Osobye otdely

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Special Departments' Insignia

“Special departments” (Osobye otdely) is the well-known Russian name for a system of military counter-espionage units in the Soviet Army, which organizationally were part of the KGB and its predecessor agencies. “Osobisty” is the common name for officers of those departments.

The origin of the system of special departments in the Soviet Armed Forces dates back to December 19, 1918, when the first such department was organized within the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission (commonly known as VeCheka. Later, a centralized system of special departments was established in all branches and at all levels of the Soviet Armed Forces.

The officers of special departments (department heads, deputy heads and operatives) wore the uniforms and insignia of the armed forces to which they were attached. Their main function was to detect traitors, spies, saboteurs and terrorists, as well as counter-revolutionary organizations and groups or individuals engaged in anti-Soviet propaganda. They also conducted investigations of crimes by such individuals and groups, under the supervision of prosecutorial agencies (Russian “prokuratura”). The functions of special department operatives also included the supervision of the political views and morale of the military unit to which they were attached.

Although special departments belong to the Soviet past, the tradition of separating a military counter-espionage agency from the armed forces has survived – and is carried on today by the Department of Military Counter-Espionage of the Federal Security Service (FSB). Russian military counter-espionage officers celebrate December 19 as the birthday of their service.