Free Republic

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported to have replaced an official within his Federal Security Service (FSB) who laid the groundwork for his country's full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine. Sergei Beseda, 70, who served as head of the Federal Security Service's (FSB) fifth directorate, has been replaced by Alexei Komkov, who formerly worked as deputy head of the spy agency, Russian investigative news website Important Stories reported on Saturday, citing two sources. -snip- Putin reportedly relied on intelligence from the FSB's fifth directorate when he launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The fifth service is largely in charge...

The intrigue is growing over the Federal Security Service's involvement in Ukraine. On April 11, Ukraine's Deputy Prosecutor General said there was no evidence implicating the FSB in events on Maidan Square. At the same time, it is officially confirmed that FSB generals visited Kiev on Feb. 20 to 21. Recall that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry sent a note to Moscow on April 4 demanding to know why FSB Colonel General Sergei Beseda visited Kiev on Feb. 20 and 21, and that the very next day Interfax cited a source in Russian intelligence confirming that visit. The answer as to...