Moscow Accuses Western Intelligence Agencies Of Trying To Destabilize Russia

President Putin addressing the FSB on Thursday. He vowed Russia would stand firm in its relations with the West. Kremlin.ru

VOA: Putin: Western Intel Services Aiming to Destabilize Russia

President Vladimir Putin said Western intelligence services have set it as their goal to destabilize Russia especially during upcoming elections, according to the Kremlin’s website.

In a speech Thursday in Moscow before top officials of the Federal Security Service, he said non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and politicized groups will take the lead in this effort.

“[We are seeing that] to attain their goals, Western intelligence services are unceasingly using civic non-governmental organizations and politicized associations, above all to discredit the government and destabilize the domestic situation in Russia, whereby operations are already planned for the upcoming 2016-12018 election campaigns,” Putin told officials of the KGB successor agency, according to a transcript of his speech posted by the Kremlin.

More News On Moscow Accusing Western Intelligence Agencies Of Trying To Destabilize Russia

Putin says Russia will stand firm in standoff with West -- AP
Putin says Western spies plot against Russia before polls -- Reuters
Putin Accuses West Of Anti-Russian Plots -- Radio Free Europe
Western spies are undermining my rule, says Putin: Russian president accuses security services of deliberately trying to destabilise the country before elections -- Daily Mail/Reuters
West's 'Arm-Twisting' Will Not Isolate Russia - Putin -- Sputnik
Putin Urges FSB: Harder, Faster, Stronger -- Moscow Times
To change the situation for the better we must make Russia stronger – Putin to FSB -- RT
Moscow says new U.S. national security strategy is anti-Russian -- Reuters
Russian Security Council Warns US Seeks 'Color Revolution' Against Kremlin -- IBTimes
Russia to take into account threats resulting from new U.S. security strategy -- RBTH

NATO: Russian Military Aircraft Are Risking The Safety Of European Airliners

Russian Warplanes Risking Safety Of European Airliners, Says Nato Chief -- The Telegraph

Jens Stoltenberg, the new secretary general of Nato, tells the Telegraph that more Russian military jets are flying over Europe without contacting air traffic control, raising the risk of mid-air collisions

Russia is placing civilian flights at risk by dispatching jet fighters and bombers into European airspace without following safety procedures, according to Nato’s secretary general.

Jens Stoltenberg told the Telegraph that Nato fighters had intercepted Russian military aircraft over 100 times so far this year, compared with 30 such incidents in 2013.

Russia’s long-range bombers and spy planes usually stay in international airspace, but they deliberately ignore safeguards designed to reduce the risk of collision with civilian flights. In particular, they switch off the “transponders” that allow aircraft to detect one another.

Read more ....

Update #1: Russian Military Activity in Europe’s Airspace Is ‘Dangerous,’ Says U.K. -- Wall Street Journal
Update #2: Civilian Flights at Risk From Putin's 'Invisible' Fighters -- Newsweek

My Comment: Russian pilots shutting off their transponders is a definite no-no .... and dangerous. But such is the present state of affairs between the West and Russia.