What Putin’s Security Appointments Say About How Russia Works - Mark Galeotti | New Hampshire primary: Why is America so angry with its politicians? | Intelligence official: ISIS to attempt US attacks in 2016 | Enough is enough — U.S. abdication on Syria must come to an end
What Putin’s Security Appointments Say About How Russia Works Wednesday February 10 th , 2016 at 2:59 PM War On The Rocks 1 Share In one more night, Russian military intelligence would have been without a director for almost a full month. But an appointment was finally made — and it was the obvious, continuity candidate. So is there anything to be read in this delay and this seeming non-story? There certainly is. We learned three things. That the Kremlin wants to put trusted men in key security positions. That the military, while kept out of much of the decision-making process these days, still knows how to stonewall. And that the new chief is starting already in an uncomfortable position: Does he try to rebuild bridges with the Kremlin by sugarcoating the intelligence? Gen. Igor Sergun, head of the agency, died of heart failure on January 3. He led an organization stranded in limbo between its old name, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GR