Historical Perspective
Oprichnina, 1565–1572, created by Tsar Ivan IV, the Terrible
Preobrazhensky Office, 1697–1801, created by Tsar Peter I, the Great
Okhrana, 1802–1917
Cheka (Extraordinary Commission for the Suppression of Counter-revolution), 1917–1923
OGPU (State Department of Political Police), 1923–1934
NKVD (People's Committee for Internal Affairs), 1934–1953
MVD (Ministry of the Interior), 1953–1954
KGB (Committee of State Security), 1954–1991
MBVD (Ministry of Security and Internal Affairs), 1991–1992
MIS (Ministry of Internal Security), 1992
FSK (Federal Service of Counterintelligence), 1992–1995
SVR (Service of Foreign Intelligence), 1991–1995
FSB (Federal Security Service), 1995–
Notes:
The SVR, aka SVRR, was established in December 1991 by President Boris Yeltsin as one of the successor agencies to the KGB. It was subordinate to the short-lived Ministry of Security (MIS). Counterintelligence activities were transferred to the newly created FSK. Robert Hanssen reported to the KGB, SVR, and finally the FSB.
Presently the FSB has an estimated 75,000 employees. It also has a branch that manipulates diplomats' environment (living quarters, car repair, tickets, trips, maids, nannies, etc.).
Compare: the CIA and FBI recruit employees through job fairs and ads. The FSB does not recruit, it simply decides which people it wants. The FSB adheres to Sun Tzu's suggestion to hire people who are intelligent but appear stupid. "A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective."— Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Strategic Assessments
Russian canonized spies: Richard Sorge (1895); Rudolph Abel (1903–1971); Kim Philby (1912–1988). All three have their picture on stamps.