Circling the Lion's Den
  

The Russian secret services

Coordination and oversight:

Agencies:

Backgrounds:

Legal frameworks

The legislative basis for the activity of the Russian secret services is the February 2006 law “On counteraction of terrorism”, “On the operational-search activity” (accepted by 05.07.1995) and law “On the security” (05.03.1995) applying to all special services. But also there are laws for each of the special services: “About the federal security service” (03.05.1995), “About the external intelligence” (08.12.1995) etc.

Furthermore, the activity of the Russian secret services is regulated by a countless number of President's Decrees. For example, one of the most secretive Russian special services is the Main Directorate of the Special Programs of the President (Glavnoye upravlenie specialnih program: GUSP), a former KGB 15th Directorate, responsible for the underground strategic assets of Moscow: bunkers and tunnels. Its activity is regulated not by the law, but by the Presidential edict “Questions of the Main administration of the specific objects of the Russian President” (07.09.2004).