President Putin entrusts FSB to protect the Duma elections

Sputnik reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin recently assigned the Federal Security Service (FSB) the responsibility of protecting the upcoming election to the State Duma (the Russian lower house of parliament) from external interference and internal sabotage plots.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Speaking at the FSB's work review meeting on February 26, President Putin said: "I have read your documents, which are regularly prepared in the form of summaries and specific instructions on the unfortunate fact that our enemies abroad are also 'preparing' for elections in Russia."

"The FSB must not only stop attempts to interfere in the electoral process (from outside), but also repel enemies within democracy - those who try or seek to use nationalist, xenophobic, or extremist slogans to divide our society," he stressed.

Thus, perhaps for the first time at the highest level, the FSB is recognized as both a counterintelligence agency and a form of political police, since previously the fight against domestic extremists was often considered the main task of the Interior Ministry.

According to plan, the Russian State Duma election will be held on September 18./.

According to VIETNAM+