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'''Active Measures''' (]: "Активные мероприятия") are a form of political warfare conducted by the ] ] services (], ], ], ], and ]) to influence the course of world events,<ref name="Mitrokhin"> Mitrokhin, Vasili, Christopher Andrew (2000). The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West. Gardners Books. ISBN 0-14-028487-7. </ref> in addition to collecting intelligence. "Active measures" can be used abroad or domestically. They include ], ], ]ing official documents, and ]s. '''Active Measures''' (]: "Активные мероприятия") are a form of political warfare conducted by the ] ] services (], ], ], ], and ]) to influence the course of world events,<ref name="Mitrokhin"> Mitrokhin, Vasili, Christopher Andrew (2000). The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West. Gardners Books. ISBN 0-14-028487-7. </ref> in addition to collecting intelligence. "Active measures" can be used abroad or domestically. They include ], ], ]ing official documents, and ]s.
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===Post World War II counter-insurgency operations=== ===Post World War II counter-insurgency operations===
Following the ], various partisan organisations in the Baltic States, Poland and Western Ukraine (including some previous collaborators of Germany) fought for independence of their countries against the Soviet forces. Many ] agents were sent to join and penetrate the independence movements. Many puppet rebel forces were created by the NKVD and permitted to attack local Soviet authorities to gain credibility and exfiltrate senior NKVD agents to the West. <ref name="Bodansk"/> Following the ], various partisan organisations in the Baltic States, Poland and Western Ukraine (including some previous collaborators of Germany) fought for independence of their countries against the Soviet forces. Many ] agents were sent to join and penetrate the independence movements. Many puppet rebel forces were created by the NKVD and permitted to attack local Soviet authorities to gain credibility and exfiltrate senior NKVD agents to the West. <ref name="Bodansk"/>

===Russian apartment bombings===
In ] ] a series of four ] began. Three FSB agents were caught while planting a large bomb at the basement of an apartment complex in the town of ] in ]. Russian Minister of ] Rushailo congratulated police with preventing the terrorist act, but FSB Director ] had declared that the incident was a training exercise just an hour later, when he had learned that the FSB agents are caught.

Next day, ] received a demand from 24 Russian governors to transfer all state powers to Prime Minister ], according to ] <ref name="Alex"> .</ref> ] began on ].

That was a successful ] organized by the FSB to bring ] to power, according to the allegations of former FSB officer ], lawmaker ], and journalist ], a ] and ] scholar <ref name="Litvinenko1"> Yuri Felshtinsky, Alexander Litvinenko, and Geoffrey Andrews. Blowing up Russia : Terror from within. New York 2002. ISBN 1-56171-938-2.</ref> <ref name="Alex"> .</ref> <ref name="Satter">David Satter. ''Darkness at Dawn: The Rise of the Russian Criminal State.'' Yale University Press. 2003. ISBN 0-300-09892-8. </ref>. Vice-chairman of ] commission created to investigate the bombings ] was assassinated. Another member of this commission ] died presumably from poisoning by thallium. Investigator ] hired by relatives of victims was arrested and convicted by Russian authorities for disclosing state secrets. Although there is no proof that any of these allegations are true.

===Dagestan War===
Another provocation designed to start the ] and bring ] to power was allegedly ] initiated by terrorist ]. It was reported that ] from Yeltsin administration paid money to Basayev to stage the Dagestan War <ref name="Dunlop1"> - by John B. Dunlop, ACPC, ] ] </ref> <ref name="Klebnikov"> Paul Klebnikov: Godfather of the Kremlin: The Decline of Russia in the Age of Gangster Capitalism, ISBN 0-15-601330-4 </ref> <ref name="Pribylovsky"> by Vladimir Pribylovsky and Yuriy Felshtinsky (in Russian).</ref>, that Basaev worked for Russian ] at this time <ref name="Glucksmann"> - by Andre Glucksmann. Prima-News, ] ] </ref> <ref name="Basaev"> The Jamestown Foundation, September 08, 2006 </ref> <ref name="Fuller">
- by Liz Fuller, RFE/RL, ] ] </ref>, and that Russian military forces provided safe passage for Islamic fighters back to ] from ] <ref name="Anna"> </ref>

===Moscow theater hostage crisis===
Former FSB officer ] and investigator ] alleged that ] was organized by Chechen FSB agents
<ref>{{cite web
| last = Lazaredes
| first = Nick
| title = Terrorism takes front stage &mdash; Russia’s theatre siege
| work =
| publisher = SBS
| date = ] ]
| url = http://news.sbs.com.au/dateline/index.php?page=archive&daysum=2003-06-04#
| accessdate = 2006-11-28 }}</ref> <ref name="cp1-12">{{ru icon}}{{cite web
| title = М. Трепашкин: «Создана очень серьезная группа»
| publisher = Chechen Press State News Agency
| date = ], ]
| url = http://www.chechenpress.info/events/2006/12/01/03.shtml
| accessdate = 2006-12-01 }}</ref>.
] and other journalists accused FSB of staging many smaller ] acts, such as market place bombing in the city of ], bus stops bombings in the city of ], the blowing up the ]-] train <ref name="Latyn"> - by ], ], ] ]. </ref> <ref name="astrakhan"> by Vjacheslav Izmailov, ], ] ]. </ref>.


===Puppet rebel forces in Chechnya=== ===Puppet rebel forces in Chechnya===
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Current Russian ] organization ] allegedly works to undermine governments of ] <ref name="Soldatov2"> - by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Dorogan, ], ] ]. </ref> and ] <ref name="Giorgadze"> - by Olga Allenova and Vladimir Novikov, Kommersant, Sep. 07, 2006. </ref>. During ] several Russian ] officers were accused by Georgian authorities of preparations to commit ] and ] acts. Current Russian ] organization ] allegedly works to undermine governments of ] <ref name="Soldatov2"> - by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Dorogan, ], ] ]. </ref> and ] <ref name="Giorgadze"> - by Olga Allenova and Vladimir Novikov, Kommersant, Sep. 07, 2006. </ref>. During ] several Russian ] officers were accused by Georgian authorities of preparations to commit ] and ] acts.


==Icebreaker strategy==
The term "]" was coined by Russian writer and historian ] who argued that ] had planned to use ] as a proxy (the “Icebreaker”) against the West(see ]). For this reason ] had provided significant material and political support to ], and at the same time was preparing the ] to "liberate" the whole of ] from Nazi occupation. In the end, ] was able to achieve some of his objectives by establishing Communist regimes in ], ], and ].

After the ], ] transferred nuclear technology and weapons to the ] as an adversary of the ] and ] According to ], "Khrushchev’s nuclear-proliferation process started with Communist China in April 1955, when the new ruler in the Kremlin consented to supply Beijing a sample atomic bomb and to help with its mass production. Subsequently, the Soviet Union built all the essentials of China’s new military nuclear industry" <ref name="bomb"> - by ], ],] ] </ref>. It has been reported that Russian government provides modern military technology to ], ], ] and terrorist organizations worldwide.
<ref name="debka1"> by DEBKAfile </ref>
<ref name="debka2"> by DEBKAfile</ref>
<ref name="debka3"> by DEBKAfile </ref>
<ref name ="Korea"> - by a Special Correspondent in Pyongyang and Michael Hirst, Telegraph, ] ]. </ref> <ref name="debka5"> by DEBKAfile</ref> <ref name="Nuke"> - by J. R. Nyquist, Geopolitical Global Analysis </ref>


Modern Russian-made anti-tank weapons played significant role in ] operations against ] during ]. It was noted that "Israel has been attacked with Soviet Kalashnikovs and Katyushas, Soviet-designed Fajr-1 and ] rockets, Soviet ] antitank missiles and ]." <ref name=Pacep2> - by ], National Review Online, ] ] </ref>


==Active measures against the "Main Adversary"== ==Active measures against the "Main Adversary"==

Revision as of 01:43, 28 August 2007

Active Measures (Russian: "Активные мероприятия") are a form of political warfare conducted by the Soviet security services (Cheka, OGPU, NKVD, KGB, and SVR) to influence the course of world events, in addition to collecting intelligence. "Active measures" can be used abroad or domestically. They include disinformation, propaganda, counterfeiting official documents, and political repressions.

"Active measures" also included establishment and support of international front organizations (e.g. the World Peace Council); foreign communist, socialist and opposition parties; wars of national liberation in the Third World; and underground, revolutionary, insurgency, criminal, and terrorist groups. . The intelligence agencies of Eastern Bloc and other communist states also contributed in the past to the program, providing operatives and intelligence for assassinations and other types of covert operations.

Retired KGB Maj. Gen. Oleg Kalugin described "active measures" as "the heart and soul of Soviet intelligence": "Not intelligence collection, but subversion: active measures to weaken the West, to drive wedges in the Western community alliances of all sorts, particularly NATO, to sow discord among allies, to weaken the United States in the eyes of the people of Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and thus to prepare ground in case the war really occurs."

Puppet rebel forces

Trust operation

In "Trust Operation" (1921–1926), the State Political Directorate (OGPU) set up a fake anti-Bolshevik underground organization, "Monarchist Union of Central Russia". The main success of this operation was luring Boris Savinkov and Sidney Reilly into the Soviet Union, where they were arrested and executed.

Basmachi revolt

During Basmachi Revolt in Central Asia, special military detachments were masqueraded as Basmachi forces and received support from British and Turkish intelligence services. Operations of these detachments facilitated collapse of Basmachi movement and led to assassination of Enver Pasha.

Post World War II counter-insurgency operations

Following the World War II, various partisan organisations in the Baltic States, Poland and Western Ukraine (including some previous collaborators of Germany) fought for independence of their countries against the Soviet forces. Many NKVD agents were sent to join and penetrate the independence movements. Many puppet rebel forces were created by the NKVD and permitted to attack local Soviet authorities to gain credibility and exfiltrate senior NKVD agents to the West.

Puppet rebel forces in Chechnya

Vyacheslav Izmaylov, journalist of Novaya Gazeta, claims that some journalists and workers of international NGOs were kidnapped by FSB-affiliated forces in Chechnya who pretended to be Chechen terrorists: Andrei Babitsky from Radio Free Europe, Arjan Erkel and Kenneth Glack from Doctors Without Borders, and others .

Political assassinations

The highest-ranking Soviet Bloc intelligence defector, Lt. Gen. Ion Mihai Pacepa claimed to have a conversation he had with Nicolae Ceauşescu, who told him about "ten international leaders the Kremlin killed or tried to kill": Laszlo Rajk and Imre Nagy from Hungary; Lucreţiu Pătrăşcanu and Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej from Romania; Rudolf Slansky and Jan Masaryk from Czechoslovakia; the Shah of Iran; Palmiro Togliatti from Italy; John F. Kennedy; and Mao Zedong. Pacepa provided some other claims, such as a plot to kill Mao Zedong with the help of Lin Biao organized by the KGB and alleged that "among the leaders of Moscow’s satellite intelligence services there was unanimous agreement that the KGB had been involved in the assassination of President Kennedy."

The second President of Afghanistan Hafizullah Amin was killed by KGB OSNAZ forces. Presidents of the unrecognized Chechen Republic of Ichkeria organized by Chechen separatists including Dzhokhar Dudaev, Zelimkhan Yandarbiev, Aslan Maskhadov, and Abdul-Khalim Saidullaev were killed by FSB and affiliated forces.

Other widely publicized cases are murders of Russian communist Leon Trotsky and Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov.

There were also allegations that the KGB was behind the assassination attempt against the Pope John Paul II in 1981. The Italian Mitrokhin Commission, headed by senator Paolo Guzzanti (Forza Italia), worked on the Mitrokhin Archives from 2003 to March 2006. In a draft report, senator Guzzanti revived the "Bulgarian connection" theory concerning Mehmet Ali Agca's 1981 assassination attempt against the Pope John Paul II. Guzzanti declared that "beyond any reasonable doubt "the KGB was behind the assassination attempt against the Pope John Paul II in 1981 The commission draft report has no bearing on any judicial investigations, which have long been closed. The Italian draft report said Soviet military intelligence _ and not the KGB _ was responsible. In Russia, Foreign Intelligence Service spokesman Boris Labusov called the accusation "absurd." The Italian Mitrokhin commission received criticism during and after its existence . It was closed in March 2006 without any proof brought to its various controversed allegations, including the claim that Romano Prodi, former and current Prime minister of Italy and former President of the European Commission was the "KGB's man in Europe." One of the informer of Guzzanti, Mario Scaramella, has been arrested for defamation and arms trade end of 2006.

Promotion of terrorism worldwide

Soviet secret services have been described as "the primary instructors of terrorists worldwide" According to Ion Mihai Pacepa, KGB General Aleksandr Sakharovsky once said: "In today’s world, when nuclear arms have made military force obsolete, terrorism should become our main weapon." He also claimed that "Airplane hijacking is my own invention". In 1969 alone 82 planes were hijacked worldwide by the KGB-financed PLO. George Habash, who worked under KGB guidance , explained: "Killing one Jew far away from the field of battle is more effective than killing a hundred Jews on the field of battle, because it attracts more attention."

Lt. General Ion Mihai Pacepa described operation "SIG" (“Zionist Governments”) that was devised in 1972, to turn the whole Islamic world against Israel and the United States. KGB chairman Yury Andropov allegedly explained to Pacepa that

"a billion adversaries could inflict far greater damage on America than could a few millions. We needed to instill a Nazi-style hatred for the Jews throughout the Islamic world, and to turn this weapon of the emotions into a terrorist bloodbath against Israel and its main supporter, the United States."

The following liberation organizations have been allegedly established by the KGB: PLO, National Liberation Army of Bolivia (created in 1964 with help from Ernesto Che Guevara); the National Liberation Army of Colombia (created in 1965 with help from Cuba), Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine in 1969, and the Secret Army for Liberation of Armenia in 1975.

Supporting political movements

GRU alone spent more than $1 billion for propaganda and peace movements against Vietnam War, which was a "hugely successful campaign and well worth the cost", according to the allegations of GRU defector Stanislav Lunev . He claimed that "the GRU and the KGB helped to fund just about every antiwar movement and organization in America and abroad". According to Oleg Kalugin, "the Soviet intelligence was really unparalleled. ... The KGB programs -- which would run all sorts of congresses, peace congresses, youth congresses, festivals, women's movements, trade union movements, campaigns against U.S. missiles in Europe, campaigns against neutron weapons, allegations that AIDS ... was invented by the CIA ... all sorts of forgeries and faked material -- targeted at politicians, the academic community, at the public at large."

Installing and undermining governments

After World War II Soviet security organizations played key role in installing puppet Communist governments in Eastern Europe, Mongolia, People's Republic of China, North Korea, and later Afganistan. Their strategy included mass political repressions and establishment of subordinate secret services in all occupied countries KGB chairman Yuri Andropov was an architect of suppression of Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and Prague Spring of 1968.

Some of the active measures were undertaken by the Soviet secret services against their own governments or Communist rulers. Russian historians Anton Antonov-Ovseenko and Edvard Radzinsky found that Stalin was killed by associates of NKVD chief Lavrentiy Beria, based on the interviews of a former Stalin's body guard and circumstancial evidence. . According to Yevgeniya Alabts allegations, Chief of the KGB Vladimir Semichastny was among the plotters against Nikita Khrushchev in 1964 . KGB chairman Yuri Andropov reportedly struggled for power with Leonid Brezhnev . Soviet coup attempt of 1991 against Mikhail Gorbachev was organized by KGB chairman Vladimir Kryuchkov. Gen. Viktor Barannikov, then the former State Security head, became one of the leaders of uprising against Boris Yeltsin during Russian constitutional crisis of 1993 . Finally, FSB chairman Vladimir Putin became the President of Russia after a surprising resignation of Boris Yeltsin in 1999.

Current Russian security organization FSB allegedly works to undermine governments of Baltic states and Georgia . During 2006 Georgian-Russian espionage controversy several Russian GRU officers were accused by Georgian authorities of preparations to commit sabotage and terrorist acts.


Active measures against the "Main Adversary"

A few examples of active measures against the United States were described in the Mitrokhin Archive :

References

  1. ^ Mitrokhin, Vasili, Christopher Andrew (2000). The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West. Gardners Books. ISBN 0-14-028487-7.
  2. ^ Interview of Oleg Kalugin on CNN
  3. ^ Yossef Bodansky The Secret History of the Iraq War (Notes: The historical record). Regan Books, 2005, ISBN 0-060-73680-1
  4. Special services of delivery (Russian) - by Vyacheslav Izmaylov, Novaya Gazeta 27 January 2005
  5. The Kremlin’s Killing Ways - by Ion Mihai Pacepa, National Review Online, November 28 2006
  6. ^ Italian Panel: Soviets Behind Pope Attack
  7. "Moscow’s Assault on the Vatican" - by Ion Mihai Pacepa, National Review Online, January 25 2007
  8. L'Unità, 1 December 2006.
  9. The Guardian, 2 December 2006 Spy expert at centre of storm Template:En icon
  10. ^ Stanislav Lunev. Through the Eyes of the Enemy: The Autobiography of Stanislav Lunev, Regnery Publishing, Inc., 1998. ISBN 0-89526-390-4 Cite error: The named reference "Lunev" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  11. Viktor Suvorov Inside Soviet Military Intelligence, 1984, ISBN 0-02-615510-9
  12. Viktor Suvorov Spetsnaz, 1987, Hamish Hamilton Ltd, ISBN 0-241-11961-8
  13. ^ Russian Footprints - by Ion Mihai Pacepa, National Review Online, August 24 2006
  14. From Russia With Terror, FrontPageMagazine.com, interview with Ion Mihai Pacepa, March 1 2004
  15. Antonov-Ovseenko, Anton, Beria, Moscow, 1999
  16. Gordievsky, Oleg; Andrew, Christopher (1990). KGB: The Inside Story. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-48561-2.
  17. Edvard Radzinsky Stalin : The First In-depth Biography Based on Explosive New Documents from Russia's Secret Archives (1997) ISBN 0-385-47954-9
  18. ^ Yevgenia Albats and Catherine A. Fitzpatrick. The State Within a State: The KGB and Its Hold on Russia--Past, Present, and Future. 1994. ISBN 0-374-52738-5.
  19. Vladimir Solovyov and Elena Klepikova (translated by Guy Daniels) Yuri Andropov, a secret passage into the Kremlin London : R. Hale, 1984. ISBN 0-709-01630-1
  20. Special services of Russian Federation work in the former Soviet Union (Russian) - by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Dorogan, Novaya Gazeta, 27 March 2006.
  21. Moscow Accused of Backing Georgian Revolt - by Olga Allenova and Vladimir Novikov, Kommersant, Sep. 07, 2006.

Further reading

  • Vasili Mitrokhin and Christopher Andrew, The World Was Going Our Way: The KGB and the Battle for the Third World, Basic Books (2005) hardcover, 677 pages ISBN 0-465-00311-7

External links

See also

Categories: