Foreign Intelligence Service (Russia) facts for kids
The Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, often called the SVR RF, is Russia's main agency for gathering information from other countries. Think of it as Russia's "eyes and ears" outside its borders.
The SVR RF focuses mostly on non-military matters. It took over from an older agency called the First Chief Directorate (PGU) of the KGB in December 1991. The SVR has its main office in Moscow, Russia's capital city.
What the SVR Does
The SVR RF is different from another Russian agency called the Federal Security Service (FSB). While the FSB works inside Russia, the SVR does its work outside the country. Its main jobs are:
- Gathering Intelligence: This means secretly collecting important information about other countries.
- Espionage: This is another word for spying. The SVR has agents who work in other countries to learn secrets.
The SVR works closely with Russia's military intelligence agency, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU). The GRU focuses on military secrets, while the SVR handles other types of information.
Working with Other Countries
The SVR also helps Russia work with other countries on important issues. For example, it helps arrange agreements to fight terrorism together. It also shares information with other intelligence agencies around the world.
The SVR collects and analyzes information, then shares it with the Russian president. This helps the president make important decisions for the country.
History of the SVR
The SVR RF is the official successor to many foreign intelligence agencies that existed during the Soviet era.
- It started with the "foreign department" of the Cheka under Vladimir Lenin.
- Later, it became part of agencies like the OGPU and NKVD during the time of Joseph Stalin.
- Finally, before the SVR, it was known as the First Chief Directorate of the KGB.
Images for kids
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Russian President Vladimir Putin with Mikhail Fradkov, who led the SVR RF from 2007 to 2016.
