Putin Hopes New Foreign Intel Service Head to Take Into Account Int’l Situation

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he hoped the new leadership of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) will take into account changes in the international situation.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Putin's decree of September 22 appointed Sergey Naryshkin the director of SVR. The decree took effect October 5. Naryshkin was earlier the speaker of Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament.

"The Foreign Intelligence Service has an important role in protection of the national interests. I hope the new SVR leadership will take into account in full the dynamic changes in the international situation and will focus on increasing the service's technical and analytic potential," Putin said at a meeting with senior officers and prosecutors.