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.