Translated material
"Chekism cannot be destroyed"
On December 20, on the day of education in 1917, the Cheka, Lubyanka employees and their colleagues celebrate a professional holiday. And we again ask: "Lubyanka" - will this be the end? The historian of the special services Leonid Mlechin and his interlocutors offer their answer
State security authorities meet a professional holiday more than ever confident in their need and importance. Lubyanka happily overcame the period that is dangerous to her, when at the breakdown of the era the department could generally disappear.
The USSR State Security Committee, on the contrary, absorbed the Russian structure. And he completely got rid of political control, which in Soviet times was the very least carried out the Central Committee of the CPSU
How the KGB is preserved
General Valery Vorotnikov, the former head of the fifth (ideological) control of the KGB, was surprised by Bakatin: “How to destroy Chekism? Chekism cannot be destroyed. Hundreds and thousands of people are brought up on these principles. Want to create a new service, flag in your hands. But keep in mind that with this personnel you will not create anything except the KGB of the USSR, because these people do not re -educate. In order to create a new service, it is necessary to dismiss everyone to one and gain new people. ”
General Vorotnikov was right.
The leaders of the KGB of the RSFSR, led by General Viktor Ivanenko, tried in 1991 to build state security on new principles that meet the needs of the new Russia. But Ivanenko was not his own for President Yeltsin. After the Belowie, all the Russian structures absorbed the allied. Only the USSR State Security Committee, on the contrary, absorbed the Russian structure. And it has been preserved in the best position, because he completely got rid of political control, which in Soviet times, the CPSU, carried out the CPSU Central Committee.
“The criminal liability for various forms of extremism will bring more misfortunes than the responsibility for slander for the Soviet state and social system,” said Colonel General Nikolai Golushko
Goals and objectives
The department cannot, as before, prevent the departure abroad. And the veto is imposed on personnel appointments only in the state apparatus. Therefore, first of all, the instruments of control over the spiritual state of society are selected in order to return the influence lost when changing the political system.
Still proceeds from the fact that the main danger is from ideological erosion. This was explained by one of the FSB generals: “For a number of objective ones related to the fundamental features of Russia, the reasons for the reasons for the state from“ internal seditions ”, that is, in modern language, from threats to security in the socio-political sphere, because“ internal seditions ”for Russia, has always been worse than any military invasion” was always paid to it.
“To legal proceedings,” warned the former director of the FSB, Colonel General Nikolai Golushko, “was introduced criminal liability for various forms of extremism. Believe my professional instinct - the application of these norms of the Criminal Code will bring more misfortunes than the responsibility for slander for the Soviet state and social system. ”
Such an experienced specialist, as General Golushko, understands that such laws push an operational employee on the old path - to identify people who allow themselves to criticize power, federal or local, and plug their mouths. The struggle against seditions is not a fight against terrorism or espionage. This is an attempt to influence mindset in society, to manage it. Pure policy that goes beyond the competence of special services. Does power flow from political leadership to special services?
The easiest way to see a conspiracy in your own failures, the machinations of extremists and foreign agents
At the helm
In leadership positions, the presence of professional workers of special services is noticeable. Of course, special services employees are the same people like everyone else. Among them there are fools, and smart, far -sighted and not far, decent and not very. But the workers of special services over the years develop a certain view of life and people.
They believe that firm management, rigid control, strict execution of orders is the key to success. Subordination and diligence raise the habit of obeying, and not make decisions yourself. Suspiciousness and incredulity to others are absorbed into the flesh and blood, the world is harshly divided into its own and strangers. And they get used to acting methods that are often not applicable to civilian life.
At first, businessmen gladly hired former security forces, hoping for their connection, or directly turned to the current officers of various departments to overcome competitors. Over time, it became clear that without people from the special services, things are not done at all.
All over the world, special services veterans are willingly taken to security structures, security services of banks or large corporations, and analytical centers. But they rarely become deputies or ministers. Such was the Soviet tradition.
The relationship between power and state security was difficult. Every two or three years, Stalin changed the team on Lubyanka (mainly shot), endlessly mowed the Chekists, preventing them from strengthening his posts. The leaders were afraid of the department, which they themselves created. Appointing the KGB chairman Alexander Shelepin, the former leader of the Komsomol, the person from the side, Khrushchev told him: “I still have a request to you - do everything so that I am not overheard.”
Political workers were transferred to Lubyanka, put at the head of the personnel apparatus. And the KGB officers were not the first secretaries of the regional committees and chairmen of the regional executive committees. And they did not take to the Central Committee. The exception is Heydar Aliyev: In Azerbaijan, it was necessary to suppress corruption. Boris Pugo in Latvia and Givi Gumbaridze in Georgia also became the first secretaries of the republican Central Committee with the post of chairman of the republican KGB, but both were not professional Chekists, all their lives for party-Komsomol work.
What does the willingness mean to postpone political work to state security officers? The desire to protect yourself from troubles, to exceed other concerns? Certificate of sagging management apparatus?
The easiest way to see a conspiracy in your own failures, the machinations of extremists and foreign agents. What is good for officials "Foreign Track"? Since the crime was prepared from the outside, it means that they are not to blame for anything. And nothing needs to be done.
History shows: many politicians fell into a difficult position, believing in a promise to deprive a difficult businessman without noise and dust. But these tools will not replace a well -thought -out and balanced policy
Information from the keyhole how the service makes itself necessary? A convenient way to arrange the leaders of the country is to inspire them with the feeling that they receive information inaccessible to others. Politicians feel belonging to the circle of the elect, get used to secret reports, like a drug.
Is information accurate? Let's say American presidents are checking reconnaissance vehicles with television and newspaper analysts.
Our media work like a coffee machine, like a miracle equipment, a cooking cup of your favorite drink. What button pressed, you will get such a drink. What do you ask to say from the screen, it sounds ... How much benefit is much?
Russian leaders were convinced that Washington was interfering in their domestic policy in order to organize a change in the regime in Moscow. So, we must show the world that we are ready to answer. And the ability to win is determined not by economic and technological potential. The courage and decisiveness, offensive actions will make the enemies be afraid of you, and the allies will appreciate your friendship. There is a temptation to replace a thoughtful policy with secret operations.
And the people from the special services are a master to persuade. These are professional seducers! History shows: many politicians fell into a difficult position, believing in a promise to deprive a difficult businessman without noise and dust. But these tools will not replace a well -thought -out and balanced policy, developed taking into account all the complexity of the modern world. Worse, usually the situation is only complicated. Gets confused. Sometimes it becomes hopeless.
Efficiency coefficient
On February 13, 2004, in the capital of Katar, the city of Doha was blown up by a jeep of Zelimkhan Yandarbieva - using a radio -controlled device. Yandarbiev, a supporter of the department from Russia and the war with Russia, became Vice President with General Johar Dudaev, and after the liquidation of the general replaced him.
Zelimkhan Yandarbiev left Chechnya and lived in Qatar since 2000 as a refugee who has no right to engage in political activities. " The explosion occurred on Friday, at the moment when he left the mosque. He died in the hospital. His son, who was with him, remained alive.
The Qatari police accused the murder of the first secretary of the Russian embassy Alexander Fetisov, as well as two Russian citizens temporarily seconded to the embassy. The first secretary who had diplomatic immunity was sent to their homeland. The other two police arrested.
At the trial in Qatar, the prosecutor demanded a death sentence. Lawyers proved that the accused gave the recognition under torture. Sentence: life imprisonment. The Secretary of the Security Council Igor Ivanov, who flew to Qatar and had conversations with Crown Prince Tamim Ben Hamad Ben Khalifoy Al-Tani, rescued. They served less than a year.
History with the murder of Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, intelligence historians consider the turning point: it turns out that the special services after a long break are fulfilled by the death sentences issued to the enemies of the state. And the murder of Yandarbiev was far from the last.
An intensive struggle against international terrorism radically changed the level of counterintelligence services around the world. Intelligence and military operations have become extremely risky. But this is clearly not realized.
The scandal incredible in scale flared up in the United States, not because the American counterintelligence opened the skillfully created spy network. The reason is the operation in the cyberspace! Opera workers who were not trained to act on the territory of the enemy, but not the led experts in the computer world, sitting at home, penetrated the secrets of American politics.
Law enforcement agencies of the United States, Congress, public opinion are sure: the Russian special services tried to influence the result of the American presidential election. Influenced? It is not known - at least two points of view exist on this subject. But for the Americans, an attempt itself is unbearable. Nobody attacked the United States, no one occupied their territory. Therefore, the reaction is strong.
The question arises: did they really want to quarrel with the United States at the moment when Donald Trump became president, who was applauded in Moscow? Or, as usual, it was promised that nothing would open? And this is a direct consequence of the time when in the operational field, and in diplomacy, and at the very top of the decision, people of the same school, one experience and one worldview make. Which, moreover, are completely uncontrolled.