SECRET POLICE AT WORLD CUP

Russian FSB in charge of World Cup security

THE secret police organisation once known as the KGB have been put in charge of security for the World Cup on orders from the Kremlin, leaving Russian hooligans afraid to provoke fights next

summer, reports Daily Mail’s

Sportsmail.

Now known as the FSB, they have enforced an increasingly oppressive regime in Russia, wielding Kalashnikovs and wearing balaclavas to carry out high-profile arrests of a number of politicians who have found themselves facing jail terms of up to 15 years — with state media reporting their guilt long before any trial.

The organisation’s involvement in World Cup security underlines President Vladimir Putin’s determination to use the global tournament to project a positive image of the country.

It has already been made clear to perpetrators that they face jail terms of between eight and 15 years and there is also a zerotolerance approach to ticket touting.

Russian fan leader Alexander Shprygin said this week that he believed the FSB had already started hunting football hooligans rather than enemies of the state and the organisation’s involvement next summer makes it extremely unlikely that Russians will provoke fights.

Sources have told Sportsmail that the biggest threat to mass disorder now resides in any disrespect being shown by visiting supporters towards Putin and an increasingly patriotic Russian state. That could provoke a response so England fans are being urged to behave with respect.

The FSB have shown themselves willing to participate in criminal activity for the Russian state if necessary.

Grigory Rodchenkov, the whistleblower who provided evidence of state-sponsored Russia doping at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, detailed how the organisation’s operatives were trained to open dirty urine samples of Russian athletes and replace them with clean urine.

The organisation’s powers have been expanded by sweeping new ‘anti-terror’ laws criminalising ‘failure to report a crime’.

The Human Rights Watch group have also expressed concern about in dividuals being arbitrarily placed on ‘special watch lists’.

The FSB’s involvement explains why Moscow deputy police chief Andrey Zakharob was so unperturbed two months ago when questioned by British journalists in Moscow about the threat of fans congregating in large numbers and causing trouble.

“It’s OK to drink as long as you don’t disturb public order,” Zakharob said.

“If there are any violations of public order, then the police will have to respond.”