Special Communications Service of Russia

The Special Communications and Information Service of Russia (Spetsviaz; Служба специальной связи и информации, Спецсвязь России) is a cryptologic intelligence agency of The Federal Protective Service of Russia responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting Russian government communications and information systems,which involves information security and cryptanalysis/cryptography. It is the equivalent to the United States National Security Agency.

History
The Service was established in March 11, 2003 as the successor of FAPSI that was created from the 8th (Government Communications) and 16th (Electronic Intelligence) Chief Directorates of the KGB.

On September 25, 1991, Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev dismantled the KGB into several independent departments. One of them became the Committee on Government Communications under the President of Soviet Union.

On December 24, 1991 after the disbanding of the Soviet Union the organization became the Federal Agency of Government Communications and Information under the President of Russian Federation.

On March 11, 2003 the agency was reorganized into the Service of Special Communications and Information (Spetsviaz) of the Federal Security Service (FSB). On August 7, 2004, Spetsviaz was incorporated as a structural sub unit of the Federal Protective Service (FSO).

The service was created as a result of the reform March 11, 2003, on the basis of the Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information (FAPSI), initially as a special communication service of the FSO.

According to the direction then the "Regulations on the Service for Special Communications and Information under the Federal Service of the Russian Federation", the Service of Special Communication and Information (Special Communication of Russia) is a federal special communication and information, exercising their powers within the organization and provision of service, security, development and improving the governmental systems and other kinds of special links, and information gathering for federal government agencies, public authorities of the Russian Federation and state bodies.

On August 7, 2004 Vladimir Putin signed a decree "On the Federal Service of the Russian Federation", According to the decree, The Service become a part of the FSO.

Directors of Spetsviaz
From 2003 until 2010 the Spetssviyaz Director was Yuri Korneev. The Director of the Special Communications Service is the Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Protective Service.
 * Yuri Kornev (2003–2010)
 * Alexey Mironov (Since 2010)