The insignia features a key, undamaged despite three menacing lightning bolts placed just above. Produced for employees of the “ST department” of the 16th Center of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of the Russian Federation, this simple piece of metal reveals the existence of a previously unknown unit tasked with protecting communications within Russia’s domestic intelligence agency.
This is one of several key findings in a report published Thursday, July 18, by Checkfirst, a company that specializes in the fight against disinformation. The organization collected and analyzed several hundred photographs of medals, insignia and decorations, found on manufacturer websites or shared on specialized platforms for collectors.
Russian security forces have a strong affinity for commemorative decorations and medals – a tradition inherited from the Soviet Union and one that remained particularly prevalent after the fall of the Berlin Wall. For the equivalent of a few dozen euros, these specialized websites allow former officers and soldiers to sell their insignia, which may commemorate a unit, an anniversary or an event.
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