Viktor Vasilyevich Cherkesov (russian: Виктор Васильевич Черкесов; 13 July 1950 – 8 November 2022) was a Russian security services official.

Biography

Cherkesov graduated from the Law Department of

Leningrad State University Saint Petersburg State University (SPBU; russian: Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the G ...

in 1973. In 1975–1991, he worked in Leningrad and

Leningrad Oblast Leningrad Oblast ( rus, Ленинградская область, Leningradskaya oblast’, lʲɪnʲɪnˈgratskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ, , ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). It was established on 1 August 1927, a ...

Directorate of

KGB The KGB (russian: links=no, lit=Committee for State Security, Комитет государственной безопасности (КГБ), a=ru-KGB.ogg, p=kəmʲɪˈtʲet ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪn(ː)əj bʲɪzɐˈpasnəsʲtʲɪ, Komitet gosud ...

and prosecuted

political dissidents Political dissent is a dissatisfaction with or opposition to the policies of a governing body. Expressions of dissent may take forms from vocal disagreement to civil disobedience to the use of violence.Democratic Union. From 1992 to August 1998, Cherkesov led

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

Directorate of MBR/FSK/ FSB, successor organization to KGB. From August 1998 to May 2000, he was a First Deputy Director of FSB under

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...

and

Nikolai Patrushev Nikolai Platonovich Patrushev (russian: Никола́й Плато́нович Па́трушев; born 11 July 1951) is a Russian politician, security officer and intelligence officer who has served as the secretary of the Security Council of ...

. From 18 May 2000 to 11 March 2003, he was President Vladimir Putin's plenipotentiary envoy to the

Northwestern Federal District Northwestern Federal District,, ''Severo-Zapadny federalny okrug'' is one of the federal districts of Russia, eight federal districts of Russia. It covers most of Northwest Russia. Its population was 13.6 million, of which 83.5% was urban, livi ...

. From 11 March 2003 until his death, he was head of the State Committee for the Control of the Circulation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances of the Russian Federation (since March 2004 –

Federal Drug Control Service of Russia Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...

). In early October 2007, several senior officers of the Federal Drug Control Service were arrested by agents of the FSB, which was considered by analysts as part of a longtime battle between Viktor Cherkesov,

Igor Sechin Igor Ivanovich Sechin (russian: И́горь Ива́нович Се́чин; born 7 September 1960) is a Russian oligarch and a government official, considered a close ally and "de facto deputy" of Vladimir Putin. Sechin has been a confidant ...

and other members of Vladimir Putin's inner circle. On 9 October 2007, an article signed by Cherkesov was published in ''

Kommersant ''Kommersant'' (russian: Коммерсантъ, , ''The Businessman'' or Commerce Man, often shortened to Ъ) is a nationally distributed daily newspaper published in Russia mostly devoted to politics and business. The TNS Media and NRS Russia ...

'', where it was claimed that the Russian Drug Enforcement Administration officials detained on criminal charges earlier that month are the exception rather than the rule, that the turf battle among the secret services could undermine the nation's stability, and that the only scenario for Russia that is both realistic enough and relatively favorable is to continue evolution into a corporativist state ruled by security services officials. On 27 October 2007, two officers of Russian Drug Enforcement Administration were poisoned to death, which was a part of the power struggle between the clans of Russian siloviks, according to

Vladimir Pribylovsky Vladimir Valerianovich Pribylovsky (russian: Влади́мир Валериа́нович Прибыло́вский, 6 March 195613 January 2016) was a Soviet and Russian political scientist, historian, journalist, human rights activist, and a ...

. "The entire political system of Russia today is a struggle of various clans and groups fighting to see that Putin stays in power according to their scenario and not according to the scenario of their competitors," said economist Mikhail Delyagin.Russia Uncertainty Over Putin Succession Fuels 'Siloviki War'
by Brian Whitmore, 9 November 2007,

RFE/RL Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is a United States government funded organization that broadcasts and reports news, information, and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Caucasus, and the Middle East where it says tha ...

On 12 May 2008, he was sacked by President

Dmitry Medvedev Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev ( rus, links=no, Дмитрий Анатольевич Медведев, p=ˈdmʲitrʲɪj ɐnɐˈtolʲjɪvʲɪtɕ mʲɪdˈvʲedʲɪf; born 14 September 1965) is a Russian politician who has been serving as the dep ...

as Head of the State Committee for the Control of the Circulation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances and appointed by Prime-Minister Vladimir Putin Head of the Federal Agency for the Procurement of Military and Special Equipment. This was perceived as retaliation for discussing infighting within Putin's inner circle in an op-ed in the ''

'' newspaper.

had in turn chastised Cherkesov for the piece, saying during the TV program "

Direct Line with Vladimir Putin ''Direct Line with Vladimir Putin'' (Прямая линия с Владимиром Путиным) is an annual televised political event in Russia. As its name implies, it is a question and answer event with Russian President Vladimir Putin. ...

" that "one who makes claims about the secret service war must first themselves be blameless."NEWSru.com NEWSru.com was a Russian online news site, based in Moscow, which had a government-critical orientation. History NEWSru.com was originally launched in 2000 at the address ntv.ru. When the government took over the NTV network in 2000, with the n ...

"> Cherkesov died in

on 8 November 2022, at the age of 72.

References

External links

Biography
by

(in Russian). {{DEFAULTSORT:Cherkesov, Viktor 1950 births 2022 deaths Politicians from Saint Petersburg Sixth convocation members of the State Duma (Russian Federation) Recipients of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 4th class Recipients of the Order of Honour (Russia) Recipients of the Order of the Red Star KGB officers Russian colonel generals

Biography

See also

References

External links