Why did President Putin National Guard? (a source: bbc.com)

In the Russian media and blogosphere news of the creation of the National Guard by President Putin on the basis of already existing MVD internal troops after the announcement on Tuesday became the most discussed.

• Putin announced the creation of the National Guard in Russia
• National Guard: Riot police with armored vehicles?

Headed by the Federal Service of the Russian Federation troops National Guard, the new structure will be officially called, Viktor Zolotov General, commanded to do this, first president of personal protection, and then the internal MVD.

According to the status it will be equated to the Minister, it will have six deputies, and his position officially called “Commander of the National Guard”.

experts note, that the new structure will not differ greatly on the tasks and powers of the internal troops.

However, the fact, she will report directly to the president, He has led many to speak of the creation of forces, whose main goal – protection authorities in case of destabilization in the country.

individual decision

The idea of ​​creation of the National Guard is not brought up for discussion in society, although unofficially it was discussed for quite some time. On the creation of a new structure, Putin announced on the day of the signing of the decree 5 April.

According to the president, finally, all the organization of the National Guard should be described in the respective federal law, which is in the form of the bill has already been introduced in the State Duma.

“We will fix it, as we have discussed with the Minister of Internal Affairs [Vladimir Kolokoltsev], not only in the Decree, but in the future, the federal law in order, that there is no jumble, so as, that everything works smoothly and accurately”, – Putin said.

No doubt that, that this law will pass all the necessary stages of review, He did not express.

Submission and Structure

service of the head position will be called the Commander of the troops of the National Guard, and submit it directly to the president, which will appoint him his decree. The first such decree has been signed – commander in chief appointed Viktor Zolotov.

According to the presidential decree, Guard will guard together with the Interior Ministry public order, fight against extremism and terrorism, including during counter-terrorist operations.

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Besides, she will preserve important state facilities and special cargoes, help the FSB border guard, to participate in the territorial defense, as well as to provide control in the area of ​​arms trafficking, private security. Guard and security services will.

The decree states, that special units will be included in the structure of the National Guard, mobile units of special purpose, Special Operations Center and aircraft units, however, they will submit to the Minister of Internal Affairs.

In this way, The National Guard will be created on the basis of the Interior Ministry troops, OMON, SWAT and private security, but the subordination of some of the structures will be left to the Ministry of Interior.

Rights and obligations

According to experts, Powers of the National Guard as a whole similar to the police authority, and, including in the use of special equipment and weapons.

guardsmen, according to the bill, has the right to detain suspects to the police with a criminal offense or misdemeanor, and “other persons to establish their identity”.

In this case, keep at the, whom they detained, Guards do not have more rights 48 hours. list of those, who have the right to detain soldiers guard, listed in the law.

The law also states, that the detention of the Guard must explain to the detainee “his right to legal assistance, right to an interpreter, the right to notify close relatives or close persons on the fact of his detention, the right to refuse to give explanations”.

As he explained in the publication of the Committee of Civil Initiatives expert Maria Shklyaruk, “National Guard under gets a lot of authority to the penetration of residential and other premises, for land and territory; cordon (blocking) terrain, residential, buildings and other facilities.

“It has increasingly sharpened by public events, the state of emergency and counterterrorism operations, special operations against organized groups”, – He considers it.

What for?

Generally, many experts believe, that the urgent need for the establishment of such a service, on the basis of the goals and objectives, He mentioned by Putin, did not have.

BBC Russian Service asked the experts to comment on the possible reasons for the decision of Vladimir Putin.

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Kirill Titaev, Senior Fellow, Institute of European University of enforcement problems in St. Petersburg

There are three explanations. first – clear, konspirologicheskoe: to the position of ministerial rank quite understandable to a specific person. But I do not sit in anyone's heads, I do not know, on which this position is based.

The second version is less conspiracy, but also about the same spirit. This is a story about the upcoming electoral cycle against a background of deteriorating economic situation, and, respectively, on the establishment of structures, which would have been better prepared to riot, Protection of public order during any mass events.

Here, too, it's pretty difficult. Internal troops still in this mode are not used, but the law does not preclude their use in such a form. It could cause some excitement, that forces, assigned to police – OMON and SOBR – They were tightly tied to local interests, and sometimes not that not obeyed, but clearly displayed a desire to work tough.

I would not like to think, all because of this, because it's pretty stupid option. Because the local binding, and a local acquisition provides full sympathy for the protesters, if it is really significant local problems. Transfer to another submission will not change anything.

The third option appears relatively logical. clear, that in a crisis you need to transfer some functions to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Transfer of Federal Drug Control Service looks very logical, because it is completely redundant structure. With the FMS is more complicated, but also will logical.

But then we get megamonstrov. We get a huge department a la Stalin's NKVD, which clearly does not fit into the design of the executive power.

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Andrei Soldatov, Internet portal chief editor agentura.ru, in the work of special services specialist

The entire infrastructure for the use of internal troops to repel external threats already, it was created and existed for five to seven years, since the idea to the operational transfer of internal forces from one region to another, when there was limited coordination with riot police, when we started to disperse demonstrations and exercises, etc..

Each, who attended unsanctioned rallies in Moscow, I could see, that the interior troops stood there shoulder to shoulder with riot police, that is, even at the operational level, it was already established.

I have a feeling, that the main task… Viktor Zolotov that was able to realize the idea, which he dreamed – get own agency. AND, I think, this is the main result of all this reform.

BBC: One possible reason for the creation of the Guard, They are talked about in the blogosphere and among experts – need in the superstructure, which would not hesitate in suppressing mass demonstrations. How do you think, on the National Guard can be relied upon?

Andrei Soldatov: There is a problem of structure, but there is a problem of people, that its head.

One side, internal forces always regarded himself as the vanguard, the most faithful defenders of the political regime, This led to 1993 of the year. Then the army about something thought, FSB special forces did not want to take an active part in the events, and interior troops said “we will do”.

They take responsibility for the situation in the North Caucasus, When scientists began to disperse demonstrations, they are exactly with the same enthusiasm began to do. This is one story.

Another thing, we have not seen a serious political crisis in Russia, when there would be a split of elites, and already there was really possible to speak of loyalty. Such checking all these structures were not.

But I personally do not care, when I look at Viktor Zolotov, I think, that one of his most famous pictures – and, where he stands behind Yeltsin on a tank in 1991 year. I do not know, if he remembers himself about it, but, I think, it is the experience, that he has.

he saw, that with the amount of power structures, that was in the Soviet Union, can not say, they behaved impressively in 1991 year.

I think, that Russian security problem today is, that they are not experienced and do not reflect on the experience 1991 of the year, and why it is so emotionally embraced Maidan. Very much it resembled – all these abandoned buildings SBU, administration – the, what happened then, at 1991 year.

And I think, that the response to the crisis, they may be inadequate. It would be too emotional – is too soft, too tight, but inadequate.

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mark Galeotti, Professor, Center for International Relations at New York University

Clear, it was created not for the reasons, who declared. Because in order, to fight terrorism and organized crime, no need to create a paramilitary structure.

Respectively, I think, it is necessary to ensure political control, political security. This is not only a loyal force, which is able to withstand the protests on the streets, but also the structure, that can protect in the event of a conspiracy within the elite. properly, for this and need professional security.

BBC: But in Russia there are already several services, that perform this role…

mark Galeotti: Yes and no. Old internal troops directly subordinate to the Minister of Internal Affairs, therefore, they are not controlled. The created structure is controlled by Victor Zolotov, former bodyguard and the man is clearly a devotee of Putin, and this – a big difference.

Other existing services – Federal Security Service (FSO) – it does not present all over the country, it is concentrated in Moscow. therefore, I think, Now across the country, a structure “pretoriancev Putin”.

BBC: How effective can be such a structure for such tasks?

mark Galeotti: If you are seriously concerned about the danger, coming from the public or from the elites, such a structure can help you. However, it is rather a sign of excessive fear, paranoia, if you want to, Kremlin, rather than any real danger.

And of course, when you create a similar structure, you begin to protect themselves from all over the country, You start treating Russia, as an unfriendly force, and not as to their home country. And these precautions can only accelerate the negative processes.