President Putin meet with Security Council members including his top Spymaster Michkail Fradkov – picture here.
President Vladimir Putin of Russia held a briefing session with permanent members of the Security Council. These included Mickhail Fradkov, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (Russian: Служба Внешней Разведки Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki or SVR).
The SVR is Russia’s primary external intelligence agency.
The SVR Director is appointed by and reports directly to the President of Russia .
The Director provides briefings to the President every Monday and on other occasions as necessary, such as meetings of the permanent Security Council.
The SVR is the successor of the First Chief Directorate (PGU) of the KGB since December 1991.
The SVR is responsible for all major intelligence and espionage activities outside the Russian Federation, including clandestine activities being conducted currently inside the United States of America.
Fradkov is also responsible for overseeing counter espionage and anti terrorists activities in Russia.
Also at the meeting was Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu – arguably the most powerful military leader in the Russian Federation. He holds the military rank of General of the Army.
The press briefing read as follows:
“The meeting participants discussed topical issues on domestic and international agenda.
They also discussed in detail the various conceptual issues concerning the preparation of the annual Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly scheduled for this Thursday, December 12.
Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov, State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov, Foreign Intelligence Service Director Mikhail Fradkov, and permanent member of the Security Council Boris Gryzlov” (source: Kremlin Press Office http://eng.kremlin.ru/news/6399).
It is suspected that topics of heated discussion ranged from the threat posed by U.S. submarines in the Berents Sea, which is in the Arctic region to Russia’s ongoing foreign intelligence gathering and influence operations in Europe and the United States.
See related article: “It only takes 15-16 minutes for U.S Missiles to reach Moscow”, warns President Putin https://groundreport.com/it-only-takes-15-16-minutes-for-u-s-missiles-to-reach-moscow-from-the-barents-sea-warns-president-putin/) to SVR clandestine intelligence activities worldwide.
See video: SVR history & 90th Anniversary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZpQ_tSqXuA