INFORMATION for WEEK 4. About Security Council http://eng.state.kremlin.ru/static/state/img/gos/sov_bez_img.png Moscow, Staraya Square, 4 · National security is a very broad term that encompasses the security of the individual, society and the state in the face of both internal and external threats. · National security involves priority areas such as state security, public safety, socioeconomic security and security in the spheres of defense, information, the military and international affairs. · The need for constant analysis and strategic planning regarding all security issues, as well as the drafting of presidential decisions, necessitates the existence of a special constitutional advisory body accountable to the President. This body is the Security Council. · The Security Council drafts policy proposals on defending the vital interests of individuals, society and the state against internal or external threats. The Council also helps determine a uniform state policy on security and helps ensure the President’s ability to carry out his constitutional duties in defending human and civil rights, as well as Russia’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. · The Security Council is formed by the President in accordance with the Constitution and the Federal Law “On Security”. The President chairs the Council and appoints its members. The secretary of the Security Council who answers directly to the President oversees the Council’s work and its Office. · The Security Council was formed in 1992. · The Security Council Office is a separate department of the Presidential Executive Office; its status within the Presidential Executive Office is that of a directorate. · In order to carry out its functions, the Security Council forms inter-agency commissions, which operate as its principal working bodies. Depending on the task, these commissions can be formed on a functional or regional basis, and can be permanent or temporary. · In order to provide scholarly expertise for the Council’s work, there is a Scholarly Council made up of representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences, specialized academies of science and educational institutions, as well as other academics and experts. · Regular meetings of the Security Council are held according to a schedule set by the Chairman (the President of Russia); if necessary, the Council can hold extraordinary meetings. The Chairman defines the agenda and order of the day based on recommendations by the Secretary of the Security Council. The Chairman presides over meetings, while the Secretary holds working meetings with Council members on a regular basis. · The Security Council draws up crucial documents defining conceptual approaches to national security. http://eng.state.kremlin.ru/security_council/about_sec Staff appointments in the Security Council May 26, 2012, 11:30 Vladimir Putin signed executive orders on appointments of personnel and new composition of the Security Council. The executive orders appoint: Vladimir Bulavin - First Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Yury Averyanov - Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Nikolai Klimashin - Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Yevgeny Lukyanov - Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Vladimir Nazarov - Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Alexander Grebenkin - Assistant Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Vladimir Zavershinsky - Assistant Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Alexei Pavlov - Assistant Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Mikhail Popov - Assistant Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. A Presidential Executive Order appoints the following permanent members of the Security Council: Dmitry Medvedev - Prime Minister; Alexander Bortnikov - Federal Security Service (FSB) Director; Boris Gryzlov - permanent Security Council member; Sergei Ivanov - Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office; Vladimir Kolokoltsev – Interior Minister; Sergei Lavrov – Foreign Minister; Valentina Matviyenko - Federation Council Speaker; Sergei Naryshkin - State Duma Speaker; Rashid Nurgaliyev - Deputy Secretary of the Security Council; Nikolai Patrushev - Secretary of the Security Council; Anatoly Serdyukov - Defence Minister; Mikhail Fradkov - Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service. The following Security Council members have been appointed: Mikhail Babich - Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Volga Federal District; Alexander Beglov - Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Central Federal District; Nikolai Vinnichenko - Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Northwestern Federal District; Viktor Ivanov - Director of the Federal Drug Control Service; Viktor Ishayev - Minister for the Development of the Far East and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District; Alexander Konovalov - Justice Minister; Nikolai Makarov - Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces and First Deputy Minister of Defence; Yury Osipov - President of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Georgy Poltavchenko - Governor of St Petersburg; Vladimir Pronichev – First Deputy Director and Head of Russia’s Border Guard Service; Vladimir Puchkov - Minister of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Natural Disasters Relief of the Russian Federation; Anton Siluanov - Finance Minister; Sergei Sobyanin - Mayor of Moscow; Viktor Tolokonsky - Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Siberian Federal District; Vladimir Ustinov - Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Southern Federal District; Alexander Khloponin - Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District; Igor Kholmanskikh - Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Urals Federal District; Yury Chaika - Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation. President of the Security Council of the Russian Federation - President of Russia Vladimir Putin. http://eng.state.kremlin.ru/face/3910 SECURITY COUNCIL OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION MEETING 22 July 2014 http://missiontonato.ru/upload/iblock/b5f/b5fa28bbc1dbc362247423c6bab9a80d.jpg Vladimir Putin chaired a Security Council meeting in the Kremlin. The discussion focussed on the maintenance of Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. * * * Opening remarks at the Security Council meeting VLADIMIR PUTIN: Good afternoon, colleagues. Today we will consider the fundamental issues of maintaining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country. We all understand how many political, ethnic, legal, social, economic and other aspects this topic encompasses. Sovereignty and territorial integrity are fundamental values, as I have already said. We are referring to the maintenance of the independence and unity of our state, to the reliable protection of our territory, our constitutional system and to the timely neutralisation of internal and external threats, of which there are quite a few in the world today. I should make it clear from the start that, obviously, there is no direct military threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of this country. Primarily, the strategic balance of forces in the world guarantees this. We, on our part, strictly comply with the norms of international law and with our commitments to our partners, and we expect other countries, unions of states and military-political alliances to do the same, while Russia is fortunately not a member of any alliance. This is also a guarantee of our sovereignty. Any nation that is part of an alliance gives up part of its sovereignty. This does not always meet the national interests of a given country, but this is their sovereign decision. We expect our national legal interests to be respected, while any controversies that always exist, to be resolved only through diplomatic efforts, by means of negotiations. Nobody should interfere in our internal affairs. However, ever more frequently today we hear of ultimatums and sanctions. The very notion of state sovereignty is being washed out. Undesirable regimes, countries that conduct an independent policy or that simply stand in the way of somebody’s interests get destabilised. Tools used for this purpose are the so-called colour revolutions, or, in simple terms – takeovers instigated and financed from the outside. The focus is of course on internal problems. Any country always has plenty of problems, especially the more unstable states, or states with a complicated regime. Problems do exist, still it is not clear why they should be used to destabilise and break down a country – something we see rather frequently in various parts of the world. Frequently the forces used here are radical, nationalist, often even neo-fascist, fundamental forces, as was the case, unfortunately, in many post-Soviet states, and as is the case with Ukraine now. What we see is practically the same thing. People came to power through the use of armed force and by unconstitutional means. True, they held elections after the takeover, however, for some strange reason, power ended up again in the hands of those who either funded or carried out this takeover. Meanwhile, without any attempt at negotiations, they are trying to supress by force that part of the population that does not agree with such a turn of events. At the same time, they present Russia with an ultimatum: either you let us destroy the part of the population that is ethnically, culturally and historically close to Russia, or we introduce sanctions against you. This is a strange logic, and absolutely unacceptable, of course. As for the terrible tragedy that occurred in the sky above Donetsk – we would like once again to express our condolences to the families of the victims; it is a terrible tragedy. Russia will do everything within its power to ensure a proper comprehensive and transparent investigation. We are asked to influence the militia in the southeast. As I have said, we will do everything in our power, but this is absolutely insufficient. Yesterday when the militia forces were handing over the so-called black boxes, the armed forces of Ukraine launched a tank attack at the city of Donetsk. The tanks battled through to the railway station and opened fire at it. International experts who came to investigate the disaster site could not stick their heads out. It was clearly not the militia forces shooting at themselves. We should finally call on the Kiev authorities to comply with elementary norms of human decency and introduce a cease-fire for at least some short period of time to make the investigation possible. We will of course do everything in our power to make sure the investigation is thorough. This is exactly why Russia supported the [UN] Security Council Resolution proposed by Australia. We will continue working together with all our partners to ensure a complete and comprehensive investigation. However, if we get back to such scenarios in general, as I have said, they are absolutely unacceptable and counterproductive. They destabilize the existing world order. Undoubtedly, such methods will not work with Russia. The recipes used regarding weaker states fraught with internal conflict will not work with us. Our people, the citizens of Russia will not let this happen and will never accept this. However, attempts are clearly being made to destabilize the social and economic situation, to weaken Russia in one way or another or to strike at our weaker spots, and they will continue primarily to make us more agreeable in resolving international issues. So-called international competition mechanisms are being used as well (this applies to both politics and the economy); for this purpose the special services’ capabilities are used, along with modern information and communication technologies and dependent, puppet non-governmental organizations – so-called soft force mechanisms. This, obviously, is how some countries understand democracy. We have to give an adequate response to such challenges, and, most importantly, to continue working in a systematic way to resolve the issues that carry a potential risk for the unity of our country and our society. In the past few years, we have strengthened our state and public institutions, the basics of Russian federalism, and we have made progress in regional development, in resolving economic and social tasks. Our law enforcement agencies and special services have become more efficient in combatting terrorism and extremism; we are forming a modern basis of our ethnic policy, adjusting approaches to education; we are constantly combatting corruption – all this guarantees our security and sovereignty. At the same time, we should keep these issues in mind. If necessary, we have to quickly develop and implement additional measures. We need to have a long-term plan of action in these areas, strategic documents and resolutions. In this regard, I would like to draw attention to several priority challenges. The first is working consistently to strengthen interethnic harmony, ensure a competent migration policy, and react rigidly to inactions by officials and crimes that may be triggered by interethnic conflicts. These are challenges for all levels of government, from the federal to the municipal. And, of course, it is extremely important for our civil society to take an active position and react to infringements on human rights and freedoms, helping to prevent radicalism and extremism. We are particularly relying on civil society for effective help in improving the system of state governance with regard to ethnic policy and educating young people about the spirit of patriotism and responsibility for the fate of their Fatherland, which is particularly important. We discussed this in great detail recently at a meeting of the Council for Interethnic Relations. By the way, I want to clearly state that - with the help of the civil society – we will never entertain the thought of improving our work in these areas solely by cracking down, so to speak. We will not do that under any circumstances; we will rely on civil society, first and foremost. Our second important challenge is protecting constitutional order. Constitutional supremacy and economic and legal unity must be ensured throughout all of Russia. Federal standards as defined by the Constitution are inviolable and nobody has the right to break the law and infringe on citizens’ rights. It is important for all Russians, regardless of where they live, to have equal rights and equal opportunities. This is the foundation for a democratic system. We must rigorously observe these Constitutional principles, and to do this, we must build a clear system of state authority, striving to ensure that all its components function as a united whole, precisely and systemically; this should include increasing local authorities’ role as part of Russia’s overall government mechanism. And naturally, reinforcing the efficacy of the work of the judicial system, the prosecutors, and the regulatory and supervisory authorities should strengthen Russia’s statehood. The third key challenge is sustainable and balanced economic and social development. At the same time, it is fundamentally important to take into account territorial and regional factors. I mean that we must ensure priority development for strategically important regions, including in the Far East and other areas; we must simultaneously reduce drastic gaps between regions in terms of the economic situation and people’s living standards. All this needs to be taken into account when developing federal and sectorial programmes, improving inter-budgetary relations and building plans to develop infrastructure, selecting locations for new plants and creating modern jobs. I also feel that we must think about additional steps to decrease the dependence of the national economy and financial system on negative external factors. I am not just referring to instability in global markets, but possible political risks as well. Fourth, our Armed Forces remain the most important guarantor of our sovereignty and Russia’s territorial integrity. We will react appropriately and proportionately to the approach of NATO’s military infrastructure toward our borders, and we will not fail to notice the expansion of global missile defence systems and increases in the reserves of strategic non-nuclear precision weaponry. We are often told that the ABM system is a defence system. But that’s not the case. This is an offensive system; it is part of the offensive defence system of the United States on the periphery. Regardless of what our foreign colleagues say, we can clearly see what is actually happening: groups of NATO troops are clearly being reinforced in Eastern European states, including in the Black and Baltic seas. And the scale and intensity of operational and combat training is growing. In this regard, it is imperative to implement all planned measures to strength our nation’s defence capacity fully and on schedule, including, of course, in Crimea and Sevastopol, where essentially we need to fully recreate the military infrastructure. Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council. Photo: the Presidential Press and Information OfficeFull caption Vladimir Putin held a briefing session with permanent members of the Security Council. The agenda included such issues as the Islamic State, the Ebola virus, Ukraine and the USA. Also, the permanent members of the Security Council congratulated Vladimir Putin on his birthday. Taking part in the meeting were Prime MinisterDmitry Medvedev, Federation Council SpeakerValentina Matviyenko, State Duma SpeakerSergei Naryshkin, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov, Foreign Intelligence Service Director Mikhail Fradkov, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council Rashid Nurgaliyev, and permanent member of the Security Council Boris Gryzlov. Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council October 6, 2014, 16:30 Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council. Photo: the Presidential Press and Information OfficeFull caption · Vladimir Putin held a briefing session with permanent members of the Security Council. The meeting’s participants discussed the situation in southeast Ukraine and noted the ceasefire’s extreme fragility, especially in the district around Donetsk airport. Various aspects of the combat against the so called Islamic State were also discussed. Preparations for the upcoming summit of CIS and Eurasian Economic Union leaders in Minsk this week received considerable attention. Current issues on the socioeconomic agenda were also discussed. Taking part in the meeting were Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov, Secretary of the Security CouncilNikolai Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Mikhail Fradkov, Deputy Secretary of the Security CouncilRashid Nurgaliyev, and permanent member of the Security Council Boris Gryzlov. October 6, 2014, 16:30Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region http://eng.state.kremlin.ru/security_council/23051 Security Council meeting October 1, 2014, 16:30 The Kremlin, Moscow Security Council meeting. 1/3 Photo: the Presidential Press and Information OfficeFull caption Vladimir Putin held a Security Council meeting on countering national security threats in the information sphere. Measures to improve protection of Russia’s communications networks and information resources and guarantee stable operation of the Russian segment of the internet were the main subjects of discussion. * * * Opening remarks at Security Council meeting PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA VLADIMIR PUTIN: Good afternoon, colleagues, Once again, with everyone present, I would like to congratulate Ms Matviyenko on her election as speaker of the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council. I wish you success once again on behalf of everyone present. Today, we will discuss issues concerning protection of Russia’s information space from modern threats. This is a priority area in our efforts to ensure national security today. Reliable operation of our information resources and control and communications systems is vitally important for our national defence capability, a steadily growing economy and social sector, and for protecting our sovereignty in the broadest sense of the term. The modern era is justifiably called the information age. New technologies and global communications networks now cover practically every area of human activity and society. Before our very eyes, they are changing peoples’ quality of life and helping to globalise the economy and develop the humanitarian space. But at the same time, we need to take into account the risks and threats that exist in the information sphere. We see that some countries are attempting to use their dominance in the global information space to pursue not only economic but also military and political objectives. They make active use of information systems as an instrument of so-called ‘soft power’ to achieve their goals. Our agencies responsible for this area have noted a steady rise in the number of computer attacks against Russian information resources. Over the last six months, the number of attacks has increased very rapidly, to an extent simply incomparable to what it was last year. At the same time, the methods, resources and tactics used to carry out these attacks are improving and their frequency is directly linked to the current international situation. Terrorist and extremist material circulates openly in the global information network. The number of crimes committed using information technologies, illegal entry into banks’ and financial institutions’ corporate networks, for example, has increased. We have already taken some important steps to ensure Russia’s information security over these last years. We have a comprehensive strategic document in place – the Information Security Doctrine. Starting last year, we began setting up a state system to detect, prevent and liquidate the consequences of computer attacks against Russia’s information resources. We are establishing modern, protected communication networks and systems for our defence and security needs and for the law enforcement agencies’ effective operation. We are working actively together with our partners on guaranteeing international information security, including through the United Nations, the BRICS group, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. At the last BRICS summit, for example, our countries’ leaders condemned the mass electronic surveillance and personal data collection that has been practised by particular countries’ security services. We consider this a direct violation of national sovereignty and human rights, especially the right to inviolability of private life. At the same time, we see the clear need today to draft and implement a package of additional measures to protect information security. First, we need to improve the protection level of Russia’s communications networks and information resources, above all the networks used by our government bodies. We must prevent any unlawful interference in their work and also prevent leaks of confidential and personal information. Second, we need to ensure stable operation and security of the Russian segment of the internet. Let me make it clear here that we have no plans to restrict internet access or put the internet under total control, put in the state’s hands or restrict the lawful interests and possibilities of people, public organisations, and business in the information sphere. Media freedom and people’s right to receive and distribute information are basic principles of any democratic government and any democratic society and country. These are principles that must be respected at all times, and we will do precisely this. Let me say again, there will be no unjustified restrictions, all the more so of a total nature. Not only will there be no such thing but we are not even considering it. We do have a duty though to protect our citizens from the kind of risks that I just mentioned, and we can do this too by making use of methods practiced in many countries around the world. We cannot just close our eyes to the fact that some sites propagandise terrorism and extremism, xenophobia and religious hatred, or that in the global internet one can also find child pornography and detailed information on how to manufacture drugs or commit suicide. Countries all around the world are fighting against these kinds of materials, fighting actively. Those disseminating such materials are punished and in some cases even have criminal charges brought against them. We will act in this same way, consistently and strictly in accordance with the law, to close such sites. No one should be in any doubt about this. Of course we also need to be able to respond swiftly to any attempts to disrupt the Russian segment of the internet’s normal functioning. In July this year, we held inter-agency training exercises on preventing such attempts. Based on their results, the Government is drafting the needed measures that will help us to guarantee our sovereignty in this area. A third area for work is to develop home-grown technology, equipment and information products. We need to take steps at the same time to encourage government bodies and Russian companies to use these products. Our agencies have been set objectives in this area. I would like to hear the Security Council members’ opinions on priority measures in this area today. Finally, we need to expand our cooperation with global and regional organisations on guaranteeing international informational security. I think that the United Nations and its relevant groups and specialised agencies should act as one of the platforms for assessing risks and drawing up joint measures on information security and analysing the legal consequences of such measures. Let’s start discussing the proposed issues. <…> October 1, 2014, 16:30The Kremlin, Moscow http://eng.state.kremlin.ru/security_council/23029 Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council September 22, 2014, 12:10 The Kremlin, Moscow Meeting with permanent members of the Security Council. Photo: the Presidential Press and Information OfficeFull caption Vladimir Putin held a briefing session with permanent members of the Security Council. The meeting discussed implementation of the peace plan to resolve the situation in southeast Ukraine, including carrying out the points set out in Putin’s Plan. Cooperation with Russia’s partners in the fight against the Islamic State [previously called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, ISIL], acting on the basis of international law, was also discussed. Expanding Russia’s involvement in international efforts to combat the Ebola virus was also examined. http://eng.state.kremlin.ru/security_council/22987