The Formation and Development of the Russian KGB, 1991-1994

Abstract

On May 5, 1991, a Russian KGB was established for the first time in Soviet history. Although the new secret police organization was initially subject to all-union, as well as Russian, command, the failed putsch of August 1991 enabled Yeltsin to transform it into a free-standing and almost completely 'sovereign' institution. Hence, it was almost anticlimactic when the Russian KGB acquired full sovereignty in December 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the disappearance of the all-union KGB. Although Yeltsin was widely expected to name a reformer to lead the post-Soviet, Russian KGB, he appointed Viktor Barannikov, a career policeman with distinctly conservative views. In addition, Yeltin issued a series of decrees that made the Russian KGB into a near-clone of its all-union predecessor. As a result, the establishment of effective societal, legal, and political control over the KGB has been an uphill struggle.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA282101

Entities

People

  • Alexander G. Rahr
  • Jeremy R. Azrael

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Chemical Weapons
  • Command And Control
  • Congress
  • Foreign Intelligence
  • Governments
  • Law
  • Management Personnel
  • National Security
  • Negotiations
  • Personnel Management
  • Public Opinion
  • Public Policy
  • Security
  • Societies
  • Ussr
  • Warfare

Readers

  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Political Science/ International Relations/ European Studies