Igor Smeshko: Effective Intelligence Service Should Oppose Russia

Kyiv, March 15, 2014 – “Today the country is at war – stressed Igor Smeshko during a media briefing at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Centre. – Special units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces are operating against Ukraine. And only special divisions of Ukraine can oppose them.”

According to Mr. Smeshko, after losing Crimea it was necessary to immediately conduct a thorough investigation of the activities of the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, and above all, of the Security Service, of the Intelligence and Counter-Intelligence to identify “weak links” in the activities of the power-wielding agencies. The lack of such analysis results in Ukraine losing the initiative in the escalating conflict.

Regarding the unfolding of an anti-terrorism operation in the East of Ukraine, Mr. Smeshko explained: “If we are actually at war, if sabotage and intelligence groups are operating on our territory, the first thing we need have is straightforward and reliable information from intelligence service. We need feed-forward information. How do certain units of the enemy get into our country? How are they commanded? And then, based on the available data our own special forces can adequately respond to the actions of special forces (RF). Our two intelligence services have special task units. They were trained especially for such threats: they are “Alpha” and special units of the Interior Ministry. And when the feed-forward information is available, they have to target the pinpoints in the framework of the anti-terrorist operation.” Stressing the importance of intelligence service data, he added that to carry out an antiterrorist operation without operational and comprehensive data from intelligence is counterproductive and may lead to bloodshed, which is what our strategic opponent – Russian Federation – is actually counting on. To strengthen Ukrainian intelligence Mr. Smeshko particularly recommends to consolidate radioelectronic intelligence tools that are now scattered among various agencies.

To conclude his briefing, Mr. Smeshko noted that Ukraine, unfortunately, has never had true allies in security domain and has to defend with her own means: “Our strategic opponent will advance as far as we will allow it, since it has already crossed the Rubicon. If we do not deploy our forces fully and start resisting, who will thwart those plans (RF)? The good news is that our people will fight. But the question is when they will fight? We should not look around the world waiting to help. The West will help if we show our readiness and fight yourselves.” Nevertheless, according to Mr. Smeshko, Ukraine will come out of the crisis as a stronger state.

Igor Smeshko, Ukrainian Military, Politician and Statesman, head of the All-Ukrainian public organization “Syla i Chest’”. Chairman of the Security Service of Ukraine (September 4, 2003 — February 4, 2005). Member of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine (September 2003 — February 2005). Lieutenant General (August 1998), Colonel General (2004), D.Sc. in Engineering, professor (1992), military engineer.

Photo: dyvys.in