General Sechin Returns to the Lubyanka

On March 10, the president of Rosneft, Igor Sechin, confirmed that General Oleg Feoktistov, a senior company employee responsible for his security, left the company. The former vice president of the company and head of its security department returned to service – in the FSB. Already a few days earlier, unconfirmed rumors circulated about the departure of the officer from the company – the first interpretation said that it could be a blow against Igor Sechin. Rumors appeared that Feoktistov was also removed from service, and even demoted. After several days of uncertainty, information surfaced that the general returned to the Lubyanka to the position of deputy head of the Economic Security Service of the FSB. If this is confirmed, it won’t mean a defeat, but a success for Sechin, Feoktistov’s political patron.

The general began work in Rosneft in August 2016. It was a rather surprising situation, because it was expected that the former deputy head of the Board of Internal Security of the FSB would advance within the service. It was then, in consultation with Sechin, that Feoktistov initiated and supervised an operation against the Minister of Economic Development Alexei Ulyukayev. Even after departing from the Lubyanka. He was situated in Rosneft as a delegate employee. Such officers are sent by the head of the FSB to companies of strategic importance for national security.

Oleg Feoktistov previously oversaw the 6th Service Board of Internal Security of the FSB. This elite unit was responsible for the most high-profile, anti-corruption operations, which, however, had a political backdrop. The “Six” stopped three governors, many high-ranking officials and officers of the Interior Ministry, the Investigative Committee and the FSB, among others. In the latter, people of the 6th Service took over the Economic Security Service – a powerful economic-financial counterintelligence operation. It was expected that Feoktistov would take a high position there. But then, to the surprise of many, the officer left for Rosneft. This was interpreted as an expression of Putin’s dissatisfaction with the excessive influence of people associated with Sechin at the Lubyanka. If the information about Feoktistov’s promotion is confirmed, it will mean that some agreement has been reached with the head of Rosneft, one of the most powerful politicians in Russia today.

All texts (except images) published by the Warsaw Institute Foundation may be disseminated on condition that their origin is stated.