Russia’s military intelligence has focused its activity on terrorism, crisis regions, and the prevention of nuclear proliferation, its chief Major General Igor Sergun said in a report presented to President Dmitry Medvedev on Thursday.
“Changes in the global situation require corrections in intelligence priorities and their implementation mechanisms,” Sergun, who took over as head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) from Alexander Shlyakhturov in December last year, said in his report.
“Hot spots, where terrorist and extremist groups operate, crisis regions, as well as sources and possible routes for the illegal proliferation of nuclear materials and components of weapons of mass destruction” will now be in the GRU’s focus, he said.
Medvedev, who visited the GRU headquarters in Moscow for the first time as president, said Russia's military intelligence was operating “professionally and efficiently,” using “the most advanced technical means.”
Medvedev previously paid a visit to the GRU headquarters as prime minister in November 2006. He also visited the office of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) in late 2010.
