ASSESSMENTS

Russia's Security Forces Prepare for a Power Grab

Feb 6, 2018 | 09:00 GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with members of his government ahead of March 18 presidential elections.

Russia's security entities have always been in competition, but in recent years the FSB and Rosgvardiya in particular have engaged in an escalating turf war.

(ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/AFP/Getty Images)

Highlights

After Russia's March presidential election, the country's government is planning to implement a series of reforms across all sectors.
One of the most impactful reforms would be a restructuring of the country's powerful security services, whose various organizations have historically been extremely competitive.
Restructuring the security sector puts competing factions in the position to grab critical investigative powers, which could tip the balance of power among the organizations.

With President Vladimir Putin's victory in Russia's March elections a near certainty, those within the Kremlin are already thinking beyond voting day. Russian media and politicians are anticipating that after securing his fourth term, Putin will exercise a freer hand to implement economic reforms, political reshuffles and updates to Kremlin social policies. And a recent report from the New Times media claims that, after the election, the Russian government will also begin the controversial process of restructuring its many rival security services. Security organizations make up the backbone of the Kremlin and have long influenced Russia's overall stability. And while power struggles among these groups are nothing new, increasing unrest within Russia's borders gives these reforms even more significance....

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