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Federal Security Service Board meeting

March 5, 2018, Moscow

Vladimir Putin took part in an expanded meeting of the Federal Security Service Board.

The President summarised the work of the Federal Security Service agencies in 2017 and outlined priority tasks for 2018.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues,

Today during the traditional expanded meeting of the Federal Security Service Board, we will summarise the service’s work in 2017 and, of course, will speak about the future objectives, taking into account the priorities set out in the Address to the Federal Assembly on March 1.

The life, rights and safety of our citizens must be effectively protected from both internal and external threats, from any attempts to encumber the strategic development of the country.

A huge responsibility here lies on the officers of all law enforcement and security agencies, and of course, on the workers of the Federal Security Service. I count on your accurate, professional actions, your determination and top-notch skills – something you have always displayed. I am sure you will do so in the future as well.

I would like to note that in recent years much has been done to develop the service’s potential. You have received cutting-edge equipment and communication means, modern information and analytical resources and skilled personnel. It is very important today to use all these resources to solve the entire range of tasks you are facing.

The key task is counteracting terrorism. The situation, as you well know, requires constant attention and total readiness.

The life, rights and safety of our citizens must be effectively protected from both internal and external threats, from any attempts to encumber the strategic development of the country.

In the past six years, the number of terrorist crimes in Russia has decreased. While in 2012 there were 316 such crimes, in 2014 there were 84 and in 2017 – 25. I would like to note that this positive trend is directly connected to our preventive anti-terrorism efforts. We constantly speak about it, and it is crucial that this work is yielding results.

Thus, in 2017, 68 terrorist crimes were prevented, including 25 terrorist attacks. I would like to thank you separately for this, because all these numbers mean saved lives of our citizens.

We must continue to be just as proactive, use offensive tactics and strategy in the fight against terrorism, and improve the coordinating role of the National Antiterrorism Committee. We should receive prompt, preemptive information and destroy the financial, information and other channels used by terrorist groups, which, as you well understand, are of a global, transborder nature.

In this regard, it is important to deepen cooperation with foreign intelligence agencies, including the strong ties that you have developed with your partners from the CSTO and the SCO member states. It is also necessary to develop the potential of the Global Terrorism Database, which helps quickly check the persons involved in terrorist groups.

In general, it is necessary to improve information exchange and expand the practice of joint special investigative and other activities.

In the fight against terrorism and other challenges to civilisation and international security, Russia has always been and will remain open for communication and collaboration both with our allies and with all other countries, even if we have differences or disputes on any issues on the international agenda. I am convinced that we must come together in the fight against terrorism.

The entire system of countering extremism must also be built effectively. At the recent Interior Ministry Board meeting, I noted that, unfortunately, the number of such crimes has grown recently.

It is necessary to protect people, young people, first of all, from those who try to infect society with aggression, intolerance, xenophobia and nationalism. Radicalism, no matter what political or ideological nature it has, is destructive in its essence, and we are obliged to protect the country, the future of the people from this threat.

Colleagues, in my March 1 Address, I spoke about new armament technologies and systems that are to protect Russia and provide a strategic balance, which means improving global security.

We have been working on this advanced equipment for many years, with thousands of people and hundreds of design and research teams and industrial enterprises. I would like to note that we have managed to provide an effective operational and counterintelligence cover for these large-scale projects. I would like to thank you and everyone who took part in this highly important, complex work for this result; the work was carried out and continues in difficult conditions.

As you know, in recent years foreign intelligence services have stepped up their activities. They are working very closely on Russia, using the most advanced methods of clandestine and technical intelligence. Last year alone we stopped 72 employees and 397 agents working with foreign secret services. I am asking you to continue working in this crucial area in a most organised and effective manner, and to prevent any attempts of foreign intelligence services to obtain political, economic, technical and military information.

At the same time, we must strengthen the protection of Russia’s information space from advanced cyber threats. For this purpose, we must upgrade the State Detection, Prevention and Liquidation System for computer attacks on Russian information resources as well as increase the reliability of authorities’ and law enforcement agencies’ confidential communication channels.

The Federal Security Service’s Border Guard Service also has important tasks. Within the 2021 State Border Programme, they should make concerted efforts to update the border area infrastructure, to provide advanced guarding equipment and to create firm barriers against international crime, terrorists, smugglers and drug dealers.

In the fight against terrorism and other challenges to civilisation and international security, Russia has always been and will remain open for communication and collaboration.

I expect that you will also continue your active, efficient work in countering corruption, an area so important for our country and society. The Russian Federal Security Service was recently involved in conducting a series of operations against bribe-takers and corrupt communities. This included those who lived off the economy, the housing and utilities system, the budget, who stole from the state and the citizens and caused direct, serious damage to the development of Russia.

Our country will implement large-scale, in many ways unprecedented measures related to social development, infrastructure modernisation, and city and town renewal. Work is underway to implement the newly adopted state armament programme. We also need to protect efforts in these areas from the threat of corruption, and to protect the interests of the people from theft, bribe-taking and attempts to put pressure on businesspeople, protect from everything that threatens the economic and other rights and freedoms of people, the rights that are the foundation of the development of a state and society.

Colleagues, we will continue the work related to improving the personnel potential of the service. We will consistently solve social, housing and other issues of the employees, and increase their salaries and pensions.

It is important to provide care and attention to security service veterans. I would like to draw special attention to this. I know that it is being done, but I still want to emphasise that we need to support the families of our fellow workers who were lost their lives in the line of duty. It is our common duty.

In conclusion, I would like to thank the staff of the Federal Security Service for doing scrupulous, efficient work, and for accomplishing the set tasks in a competent and urgent way.

Thank you for your attention.

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March 5, 2018, Moscow