Russia’s FSB Chief: US, UK intelligence launched activities for violent overthrow of CIS governments
The West intends to destabilise the situation in the CIS by dramatically increasing the conflict potential – as stated by the Director of Russia’s Federal Security Service, Alexander Bortnikov, during President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s meeting with participants of the 52nd meeting of the CIS Council of Heads of Security Agencies and Special Services
"The collective West has taken a course to destabilise the CIS and Union State countries by dramatically increasing the conflict potential throughout the Commonwealth and at its borders," Mr. Bortnikov stressed.
According to the FSB Chief, NATO military presence is being increasingly enhanced in the western direction. Large military contingents, heavy equipment and combat aircraft are being transferred to Poland, the Baltic States, and Romania.
“Ukraine has become a springboard for the war against Russia and for the subversive work against Belarus. Westerners are actively attracting Moldova to participate in the Ukrainian conflict, inciting it to forcibly clean up Transnistria and Gagauzia. Exercises and combat co-ordination of NATO forces, as well as Ukrainian and Moldovan special services, are regularly held near the border of the Union State. The alliance co-ordinates the sabotage and terrorist activities of the armed formations and special services of the Kiev regime, replenishes the Armed Forces of Ukraine with foreign mercenaries and militants of international terrorist organisations. It is also engaged into reconnaissance and technical support of combat sorties of Ukrainian saboteurs and agents in relation to military and civilian facilities, as well as critical infrastructure of Russia and Belarus,” he noted.
Mr. Bortnikov drew attention to the ongoing attempts to attack nuclear power facilities and the fuel and energy complex, “Along with this, the United States and the United Kingdom are actively working to split the CIS, liaising with the political and economic elites of the Commonwealth by means of the intelligence community and diplomatic missions. This is the current situation, which is really developing. We see it well. Under the threat of secondary sanctions or the promise of preferences, they are trying to drive a wedge between our countries, imposing profitable formats of co-operation in the field of defence and security on non-regional players.”
As confirmation, the FSB Chief mentioned the visits of NATO security agencies’ leadership to the CIS countries; they are becoming more frequent now. “Americans and Brits are very actively ‘paying court’ to the [CIS] political leadership, trying to influence the situation from inside. With the support of the mass media and subordinate non-profit organisations, they have launched large-scale activities to prepare conditions for a violent overthrow of governments in the CIS. We see this and take measures to neutralise these threats,” Mr. Bortnikov added.
