Putin names close ally to head Russia’s spy agency

Russian Federation plans effectively to revive the KGB under a massive shake-up of its security forces, a respected business daily has reported.

The ministry will absorb the Federal Security Service (FSB) and several smaller agencies, Kommersant reports, citing unnamed security agency sources. The new incarnation is reportedly slated to launch before the 2018 elections, in which Putin is expected to seek a fourth term.

Putin himself worked as a spy for the KGB in East Germany, and later headed the FSB before becoming president.

Kremlin critics were horrified by the possible return of an institution synonymous with political oppression. “It’s time to get out [of the country]”, wrote Elshad Babaev, a Twitter user.

The MGB was the name of the state security apparatus for eight years of Joseph Stalin’s bloody rule. “The result would be a single powerful security structure, sitting at the heart of the state’s enforcement machinery, much as the KGB once did in the Soviet Union”, wrote ABC News Monday.

Putin nominated former Duma boss Sergei Naryshkin – widely reported to have served with him in the Soviet-era KGB – to take over as head of the SVR from Mikhail Fradkov, days after a thumping win for the ruling United Russia party at legislative elections that will now see a new speaker take over.

The two anti-Putin parties on the ballot – Parnas and Yabloko – failed to overcome the 5 per cent threshold to enter parliament.

The huge gain of more than 100 seats for United Russia, which held a majority in the previous parliament, raises it above the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution on its own.

“The question now is … how to live with a one-party parliament”, he said.

The election was marred by apathy and allegations of vote-rigging.

Trump’s comments on worrying about Russia come while he has recently been accused of pro-Russian bias, while also praising the controversial Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“A record low turnout. Welcome to the fearless new world”, said Vladimir Kara-Murza, the deputy leader of Parnas.