Russian elites are reportedly afraid that the FSB has come under…
Russian elites are reportedly afraid that the FSB has come under control, as Vladimir Putin has granted the FSB broad freedom of action, hoping to use it to maintain power amidst growing concerns over the war in Ukraine, according to Bloomberg citing sources.
Consensus
- Vladimir Putin has granted the FSB, particularly its Second Service, extensive powers to conduct investigations with little oversight.
- There is growing concern among Russian political elites that the FSB is operating beyond control.
- Putin is increasingly favoring a hardline approach to controlling society and business.
- The FSB is expanding its influence while other high-ranking officials, such as Sergey Kirienko, are losing power.
- The August 1 explosion at the Balzi Rossi restaurant in Moscow likely strengthened the FSB's position in security policy debates.
- The FSB has been behind recent repressive actions, including charges against Pavel Durov.
- Other officials have raised concerns about the negative public reaction to targeting Telegram, but their influence is diminishing.
Points of divergence
- The FSB has become the de facto governing body of the country, reducing other state institutions to mere technical support for intelligence-driven decisions. — meduza
- The FSB is responsible for the prosecution of scientists on treason charges and the nationalization of businesses. — meduza
- The FSB is behind the persecution of blogger Ilya Remeslo and politician Boris Nadezhdin. — meduza
- The FSB's internet censorship role was confirmed by The Bell in April. — tg_agentstvonews
- The Kremlin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, did not respond to the agency's request. — tg_agentstvonews
Coverage (2 sources)
- Russian elite fears FSB is losing control. Putin uses the agency to hold onto power. And increasingly leans toward increasing pressure on business and society, writes Bloomberg — Meduza
- Russian elite fears FSB has lost control — Агентство. Новости