Russian security chief claims foreign powers using NGOs as spies

RUSSIA’S security chief said yesterday that his agency has uncovered US, British, Kuwaiti and Saudi spy activity that was being conducted by non-governmental organisations.

The head of the Federal Security Service or FSB, Nikolai Patrushev, also suggested that foreign countries are using NGOs to influence Russian political and economic activity in their interests and support changes of power in former Soviet republics.

Mr Patrushev’s remarks reflected concern in President Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin as it grapples with waning regional influence following the ascent of pro-Western governments in ex-Soviet states. The Kremlin is also worried about outside influence within Russia amid US accusations of backsliding on democracy.

“Along with classic forms of influence on political and economic processes, foreign intelligence agencies are ever more actively using non-traditional methods,” including working through “various non-governmental organisations,” Mr Patrushev told MPs.

“Under cover of implementing humanitarian and educational programmes in Russian regions, they lobby the interests of the states in question and gather classified information on a broad spectrum of issues,” he said. Mr Patrushev said his agency, which is known by its Russian acronym FSB and is the main successor to the Soviet KGB, “has prevented a series of espionage operations” carried out through foreign non-governmental organisations.”

He named the Peace Corps - which pulled out of Russia in 2002 amid FSB spying allegations - as well as the British medical aid group Merlin, the “Saudi Red Crescent” and a Kuwaiti group he called the Society of Social Reforms.

Mr Patrushev reiterated claims by Russian officials who have accused the US and other Western nations of using NGOs to aid opposition forces that have brought down governments in other ex-Soviet republics in the past two years.

He said that the International Republican Institute, a US democracy support organisation, held a meeting in Slovakia last month at which “the possibility of continuing ‘velvet revolutions’ on the post-Soviet space was discussed”.