President Putin set short-term priorities for the agency’s work and said that the fight against terrorism was a key task facing the FSB. He stressed that the counterterrorist efforts should be consistent and tough, using more actively new forms and methods of fighting terror.
President Putin stressed the FSB’s role in providing economic security. Russia is actively integrating into the global economy, and it is important to provide protection against industrial espionage and other forms of unfair competition which bring heavy losses to the country, he said.
The President said strengthening the FSB personnel potential was extremely crucial for the agency since it has a direct bearing on Russia’s interests, democratic rights and liberties.
In this connection, Mr Putin cited an inadmissible fact of negligence when the conscript border guards got frostbitten at an airfield, and said the case would be investigated and those guilty punished.