On September 1, 2025, the law on FSB control over science, education, and technologies came into effect. However, as learned T-Invariant*, the list of works required to be included in the state scientific database from the moment the law was adopted has changed beyond recognition: law enforcement agencies removed their projects from control, leaving the FSB with only civilian research and development.
All universities and research institutes are required to provide information on works with any foreign participation, and the FSB will receive a personal account in the database to coordinate international contacts. However, several types of research and development projects will not be included in the new database. Firstly, those conducted within the framework of the state defense order. Secondly, projects that contain state secrets or other "legally protected secrets," such a vague formulation allows many projects to be excluded from control. And thirdly, all scientific projects in the interests of the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the FSB, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Federal Medical-Biological Agency.
"As far as can be judged from the text of the decree, the departments where the presence of the FSB is ensured at a more serious level — by units with very strong positions within the power bloc — are excluded from the law. In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FSB officers are represented by the Department of Counterintelligence Operations (DCO) of the First Service, and the DCO and the First Service as a whole are arguably the most influential directorate in the FSB. In the Ministry of Defense, the special service is represented primarily by military counterintelligence (DVCI) — this is the largest directorate of the FSB, with constantly growing influence. Apparently, these FSB units simply did not want to give up the departments they oversee," suggests researcher of Russian special services Andrey Soldatov*.
As a result, FSB control will focus on the most peaceful areas — philology, economics, medicine, where they will now look for "foreign influence."
* Recognized in Russia as "foreign agent."