On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the FSB internal security service to increase its operations to confront Ukraine and the West’s spying and sabotage.
Putin told authorities that the FSB must block “sabotage organizations” from entering Russia from Ukraine, preserve infrastructure, and prevent Western security agencies from restarting terrorist or extremist cells in Russia.
“Western intelligence services have always been active in Russia, but now they have put more human, technological, and other resources at us.
Therefore, Putin ordered the FSB to stop illicit arms trafficking into Russia and enhance security in four regions of Ukraine that Moscow has partially seized and claimed as its own, a move most UN nations have condemned as illegitimate.
Putin instructed the FSB, his former agency, to boost its counter-intelligence efforts.
“Significant information regarding the control systems of our military and law enforcement organizations, defence industry firms, important technology and personal data must be properly secured,” he added, underlining the significance of secrecy around the latest Russian weaponry and equipment.
The president did not cite any intelligence failures, but his words signaled worry about vulnerabilities.
Russia has witnessed drone strikes on its territory, hacking of pro-government media, and the August death of the daughter of a famous nationalist who supported the war in the year since Putin invaded Ukraine.
Activists claim scores of railway infrastructure strikes to hamper military transit.
The FSB detained three Russians last month for “terrorist actions” on the Urals railway infrastructure, although details are unclear.
The emergency ministry reported Tuesday that hackers led regional broadcasters to issue bogus bomb shelter alarms.
On Tuesday, Putin again warned Russians to watch out for traitors:
“We must identify and oppose those who use separatism, nationalism, neo-Nazism, and xenophobia to divide and damage our society.”
He stated Russia always has such activity. “The attempts are most active today. attempts to awaken our land’s filth.”
