The book discusses specific aspects of the espionage and intelligence of history in the 20th and early 21st centuries (Soldatov, 2020). Notably, it focuses on the federal security service (FSB) and other agencies that have dealt with shifts during the cold war. The operations oppose the war on terrorism and political realities that would help change the condition. The book brings about passing interests to the agencies and publishing companies concerned with the quality of information made available on the internet and news media. A prevalent notion that is brought about in the book includes a well-sponsored computer hacking system that may concern the administration systems (Soldatov, 2020). Another significant aspect is the intentional skewing of the Russian citizen through manipulation and using wrong information.
It is important to note that the book mirrors the aspects of misleading the public through giving wrong information that is the security agency systems. Some of the obscene sources mentioned in the book present abnormal perspectives related to world events. Such sources have proved to be significant to the librarians and researchers who focus on world events. The author of this work is a journalist who bases his work on national intelligence services. For some time, this individual has been working for various Moscow-based publications. Their current book seems like a compilation of materials from websites and their experience working as newspaper reporters. It is worth noting that this book discusses the Soviet KGB dissolution led by Gorbachev (Durant, 2017). It also focuses on the FSB’s subsequent history, including its successor agency under Yeltsin, Putin and Medvedev.
While Putin was in office, the federal security service consolidated much of the lost responsibilities like the military counterintelligence, and overseas electronic intelligence absorbed many initially retired KGB chiefs like the agents on active reserve (Marten, 2019). Immediately after the economic crackdown and the war with Chechnya, KSB reformed its control. Conversely, a new era ensued where the agency targeted foreign organizations. The authors deemed the chapter “hunt for foreign spies” a top priority since Novaya harassed them. Blagov, Begler, & Pleshkova (2020) claim that Borogan and Soldatov pursue the KSB’s tactical methods while monitoring trade unions, dissident protestors, and youth groups.
Further, they looked into developments and cultivation of the elite KSB officers in luxurious tastes introduced to the KGB heads. Additionally, Borogan and Soldatov were responsible for infiltrating sports conducted by the KSB (Allen & Peterson, 2020). Notably, they achieved this through checking into information that was in the counter intelligent agencies. The haunting ramifications of Putin’s reign included the ruthless long-running of Andropov Yuri, KGB chief. While Putin was still in power, FSB took over the Federal Agency of Government Communication (FAGC) roles since it was abolished. Remarkably, this made it acquire more strength that would help increase security in the Russian boundaries. These boundaries needed protection from terrorists and external international attacks. Besides, FSB was required to be permanent to end the fights between FAGC and international guards.
The readers of this book will see it as attractive since it contains specific perspectives about the global war from the Russian’s angle. Specifically, it circumnavigates terroristic wars and security services that took extreme ends like the one that happened in 2002 (Županič, 2020). Notably, this book is vastly arranged in a topical manner rather than chronologically. For instance, the topic “Hacking” has been used to suggest the several American states which were formerly NATO opponents (Lee, 2019). Such states had branded and joined to form a group called Regional Antiterrorists Structures (RATS), responsible for encouraging amateur hackers. Remarkably, this was meant to disrupt the adverse internet communications and seed it with misleading information. With this, it would imply that the efforts would require ongoing research and developments.
The preceding chapter that discusses the efficacy of the former Soviet KGB agencies suggests that the absence of the guanine intelligence estimates culled from the pages of famously available western newspapers (Durant, 2017). At the same time, discussing the Russian language website, Soldatov (2020) suggests that counterintelligence agencies and hackers have utilized it. However, the agencies were tasked with stopping the hackers though they misused the powers by dispensing wrong information that could mislead the public. Both the Russian and author websites are still active and can carry reports concerning universal reports (Lee, 2019). Such depictions could have perspectives of an individual’s missing if they mainly concentrated on the worldly recognized resources that included international newspapers.
The authors’ websites were founded to serve the community by collecting information and synchronizing it in newspapers that the public could read. It was also meant to write about the Russian, British, and American intelligence agencies. Apart from the international newspapers, the social networks and blogs would significantly contribute by playing active roles in international events like the 2011 and 20110 uprisings in the Middle East. In addition, these blogs and websites could contribute to more effective investigations that are mainly concerned with international events.
“The New Nobility” leaves the readers with a nagging question of whether those agencies are manipulating them. The readers cannot understand how a controlling state apparatus would allow certain websites to operate even though they might compromise security agencies. Before, the internet became more appreciated by the librarians, and their jobs were easier. Works issued by reputable publishers and articles from established peer-reviewed and newspapers formed the information regarding the safety of information in the Russian counterintelligence services (Allen & Peterson, 2020). Generally, this book encapsulates information that will entice its readers to think how much government professionals have subtly manipulated today’s internet sources to mislead the citizens.
The book also helps understand the resourceful and rich information that never reaches the intended audience. Notably, these aspects should apply to the Russian governments and be considered necessary in the international governments (Blagov, Begler, & Pleshkova, 2020). Despite the many questions that are left unanswered, the book has been of significant help since it has enabled the security services to take the central role in ensuring international safety. In particular, this information has provided an in-depth knowledge of what happens in the counterintelligence agent services like FSB (Hosaka, 2020). Such information has been the turning point for Russia in the past few years after the incidents that led to the theater siege and house bombings in the Beslan massacre and the Chechnya war (Hosaka, 2020). It depicts that the security services have made catastrophic and clumsy blunders that have led to the loss of many lives. However, the most evident aspect is the outstanding return to power made possible by Putin’s famous FSB alumnus.
The federal service bureau can effectively carry out its primary duties, including antiterrorism, counterintelligence, and military surveillance. It occupies the former headquarters in Moscow on the Lubyanka square. Notably, FSB is a capable service since it has exposed various incidences of foreign spies employed by the intelligence services. It uses well-synchronized sets of data and technologically advanced methods to catch foreign spies and territorial enemies easily. Research suggests that there has been an increased number of exposed spies that have been released by the FSB yearly, and the number has risen by 4% (Butowski, 2019). In high case profiles like foreign spying, the FSB sentences individuals to treason since most individuals usually obtain information through hacking and cyber cracking.
Therefore, the only option for such individuals could be life imprisonment since most of them sell information about the Russian missile systems. Another aspect that makes FSB capable is the rigid possession of well-skilled and trained employees. Notably, it has dedicated and committed employees who work by all means to achieve the set goals and objectives. For instance, the employees have maintained their primary interests in eliminating any counter-terrorist activities that may try to compromise the safety of the Russian citizens (Butowski, 2019). For instance, it has even gone to the extent of killing individuals who may try to separate the government through unjust and unscrupulous ways. They have also killed individuals who take part in the hostage crisis.
In other words, this service uses tactical intelligence that executes its primary role of counterterrorism. Since there is more improvised and modern weaponry, the FSB leaders’ decision-making processes always consider the levels of damage that will be caused to the public (Zhuravel, 2019). For instance, in counterterrorism cases, the principal field commanders consider the consequences of attacking the terrorists with highly destructive weapons. Generally, the statistics in research suggest that FSB is capable since it has presented lists of different terrorist organizations that have been recognized by the court and published in the newspapers (Allen & Peterson, 2020). Such lists are regularly available in the local newspapers but only through individual requests where the interested parties request the lists.
Additionally, FSB’s capability lies in gathering intelligence about the territorial condition of the independent commonwealth states. Under such tasks, the SVR is generally forbidden from conducting espionages through inter-governmental treaties. Even though such activities may be termed foreign espionage, they are protected by article eight of federal law. An excellent example of FSB’s capability is evident in the scientists who have been accused of illegal technology imports and espionage. Since the service was established during Putin’s reign, the Russian government has been able to get hold of military scientists that illegally gain information about the Russian operations. For instance, the service has captured journalists and ecologists who worked for the Bellona Foundation.
Notably, the journalists and ecologists worked on finding information that would help solve ecological issues like water pollution, climate changes, global warming, deforestation, and logging. They published materials that exposed the Russian nuclear feet hazards (Zhuravel, 2019). As a result, this made them foreign spies since they mainly worked for an international organization, Bellona Foundation. These individuals were later acquitted after serving a jail term of thirteen years in prison while his case was still re-investigated. Another scientist’s case that shows the capability of the federal security service is Kuranov, a physics expert. He is a chief designer of the Hypersonic Systems Research center that is based in Russia. Markedly, this individual was suspected of giving secret information about the aircraft technology.
Kuranov oversaw the Ajax aircraft concept design run, a Russian-American symposium he conducted for several years. Thus, he passed the information to the Americana government, although he was later found and arrested. At the moment, the individual is serving a life-imprisonment jail term at the maximum prisons. The other incidence includes the case of the ecologist and investigative journalist Grigory Pasko. The FSB arrested him while in Vladivostok and was accused of espionage in his publications. The publications were mainly based on the environmental problems that affected the Japanese sea. However, he was initially not found guilty since the evidence was lacking.
The FSB officers and other attorneys worked hard until they found the underlying evidence that convicted him of abusing his position. After several retrials, he was finally acquitted and sentenced for treason. Generally, the FSB is by all means capable of providing its services and has protected the Russian territory from counterterrorism and foreign espionage (Zhuravel, 2019). The agency has developed principles and intelligent tracking technology that has helped find the law offenders. With this, it has been able to protect the Russian republic and the information that might compromise the security of citizens. The national security bureaus should try to emulate the dedication and commitment of their nation. In particular, they should be willing to safeguard their country’s information that can be used against them by their enemies.
References
Allen, M., & Peterson, K. E. (2020). Information security and counterintelligence. In The Professional Protection Officer (pp. 451-461). Butterworth-Heinemann.
Blagov, E., Begler, A., & Pleshkova, A. (2020). Knowledge sharing barriers in Russian universities’ administrative subdivisions. Electronic Journal of Knowledge Management, 18(2), pp172-184.
Butowski, P. (2019). Flashpoint Russia (Russia’s Air Power: Capabilities and Structure). Harpia Publishing.
Durant, D. M. (2017). Know your FSB from your KGB: Researching Soviet/Russian intelligence in America. Federal Depository Library Program.
Hosaka, S. (2020). Repeating history: Soviet offensive counterintelligence active measures. International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence, 1-30.
Lee, H. (2019). The New Nobility: Tonga’s young traditional leaders. Pacific Youth, 111
Marten, K. (2019). The intelligence agencies and Putin: Undermining Russia’s security? In Routledge Handbook of Russian Security (pp. 192-202). Routledge.
Soldatov, A. (2020). From the “New Nobility” to the KGB. Russian Social Science Review, 61(6), 442-451.
Zhuravel, V. (2019). The Russian army and the border guard service of the Russian federal security service in the Arctic: Countering terrorism. Institute of Europe Russian Army Studies.
Županič, J. (2020). The nobilitization policy of the last Hapsburgs. The New Nobility in the age of Franz Joseph and Charles. Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial-und Wirtschaftsgeschichte, 106(4), 473-518.