State Secret Protection Service

The State Secret Protection Service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (Russian: Служба защиты государственной тайны Вооружённых сил Российской Федерации, abbreviated as Служба ЗГТ ВС РФ) is a specialized structure within the Russian military's command-and-control organs, military units, and organizations. It is responsible for protecting state secrets and is equipped with special technical means and information-security tools. The Eighth Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces serves as its central governing body. The Service was officially established in February 2003 by order of the Minister of Defence, consolidating regime-secrecy organs, special (cryptographic) organs, and units responsible for information protection in computing environments. In 2011, the Russian Ministry of Defence assigned the Service additional tasks related to technical information protection. The Service brings together regime and secrecy bodies, cryptographic organs, repair and maintenance units for cryptographic equipment, information-security units at computing facilities, certification and licensing bodies for information-security tools and military units, units for securing space radio links, cryptographic and engineering-cryptographic analysis units, and electronic signature certification centers. The Service traces its lineage to earlier Soviet cryptographic and secrecy structures. On 13 November 1918, by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, a separate General and Cipher Section was formed within the Reporting-Organizational Department of the Organizational Directorate. By 1920, the military secrecy protection system had reached the level of formations. On 5 May 1921, a special department for cipher and decipher work was created under the Cheka. In the 1930s, the mechanization of encryption was pursued: in 1936 the first cipher apparatus V-4 was developed, and in 1937 the coding machine K-37 "Kristall" was created. By the start of the Great Patriotic War, there were 932 cipher organs; during the war, 16,000 specialists were assigned to them, and combat losses amounted to 2,163 personnel. The Service has its own heraldry, commemorative dates, and awards, including the Ministry of Defence medals "General of the Army Shtemenko" (established by order No. 222 of 2017) and "Lieutenant General Belyusov" (order No. 500 of 2020), the Service's distinction badges "For Merits" (order No. 260 of 2013) and "For Distinction" (order No. 526 of 2018), the badge "Excellent Worker of the State Secret Protection Service" (order No. 600 of 2020), the qualification badge "Specialist of the State Secret Protection Service" (order No. 525 of 2018), and the Service Day (established by order No. 698 of 18 December 2020). On 16 November 2018, with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', Archangel Gabriel was designated as the heavenly patron of the Service. As a military body rather than a commercial enterprise, the Service does not operate in commercial markets. Its activities are funded through the Russian state defence budget and are focused on protecting state secrets within the Russian Armed Forces.

The history of the State Secret Protection Service of the Russian Armed Forces is rooted in the development of cryptographic and secrecy organs in Soviet Russia and the USSR. On 8 May 1918, by Order No. 339 of the People's Commissar for Military Affairs, the All-Russian Main Staff was created. On 13 November 1918, by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic (RVSR), a separate General and Cipher Section was formed within the Reporting-Organizational Department of the Organizational Directorate. Later, special organs were established in field headquarters, main directorates, and the central directorate of military communications. By 1920, the system for protecting military secrets had extended to formations. On 5 May 1921, a special department for cipher and decipher work in the country was created under the Cheka. In the 1930s, the process of mechanizing encryption was addressed. In 1936, the first cipher apparatus V-4 was developed. In 1937, the coding machine K-37 "Kristall" was created. Cipher organs participated in armed conflicts before the Great Patriotic War, including the 1938 conflict at Lake Khasan, the 1939 armed conflict at the Khalkhin-Gol River, the 1939–1940 Soviet-Finnish War, the 1936–1939 Spanish Civil War, and the 1937–1945 national liberation wars in China against Japanese invaders. At the start of the Great Patriotic War, there were 932 cipher organs. During the war, 16,000 specialists were assigned to them. Combat losses during the war years amounted to 2,163 people. After the war, encrypted communication remained a reliable type of concealed communication in the Armed Forces of the USSR; it was intended for transmitting important information and messages requiring special confidentiality. The State Secret Protection Service was created in February 2003 on the basis of an order of the Minister of Defence. It officially united regime (regime-secret) organs, special organs, and subunits ensuring information protection when using computing equipment. In 2011, the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defence decided to assign the Service the tasks of technical information protection. The Service unites the following subunits: regime (regime-secret) organs; cipher organs; repair and technical maintenance units for cipher equipment; bodies ensuring information security at computing facilities; subunits for certification of information protection means and licensing of activities of military units and organizations of the Russian Armed Forces; subunits for classifying space radio links; subunits for cryptographic and engineering-cryptographic analysis of information protection means; and electronic signature certification centers. The Service has its own heraldry, commemorative dates, and awards. These include the Ministry of Defence medal "General of the Army Shtemenko" (established by order of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation No. 222 of 2017); the Ministry of Defence medal "Lieutenant General Belyusov" (established by order No. 500 of 2020); the Service's distinction badge "For Merits" (established by order No. 260 of 2013); the Service's distinction badge "For Distinction" (established by order No. 526 of 2018); the distinction badge "Excellent Worker of the State Secret Protection Service" (established by order No. 600 of 2020); the qualification badge "Specialist of the State Secret Protection Service" (established by order No. 525 of 2018); and the Service Day (established by order of the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation No. 698 of 18 December 2020). On 16 November 2018, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', Archangel Gabriel was designated as the heavenly patron of the State Secret Protection Service of the Russian Armed Forces.

• All-Russian Main Staff created by Order No. 339 of the People's Commissar for Military Affairs.

• Separate General and Cipher Section formed within the Reporting-Organizational Department of the Organizational Directorate by order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic.

• Military secret protection system extended to formations.

• Special department for cipher and decipher work created under the Cheka.

• First cipher apparatus V-4 developed.

• Coding machine K-37 "Kristall" created.

• State Secret Protection Service created by order of the Minister of Defence, uniting regime, special, and information-protection units.

• Russian Ministry of Defence leadership decided to assign the Service tasks of technical information protection.

• Archangel Gabriel designated as heavenly patron of the Service with the blessing of Patriarch Kirill.

• Service Day established by order of the Minister of Defence No. 698.

Military state-secret protection and information security body of the Russian Armed Forces

1. 1State Secret Protection Service - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Служба защиты государственной тайны ВС РФ - Wikipedia (Russian)ru.wikipedia.org