SVR: Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki

Creation Date: December 18, 1991

Location of Headquarters: Moscow, Russia

Person in Charge: (2023) Director Sergey Naryshkin

Operational Focus: Foreign intelligence collection and analysis.

Brief History: Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the disestablishment of the KGB, the foreign intelligence function was transferred to the newly formed SVR, or Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki, on December 18, 1991. The SVR became the main agency responsible for foreign intelligence gathering, analysis, and espionage activities on behalf of the Russian Federation.

Powers: The SVR focuses on gathering intelligence outside of Russia's borders, monitoring foreign political developments, collecting information on security threats, and providing analysis to support Russian foreign policy objectives. It conducts covert operations, espionage, and information warfare activities to protect national interests.

While the KGB and SVR have distinct histories, the KGB's legacy continues to shape the Russian intelligence apparatus. The KGB's influence on domestic security and intelligence operations is evident, while the SVR focuses primarily on foreign intelligence gathering and analysis. Both agencies play crucial roles in Russia's intelligence landscape, with the KGB having played a more significant role during the Soviet era, and the SVR continuing its work in the post-Soviet era.

Notable Operations:

Operation Saturn (1990s): This operation involved the SVR's efforts to infiltrate and gather intelligence on various NATO and European Union institutions. It sought to monitor political developments, military activities, and decision-making processes within these organizations.

Operation Ghost Stories (2010): This long-term espionage operation involved a group of Russian sleeper agents who were arrested in the United States. The operation aimed to gather intelligence on American political, military, and economic matters. The arrest and subsequent swap of these agents with the United States was a significant event in intelligence history.

Operation Monastery (2014): The SVR was implicated in a cyber-espionage campaign that targeted various government and private sector entities in Ukraine. The operation involved malware attacks and information gathering with the objective of furthering Russia's strategic interests in the region.