Russia is to create a new spy ministry that unites several agencies into one powerful structure reminiscent of the Soviet KGB. President Putin wants to strengthen control over the disgruntled echelons of the country’s top spies and dampen flashes of protest despite a resounding win in parliamentary elections yesterday for the pro-Kremlin United Russia. With deep symbolism, the new Ministry of State Security (MGB) will carry the same name as the Stalin-era intelligence agency which existed between 1946 and 1953, before the creation of the KGB (Committee for State Security). The new mega-spy agency will combine domestic and overseas espionage…

Source: The Times September 19, 2016 15:56 UTC