Department of Counterintelligence Operations

The DKRO was created in 1998. It has a legal basis in Article 9 of Federal law 40-FZ of 1995, which was signed by President Yeltsin, and which defines the role of counterintelligence services in Russia.{{Cite web |title=Статья 9. Контрразведывательная деятельность \ КонсультантПлюс |url=https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_6300/54520ba50642211a7a2f6d9ecba4d42e07e54e0b/ |access-date=16 December 2024 |website=www.consultant.ru}}

However, the FSB's counterintelligence predecessor, the Federal Counterintelligence Service, was a successor to the KGB;{{Cite web |date= |title=Russia Federal Counterintelligence Service (FSK) - Flags, Maps, Economy, History, Climate, Natural Resources, Current Issues, International Agreements, Population, Social Statistics, Political System |url=https://www.photius.com/countries/russia/government/russia_government_federal_counterintel~10863.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427232159/https://www.photius.com/countries/russia/government/russia_government_federal_counterintel~10863.html |archive-date=27 April 2023 |access-date= |website=www.photius.com}} the KGB's Second Main Directorate had long history of counterintelligence work, stretching back to the Cheka. The FSB's own view of its counterintelligence history focusses on activities in World War II.{{Cite web |title=Интервью и публикации по истории отечественных органов безопасности :: Федеральная Служба Безопасности |url=http://www.fsb.ru/fsb/smi.htm |access-date=16 December 2024 |website=www.fsb.ru}} {{as of|2024}}, the FSB's director is Alexander Bortnikov, who previously served in counterintelligence units of the KGB during the Cold War.{{Cite web |title=Биография :: Федеральная Служба Безопасности |url=http://www.fsb.ru/fsb/history/leaders/single.htm!id=10434670@fsbBiography.html |access-date=16 December 2024 |website=www.fsb.ru}}

The DKRO is responsible for "counterintelligence" work against foreigners in Russia; ostensibly against foreign intelligence agencies{{Cite web |date=12 March 2018 |title=Estonian Spy Hunters |url=https://warsawinstitute.org/estonian-spy-hunters/ |access-date=16 December 2024 |website=Warsaw Institute |language=en-GB}} but also against tourists, journalists, and embassy workers.{{Cite web |title=Putin's Counterintelligence State - The FSB's penetration of state and society and its implications for post-24 February Russia |url=https://icds.ee/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2022/12/ICDS_EFPI_Analysis_Putin%C2%B4s_Counterintelligence_State_Sanshiro_Hosaka_December_2022.pdf |website=icds.ee}} It harasses Western diplomats and journalists. In addition to arrests such as Evan Gershkovich, it follows the cars of diplomats (and their family members), cuts the power to their homes or breaks into them, and leaves human feces as a "calling card".{{Cite news |last1=Parkinson |first1=Joe |last2=Hinshaw |first2=Drew |date=7 July 2023 |title=Inside the Secretive Russian Security Force That Targets Americans |language=en-US |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/fsb-evan-gershkovich-russia-security-force-dkro-e9cf9a49 |access-date=9 July 2023 |issn=0099-9660}} In one case, DKRO agents killed a diplomat's dog. It has been involved in the detentions of at least three Americans.

The DKRO has also been involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{Cite web |date=25 November 2014 |title=Russian Army and Special Forces of Russian Federation at War against Ukraine |url=https://censor.net/en/resonance/313320/russian_army_and_special_forces_of_russian_federation_at_war_against_ukraine |website=censor.net}}

The DKRO has been involved in "monitoring" of the Russian Foreign Ministry, which led to corruption, as officers extorted money from security companies.{{Cite web |last=Press |first=Russian Free |date=12 April 2023 |title=Catch and trade. How the FSB hunts foreigners |url=https://russianfreepress.com/2023/04/12/catch-and-trade-how-the-fsb-hunts-foreigners/ |access-date=16 December 2024 |language=en-US}}

According to an internal report by the DKRO's 7th Service, which is responsible for countering espionage from China and other parts of Asia, the Russian intelligence establishment viewed China as one of its major threats despite the close relationship between the two countries in public, especially so following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.{{cite news |last1=Judah |first1=Jacob |last2=Sonne |first2=Paul |last3=Troianovski |first3=Anton |title=Secret Russian Intelligence Document Shows Deep Suspicion of China |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/07/world/europe/china-russia-spies-documents-putin-war.html |access-date=7 June 2025 |agency=New York Times |date=7 June 2025}}

{{reflist}}

{{Law enforcement agencies of Russia}}

{{Russian intelligence community}}

{{Domestic national intelligence agencies}}

{{Government of the Russian Federation}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1995 establishments in Russia

Category:Government agencies established in 1995

Category:Government of Russia

Category:Doping in Russia

Category:Russian entities subject to U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions

Category:Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List