The KGB Never Died: Putin’s FSB and GRU Revive Cold War Tactics to Destabilize the West

Putin's New FSB and GRU Put American Democracy in the Crosshairs

     In today’s Russia, Vladimir Putin has taken the old KGB playbook, dusted it off, and reinstituted its methods through modern agencies like the Federal Security Service (FSB). From misinformation campaigns to political suppression, today’s Russian intelligence agencies mirror the strategies and brutal tactics the KGB used during the Cold War—just under a new name.

     For Americans and democracies around the globe, Putin’s resurrection of the KGB’s tactics poses a real and ongoing threat. It’s a world I explore in my spy thriller, Mission of Vengeance, where CIA spymaster Corey Pearson takes on ex-KGB agents who are reviving “Active Measures” to disrupt the West. If you’re wondering, “Active Measures” is Cold War lingo for the KGB’s arsenal of tricks to destabilize enemies from within—things like disinformation, sowing distrust, and meddling in politics.

     Back in the day, the KGB cooked up conspiracy theories to make Americans doubt their own government. Remember the rumor that the CIA created AIDS? Or the idea that the U.S. government assassinated Martin Luther King Jr.? Those were pure KGB creations, spread to erode American unity and trust. Today, Putin’s FSB has taken these old-school “Active Measures” to a new level, using social media to flood the West with disinformation, and even resorting to assassinations to silence critics abroad. The KGB might have a new name, but Putin’s playbook is just as chilling as ever.

     Putin’s FSB and GRU both operate as the KGB once did: with sweeping powers over Russian society, ruthlessly eliminating dissidents and opponents both domestically and abroad. Take Alexander Litvinenko’s assassination in 2006. He was poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 after publicly denouncing the Kremlin’s corruption. This brazen act, carried out on British soil, was a modern-day echo of KGB assassinations—intended as a chilling reminder that the FSB, and GRU, will go to any length to silence the Kremlin’s critics. See Unmasking Russian Intelligence: The GRU's Lethal Assassination Tactics Abroad to learn more.

      During the Cold War, the KGB infiltrated progressive movements in the U.S. and Latin America, sowing unrest and polarizing societies. Today’s FSB and GRU continue this legacy with “Active Measures” aimed at undermining American and Western stability. Mission of Vengeance dives into this very danger, as CIA spymaster Corey Pearson discovers a network of sleeper agents in the Caribbean orchestrating a grand scheme to destabilize America’s influence. The novel may be fiction, but the reality is equally nerve-wracking.

     U.S. intelligence is well aware that Russia’s promises to abandon Active Measures were hollow. When former Russian intelligence station chief Sergey Tretyakov defected to the U.S. in 2000, he confirmed that Moscow had kept these tactics alive long after the Soviet Union collapsed. Since Putin came to power, disinformation campaigns have intensified, like those aimed at influencing public opinion during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and in European democracies. It’s a chilling reminder of how these “old” tactics are shaping modern-day conflicts.

     Western intelligence agencies, like the CIA, MI6, and Canada’s CSIS, operate under strict oversight. Transparency, legislative scrutiny, and legal constraints are part of their structure, designed to protect citizens’ rights and uphold democratic values. Their missions center on foreign intelligence gathering and counterterrorism, with minimal domestic interference—ensuring they don’t function as tools of political control.

     Unlike the CIA and other intelligence agencies in democracies, which are held to strict oversight and legal standards, Russia’s FSB operates with almost zero checks. For Putin, loyalty to the Kremlin isn’t just expected—it’s mandatory. And the FSB’s role goes way beyond intelligence gathering; they actively crack down on journalists, activists, and anyone brave enough to challenge the government.

     Take the case of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was gunned down in her apartment building in 2006 after years of reporting on corruption and abuses in Chechnya. Many believe the FSB was behind it, silencing her for exposing the harsh reality of Putin’s regime. The FSB uses Cold War-style tactics—intimidation, constant surveillance, and even targeted assassinations—to stamp out dissent and maintain Putin’s grip on power. For him, the FSB is not just a spy agency; it’s a tool for total domestic control and a way to spread Russian influence globally.

     Putin’s nostalgia for the old Soviet Union, combined with his hardcore KGB training, fuels his foreign policy today. This isn’t just about intelligence gathering anymore; it’s about taking down democratic societies piece by piece. From the invasion of Crimea to cyber attacks against the U.S., Putin has unleashed an agency with one mission: to undermine and destabilize the West.

     Today’s Russia, with its FSB, is basically a rebranded KGB. The methods might have evolved, but the playbook is all too familiar. With advanced tools and new tactics, Putin’s shadowy FSB is lurking in ways that should concern anyone who values freedom. It’s no longer a Cold War relic; this is real, and it’s here, threatening democratic values everywhere.

     This isn’t just a call to action for the CIA and Western intelligence—it’s a wake-up call for all of us. We can’t afford to look away, because if we do, we risk losing far more than just a battle in a spy novel; we risk losing the ideals that define us. 

Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and the author of the "Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster" spy thriller series. Check out his latest spy thriller, Misson of Vengeance