FSB Ranked as Most Dangerous Intelligence Agency in Russian History by Former CIA Officer

How the FSB Fits Into Russia's Historical Landscape

According to ХВИЛЯ: Sean Wiswesser, a former CIA officer, stated on the Decoding Geopolitics podcast that the modern FSB, operating under Vladimir Putin, has become the most powerful intelligence agency in Russia's history. He argued that its lack of accountability makes it both dangerous and incompetent. With nearly 30 years of experience at the CIA focusing on Russia, Wiswesser emphasized that the FSB now holds more authority and control over the Russian populace than any other security service the country has ever seen.

Examples of FSB Operations

Wiswesser detailed that the FSB employs around 400,000 people, including 200,000 border guards. He pointed to several notable failures, such as:

• The 2018 poisoning of Sergei Skripal in the UK, where two GRU officers made blatant operational mistakes yet were later celebrated as heroes on Russian television.
• The Ghost Stories case, where 12 SVR illegals were arrested by the FBI in the United States in 2010, only to be returned to Moscow and publicly honored as heroes.

Wiswesser also rated the Kremlin's understanding of the West as a C- or lower.

“I would give them a C- or below when it comes to truly understanding the West. Otherwise, if Putin understood us and his intelligence services did their jobs, they never would have invaded Ukraine,” he said.

He believes Russian intelligence agencies project their own corruption and worldview onto the West, assuming that free and fair elections cannot exist elsewhere since they have never experienced them.

Wiswesser highlighted that a lack of accountability fosters impunity.

“When there’s no accountability-not just inside Russia, but also no credible deterrence from the West-it makes them a formidable adversary,” he noted.

He stressed that the FSB can commit acts of terrorism without facing any consequences, making them a threat on the global stage.

On the other hand, Wiswesser cited the case of Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent who was run by three different Russian intelligence services for nearly 20 years without a single compromise, as an example of their success. He also drew historical parallels, recalling how Soviet soldiers during World War II linked arms to clear a minefield while advancing on German forces. These examples illustrate both the capabilities and vulnerabilities of Russian intelligence.

Sean Wiswesser's remarks underscore the importance of understanding Russian intelligence dynamics in the context of international politics. By highlighting the lack of accountability and pervasive corruption, he points to threats that could destabilize not only Russia but also global security. His words serve as a warning for Western nations to factor these issues into their foreign policy and security strategies.