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Good afternoon.

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These annual FSB Board meetings give us a chance to meet and not only 

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thoroughly analyse and review the results of the agency’s work over 

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the period, but also to discuss at length all important national 

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security issues in general and outline the priorities 

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for the immediate future and the longer-term.

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The FSB plays a key part in protecting our constitutional order and our 

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country’s sovereignty, and in protecting our people from 

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threats at home and abroad.

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Let me say from the start that last year’s results were positive 

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and show good development.

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This concerns your work to counter terrorism and extremism,

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a series of successful counterintelligence operations,

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your efforts to combat economic crime, and other areas.

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You ensured a high standard of security for major public events,

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including the State Duma election and regional and local elections.

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I would like to thank both the executives and staff for their 

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conscientious attitude towards their work and their timely 

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and efficient performance of their duties.

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At the same time, demands on the quality and results 

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of your work grow constantly.

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The global situation has not become any more stable 

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or better over the past year.

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On the contrary, many existing threats and challenges have 

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only become more acute.

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Military-political and economic rivalry between global and regional 

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policy makers and between individual countries has increased.

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We see bloody conflicts continue in a number of countries 

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in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

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International terrorist groups, essentially terrorist armies,

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receiving tacit and sometimes even open support from some countries,

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take active part in these conflicts.

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At the NATO summit last July in Warsaw,

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Russia was declared the main threat to the alliance for the first time since 1989, 

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and NATO officially proclaimed containing Russia its new mission.

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It is with this aim that NATO continues its expansion.

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This expansion was already underway earlier,

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but now they believe they have more serious reasons for doing so.

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They have stepped up the deployment of strategic and conventional arms 

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beyond the national borders of the principal NATO member states.

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They are provoking us constantly and are trying to draw us 

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into confrontation. We see continued attempts to interfere in our 

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internal affairs in a bid to destabilise the social 

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and political situation in Russia itself.

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We also see the recent serious flare-up in southeast Ukraine.

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This escalation pursues the clear aim of preventing 

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the Minsk Agreements from going ahead.

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The current Ukrainian authorities are obviously not seeking a peaceful 

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solution to this very complex problem and have decided to opt 

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for the use of force instead.

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What is more, they speak openly about organising sabotage 

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and terrorism, particularly in Russia.

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Obviously, this is a matter of great concern.

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The events and circumstances I have mentioned require our security 

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and intelligence services, especially the Federal Security Service,

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to concentrate their utmost attention and effort 

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on the paramount task of fighting terrorism.

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We have already seen that our intelligence services dealt some serious 

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blows to terrorists and their accomplices.

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Last year’s results confirm this: the number of terrorism 

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related crimes has decreased.

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Preventive work has also brought results.

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The FSB and other security agencies,

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with the National Antiterrorist Committee acting as coordinator,

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prevented 45 terrorism related crimes,

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including 16 planned terrorist attacks.

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You deserve special gratitude for this.

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You need to continue your active efforts to identify and block 

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terrorist groups’ activity, eliminate their financial base,

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prevent the activities of their emissaries from abroad and their 

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dangerous activity on the internet,

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and take into account in this work Russian 

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and international experience in this area.

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The murder of our ambassador to Turkey was a terrible crime that 

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particularly highlighted the need to protect our citizens 

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and missions abroad. I ask you to work together with the Foreign 

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Ministry and the Foreign Intelligence Service to take 

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additional measures to ensure their safety.

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You must also work to take our counterterrorism cooperation with 

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partners abroad to a new level,

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despite the difficulties that we see in various areas 

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of international life.

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It is a priority, of course, to intensify work with our partners 

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in organisations such as the UN, the CSTO,

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and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

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It is in our common interests to restore dialogue with the US 

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intelligence services and with other NATO member countries.

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It is not our fault that these ties were broken off and are 

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not developing. It is very clear that all responsible countries 

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and international groups should work together on counterterrorism,

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because even simply exchanging information on terrorists’ financing 

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channels and sources and on people involved in or suspected of links 

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with terrorism can substantially improve the results of our common efforts.

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Our priorities include firmly suppressing extremism.

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Security methods must go hand-in-hand with constant prevention work.

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It is essential to prevent extremism from drawing young people into its 

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criminal networks, and to form an overall firm rejection 

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of nationalism, xenophobia, and aggressive radicalism.

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In this context, of great importance is open dialogue with civil 

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society institutions and representatives of Russia’s traditional religions.

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Counterintelligence services also face greater demands today.

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Operational data show that foreign intelligence services’ activity 

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in Russia has not decreased.

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Last year, our counterintelligence services put a stop to the work 

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of 53 foreign intelligence officers and 386 agents.

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It is important to neutralise foreign intelligence services’ efforts 

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to gain access to confidential information,

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particularly information concerning our military-technical capabilities.

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This makes it a priority to improve our system for protecting 

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classified information comprising state secrets,

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particularly with agencies going over to an electronic 

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document circulation system.

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I would like to note that the number of cyberattacks on official 

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information resources tripled in 2016 compared to 2015.

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In this context, each agency must develop its segment of the state 

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system for detecting and preventing cyberattacks on information 

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resources and eliminating their consequences.

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The public expects greater results in such key areas as economic 

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security and the fight against corruption.

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I ask you to be particularly thorough in monitoring the funds allocated 

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for state defence procurement (a subject I have spoken about before),

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major infrastructure projects,

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preparation of big international events,

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and implementing federal targeted and socially important programmes.

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Regrettably, we still see many cases of state funds being 

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embezzled or misappropriated.

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Reliable protection of our state borders plays a big part in ensuring 

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our country’s comprehensive security.

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The priority here is to close off channels through which members 

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of international terrorist and extremist groups enter Russia,

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and put a firm stop to all forms of smuggling,

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from weapons to drugs and various bio-resources.

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Of course, we must continue the work to develop border infrastructure 

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where it is not yet sufficiently developed,

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particularly in the Far East and in the Arctic.

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Colleagues, let me stress that we will continue to bolster the FSB’s 

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central and regional branches and ensure you have the most 

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advanced arms and equipment.

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We will also continue to give attention to social provisions for FSB 

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personnel and their family members.

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I wish you success in protecting our national interests 

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and the security of our country and our people.

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I am confident that you will continue working towards your targets with dignity.

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Thank you for your attention.