The work of scouts is difficult, dangerous, and requires remarkable abilities. As a rule, the deeds of these people remain a secret for the layman, but their contribution to national security is enormous. The Russian intelligence services are rightfully among the best in the world. Respect and fear of the Soviet and the Russian intelligence, which has taken the baton, are the result of decades of successful work of hundreds of professionals who conducted brilliant operations.
Despite the fact that today various types of reconnaissance equipment play an increasingly important role, without the participation of highly qualified specialists, advanced technologies lose their effectiveness. Therefore, the superiority of modern intelligence services is achieved by combining technical means and well-trained and dedicated professionals.
What is intelligence?
Intelligence refers to the purposeful collection and analysis of information about opponents, competitors, or even allies with the help of agents and all kinds of technical intelligence. The objects of intelligence activity are states, politicians, the armed forces, foreign corporations and financial institutions, communications and management objects, technologies and scientific secrets.
Currently, more and more intelligence services of different states are closely cooperating, fighting against global problems facing the world: international terrorism, the spread of dangerous nuclear technologies, and the drug business. Conventionally, there are three main types of intelligence: undercover, technical and military.
Agent
Undercover intelligence is carried out by mishandled or recruited agents whose purpose is to collect valuable information, gain access to important objects, and penetrate the power structures of a potential or obvious adversary. This type of intelligence is the subject of many books and films. The romantic image of a scout who works surrounded by enemies, daily exposed to danger and constantly performing feats, is often embellished, but the essence reflects correctly.
Not always the work of a scout is associated with heroism, but it is always associated with tension, the danger of being uncovered. He obtains information in different, but usually peaceful ways: he receives it from informants, eavesdrops, observes, makes copies of documents and files that came to him, steals samples of equipment and important technologies. Specially trained agents are capable, if necessary, of more radical measures: subversive actions, capture of important prisoners.
The agents are divided into illegal and legal. An illegal immigrant is either a recruited citizen of a foreign country or a scout living under other people's documents. Legal agents hold diplomatic cover positions in trade missions, embassies and missions.
Military
A type of intelligence that takes part directly in hostilities, providing the army and military units with up-to-date information about the enemy: about his deployment, strength, technical strength, vulnerabilities, and possible plans. Scouts make forays into the rear of the enemy, capture and interrogate prisoners, interrogate local residents, study the equipment and documents obtained. In addition, large military units are equipped with modern technical reconnaissance equipment.
Technical
The main advantages of technical Russian and foreign types of intelligence are, firstly, the reduction of risk for intelligence officers who operate either in complete safety from their territory or remotely. Secondly, the capabilities of man are largely confused by the capabilities of technology, which is capable of peeping from space, intercepting private conversations, getting into a computer, monitoring, recording, storing and processing an incredible amount of information.
According to the type of carrier, technical intelligence is divided into space (satellites), air (aircraft, helicopters), sea (submarines, ships) and ground (cars, trains, special structures on and under the ground). Russian and foreign types of technical intelligence are the same and will include the following types of intelligence technologies:
- computer;
- acoustic;
- optical;
- electronic;
- photographic;
- radiation;
- chemical;
- seismic;
- biological;
- magnetometric.
Russian intelligence: goals and powers
The Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation (SVR) is a classified and very important unit in the general system of forces ensuring the country's security. The goals of the SVR include not only collecting, analyzing, and providing the Russian leadership with reliable information about potential opponents, but also promoting Russian politics in the world, as well as promoting the scientific progress and economic development of the Russian Federation.
The powers of the service include the recruitment of foreign citizens who wish to cooperate, the encryption of personal data of agents and staff, the secret use of any means and methods that do not harm nature and people. Although circumstances sometimes force intelligence officers to exceed powers for the good of the country.
Unlike Soviet intelligence, which opposed the capitalist West literally in all parts of the planet, the SVR moved away from globalism in its activities. The modern doctrine of Russian intelligence is local, targeted work in regions in which Russia has genuine, topical interests. This allows the wise use of human and technical resources, while not losing efficiency while ensuring national interests.
Structure
The direct, strategic leadership of the intelligence agencies of Russia lies with the president of the country, he also appoints the director of the SVR.
In October 2016, Sergey Naryshkin, who still manages foreign intelligence, was appointed to this position by Vladimir Putin.
Naryshkin and his deputies are responsible to the president for the accuracy and timeliness of the information that operational, functional, and analytical divisions extract and process. Collegium meetings are held several times a year at which the government and the Foreign Intelligence Directorate (up to the level of department heads) discuss current problems, coordinate the activities of various types of intelligence, and deal with intelligence policy issues.
