Putin, a former Soviet Union secret service (KGB) agent himself, has asked counterintelligence agencies to be extra vigilant.
THE Vladimir Putin admitted today that the situation in the four regions of southern and eastern Ukraine that Moscow has annexed without bringing them fully under its control is “extremely difficult”, an unprecedented statement for the Russian president.
“The situation in the People’s Republics of Donetsk, Lugansk as well as in the provinces of Kherson and Zaporizhia is extremely difficult,” Putin said characteristically.
The Russian president made these statements in a video addressed to employees of the security service (FSB), the counterintelligence service (SVR) and the protection of high-ranking persons (FSO) on the occasion of the Day of Security Services celebrated in Russia on December 20.
Putin welcomed the work of these services which operate “in the new provinces of Russia”, assuring that “the people who live there, Russian citizens” depend on members of the security services for their “protection”.
The Russian president, a former agent of the Soviet Union’s secret services (KGB) himself, asked the counter-intelligence agencies be especially careful.
“It is necessary to resolutely suppress the actions of foreign secret services and effectively identify traitors, spies and saboteurs,” he underlined.
In September, Moscow announced the annexation of four Ukrainian regions – Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson – which the Russian military partially controls after holding “referendums”. However, in November Ukraine recaptured Kherson, the capital of the province of the same name, striking a blow in Moscow.
Putin’s remarks come days after Russian media reported that Vladimir Putin “will make important announcement» at a meeting of the Ministry of Defense within the next week,
RES-EMP
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