RT, 28 Jan 10: Counterintelligence should remain a key priority for Russia’s Security Service (FSB) because of spies’ interest in state secrets, President Dmitry Medvedev said during a meeting with the agency’s board. “The foreign special services’ interest in our state secrets and newest developments remains high,” Medvedev said. Therefore, the president urged the country’s intelligence to respond promptly “to any attempts to collect classified information”. Criminal cases should be initiated whenever such facts are spotted. For his part, the head of state promised to provide support for the agency and its employees.

The focus of Medvedev’s meeting senior FSB officials on Thursday was, quite obviously, state security. Among major tasks in that respect the president named the necessity to provide the most up-to-date equipment at Russian borders. . . . President Medvedev said he that is satisfied with the FSB’s work in 2009 and the agency managed to accomplish its tasks. Over 80 terrorist attacks were prevented and 500 leaders and members of militant groups were neutralized, thanks to security forces efforts. However, “criminal attacks in Ingushetia, Dagestan and Chechnya show that terrorism is the main threat for society,” he cautioned. Therefore, Medvedev has called on the federal security service to continue “systematic work to neutralize criminal groups, their leaders and people who carry out terrorist attacks.” He added that terrorism had to be fought by the authorities and society together. . . . .

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