FSB Fifth Service Head Dismissed Amid Controversy Over Flawed Ukraine Invasion Data

Sergei Beseda, head of the FSB's Fifth Service, has been dismissed from his post.

According to the "Important Stories" media outlet, citing two sources, Alexey Komkov, who previously worked as deputy head of the counterintelligence service, has taken over.

This change comes after revelations that the intelligence provided by Beseda's department played a crucial role in Putin's decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022.

The fifth service, responsible for collecting information in Russia and former Soviet states, provided data that led Russian authorities to believe the invasion would encounter little resistance.

However, this data proved largely inaccurate, leading to unexpected challenges for the Russian military.

"When the invasion started, they really thought it would be quick and easy," an officer from a Russian special forces unit told Important Stories in 2022.

"You've seen those images of burned-out trucks. They thought they'd be able to disperse any resistance with batons."

In the early days of the invasion, rumours spread that Beseda and his colleagues had been arrested for providing false information about Ukraine. However, sources from Important Stories did not confirm these claims.

Beseda has since become an advisor to FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov. Officially, his dismissal is attributed to his reaching the mandatory retirement age 70.

However, this staffing decision is not only based on formal reasons. According to sources, various power groups within the FSB are fiercely competing for high-ranking positions that will be vacant this year, including Bortnikov's own position.

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Sergei Korolev, the first deputy director of the FSB, is considered a potential candidate to succeed Bortnikov [who is also turning 73 this year].

Korolev is known for his ties to influential figures in the Russian underworld, including the notorious crime boss Aslan Gagiev. Alexey Komkov, now reportedly heading the fifth service, is considered a protégé of Korolev.