiveness of the KGB’s activities compared to the US intelligence services.

The activities of the KGB bodies were based on Marxist-Leninist ideology. Today, many view this circumstance solely as a negative one that contributed to the disappearance of this super-special service. However, we must remember that for many decades it was the communist ideology that was the strongest weapon of the Cheka-KGB. Most of the most valuable agents abroad began to work with the security officers for ideological reasons, sincerely believing in the messianic ideals of creating a just society and international peace. It is enough to name the third man of British intelligence, K. Philby, and O. Ames, the head of the sector of counterintelligence operations against the USSR of the CIA, recruited by the KGB in the mid-80s. And there were hundreds and thousands of such employees of foreign intelligence services, ministers, politicians, prominent diplomats and officials, officers and generals, professors and students who decided to fight against imperialism for social justice and linked their lives with the KGB. While traitors and defectors from among the employees of the USSR state security agencies, as a rule, made their choice because of other, far from ideological, considerations.

It is noteworthy that when, from the mid-70s, the system of party bodies, headed by the elderly Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, began to lose authority among the people, many ordinary people turned their gaze to the KGB. It is not for nothing that even the ardent opponent of this organization, Academician A. Sakharov, considered it the least corrupt. And indeed, since 1975, the KGB received more letters with complaints, requests and proposals than the main power structure of the USSR - the CPSU Central Committee. Moreover, for the sake of fairness, it must be said that not a single one of these letters went unnoticed; many found their resolution. Work with workers' letters was constantly in the field of view of the Chairman of the KGB of the USSR Yu. Andropov, who created a special department responsible for this activity.

At the same time, in recent years the KGB, as a giant conglomerate of intelligence agencies, has become increasingly difficult to manage. The Chairman of the KGB practically became the third figure in terms of the level of his influence after the President (aka General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee) and the Prime Minister of the USSR, and in terms of the volume of real power - the second person in the state.

It was not for nothing that KGB Chairman Yu. Andropov was able to quickly and effectively inherit the power of L. Brezhnev. It was in the KGB, earlier than in other government structures, that an understanding of the need for reform arose. And, of course, it must be said that the chief of state security, V. Kryuchkov, and his subordinates, more acutely than others, realized the terrible danger of the collapse of the USSR and the coming innumerable disasters for its peoples. That is why they took an active part in organizing the attempt to save the country in August 1991. However, it was too late: the process of disintegration of the CPSU, the entire power structure in the USSR, including the KGB, had gone too far.

The main principle of the activities of the Cheka-KGB bodies throughout their history was the principle of party leadership. These special services have never, under any circumstances, played an independent political role and have always been the obedient, sharpest tool of the CPSU. It was the connection of the KGB with the party structures of power that contributed to the growth of the power and influence of this special service, but, on the other hand, led the KGB to disintegration as it weakened, internally degraded and, finally, collapsed the CPSU and the Soviet Union.

The strong features of the KGB were the strict centralization and comprehensive nature of the structures of this special service, covering many areas of security, economy of forces and resources, lack of duplication of links, corporatism, elite personnel, direct integration into the system of the highest political and state leadership of the country, and hence a clear political and ideological orientation of activity.

In March 1954, operational units were separated from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. ensuring the state security of the country. On their basis, an independent department was established - the State Security Committee under the Council of Ministers of the USSR with the rights of a Union-Republican ministry. For the KGB bodies, a system of their construction, functioning, accountability and control was chosen that would in fact abolish their over-centralization and would integrate them to the maximum extent into the constitutional system of government of the USSR.

The very new name of the KGB bodies - the State Security Committee - clearly meant that the most important problems of their organization and activities should be resolved on a collegial basis. For these purposes, the KGB established a Collegium, which in its legal status differed significantly from the collegiums of other ministries and departments. If the collegiums of ministries were advisory bodies under the relevant ministers, then the KGB collegium was created as a decisive body. The provision on it provided that in those hypothetical cases when the KGB chairman finds himself in the minority during a vote, the issue under consideration should be automatically and immediately transferred to higher authorities. Such a procedure was envisaged as an effective guarantee and measure to prevent various kinds of voluntaristic tendencies in the KGB system. Collegial units (colleges and councils) were also created in local KGB bodies (up to and including the KGB departments of territories and regions).

The disadvantages of organizing the functioning of the State Security Committee include a strict relationship with the structures of the CPSU, a monopoly in the field of security in general and information support for the country's top leadership, the lack of real mechanisms of civilian control over the activities of the KGB, the complexity of managing this gigantic intelligence service and the inability to quickly transform depending on drastic changes. changes in the political and operational environment, lack of real competition. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR, which occupied a specific niche and operated largely under the control of the KGB through military counterintelligence. Therefore, it would be wrong to consider the KGB and GRU as competitors.

Of course, some characteristic features, depending on the situation, can carry both a positive and a negative load, so the assessments given above can be considered to a certain extent subjective.

Perhaps something else is important: in general, the KGB as a special service, in its structure, functions, personnel composition and, most importantly, place in the system of state institutions, was extremely consistent with the mechanisms of state-political power in the Soviet Union. The degradation and collapse of this system inevitably led to the collapse of the KGB. This was the strategic vulnerability of the State Security Committee of the USSR - the most powerful intelligence service in the world, an analogue of which is unlikely to appear in the foreseeable future in the post-Soviet space. The strong state - the USSR - corresponded to a strong special service of the KGB, which died along with this state.

In 1917, The Council of People's Commissars decided to create the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission (VChK) whose task was to fight sabotage and counter-revolution in Soviet Russia. The first chairman of the commission was F.E. Dzerzhinsky, who headed the Cheka from its founding (December 20, 1917) until February 6, 1922. In 1918, deputy chairman of the Cheka Ya.Kh. Peters served as temporary chairman from July to August.

February 6, 1922, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee decided to abolish the Cheka and instead create a State Political Directorate (GPU) under the NKVD of the RSFSR.

November 2, 1923, under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, according to the order of the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR, the United State Political Administration (OGPU) was created. The GPU and OGPU were headed until the end of his life (July 20, 1926) by F.E. Dzerzhinsky. V. R. Menzhinsky, who replaced him, was the chairman of the OGPU until 1934.

July 10, 1934, The Central Executive Committee of the USSR decided to include state security bodies into the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs (NKVD) of the USSR. In 1934, Menzhinsky died and the work of the NKVD until 1936 was led by G.G. Berry. He was replaced by N.I. Ezhov, who headed the committee for 2 years until 1938. In 1938, L.P. became the head of the committee. Beria.

February 3, 1941, the NKVD of the USSR was divided into two independent bodies: the People's Commissariat of State Security (NKGB) of the USSR and the NKVD of the USSR. Beria remained head of the NKVD. And V.N. became the People's Commissar of State Security. Merkulov. However, already in July 1941, the NKGB and the NKVD again united into a single structure - the NKVD of the USSR, and in April 1943, the NKVD of the USSR was transformed into the People's Commissariat of State Security of the USSR, headed by V.N. Merkulov.

March 15, 1946, on the basis of the NKGB, the Ministry of State Security was formed, which until 1951 was headed by the Minister of State Security V.S. Abakumov. In 1951, the ministry came under the control of S.D. Ignatiev, until it was merged with the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 1953. The head of the new Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR was S.N. Kruglov.

March 13, 1954, under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, the State Security Committee (KGB) was formed, the head of which was appointed I.A. Serova. The leadership of the committee in 1958 passed to A.N. Shelelin, in 1961 - V.E. Semichastny, in 1967 Yu.V. Andropov, in 1982, in the period from May to December, V.V. became chairman. Fedorchuk, at the end of 1982 - V.M. Chebrikov, from 1988 to mid-1991 the head of the KGB was V.A. Kryuchkov, V.V. Bakatin is the last one to head the committee in August-November 1991.

December 3, 1991, KGB on the basis of a document signed by the President of the USSR M.S. Gorbachev's Law "On the Reorganization of State Security Bodies" was abolished, and on its basis the Central Intelligence Service of the USSR (now the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation) and the Inter-Republican Security Service (MSB) were formed. The work of the SME was regulated by the decree signed earlier, on November 28, by the President of the USSR “On approval of the Temporary Regulations on the Inter-Republican Security Service.” From November to December 1991, the SME was headed by the KGB V.V. Bakatin. May 6, 1991, head of the KGB of the USSR V.A. Kryuchkov and Chairman of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR B.N. Yeltsin signed a document on the formation, in accordance with the decision of the Congress of People's Deputies, of the State Security Committee of the RSFSR with the status of a union-republican committee. The head of which was appointed V.V. Ivanenko.

November 26, 1991, President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin signed a decree transforming the KGB of the RSFSR into the AFB (Federal Security Agency) of the RSFSR. V.V.Ivanenko - director from November to December 1991

January 24, 1992, AFB RSFSR and the Inter-Republican Security Service were abolished according to the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin, and on their basis the Ministry of Security of the Russian Federation was formed. Ministers: V.P. Barannikov – January 1992 – July 1993 N.M. Golushko – July 1993 – December 1993

December 21, 1993, The Ministry of Security was abolished by the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin, and on his basis the Federal Counterintelligence Service was formed. Management: N.M. Golushko – December 1993 – March 1994 S.V. Stepashin – March 1994 – June 1995

April 3, 1995, The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (FSB of the Russian Federation) became the receiver of the FSK on the basis of the law signed by the President. Management: M.I. Barsukov – July 1995 – June 1996 N.D. Kovalev – July 1996 – July 1998 V.V. Putin – July 1998 – August 1999 N.P. Patrushev – August 1999 – May 2008 A.S. Bortnikov - since May 2008

August 14, 1996, the FSB was renamed from the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation to the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB of Russia), but on September 9 the renaming was canceled.

May 22, 1997, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the FSB was reorganized, as a result of which 22 directorates were transformed into 5 directorates and 5 departments.

March 11, 2003, administered by the FSB of Russia by decree of President V.V. Putin was handed over to the Federal Border Service of the Russian Federation and the Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information (FAPSI).

July 11, 2004, according to the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation “Issues of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation,” a major reorganization was carried out in the central apparatus: FSB departments were replaced by services, and the number of deputy directors was reduced to 4 (of which 2 were the first) instead of the previous 12.