1943 SMERSH identity document cover. Russian (English): НКО (Народного Комиссариата Обороны (People’s Commissariat of Defense) Главного управления (Main Department) контрразведки (Counterintelligence) СМЕРШ (SMERSH)
SMERSH, a counter-intelligence agency with a name that means “death to spies” in Russian, has been reactivated by Russia in parts of Ukraine that are under its control or influence, according to a Russian politician and a video posted online. SMERSH was originally created by Joseph Stalin during World War II to combat German spies and traitors within the Soviet Union. It was also known for its brutal methods and its role in purging and executing thousands of people. SMERSH was disbanded after Stalin’s death in 1953, but its legacy lived on in popular culture, especially in Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels and films, where it was portrayed as a shadowy and ruthless enemy of the British agent.
The reemergence of SMERSH was announced by Sergey Aksyonov, the head of Crimea’s Russian-backed government, on December 3, 2023, as part of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Aksyonov said that SMERSH would operate in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as in the Zaporizhia and Kherson districts, which are adjacent to Crimea. He said that SMERSH would “deal with spies, saboteurs, and various agents of the West” who were trying to undermine Russia’s interests in the region.
Also in December, Russian parliament member and former military commander, Andrey Gurulyov said in televised remarks that Putin had brought back SMERSH and allowed it to operate in the parts of Ukraine that Russia had taken over. “We created a department that works like SMERSH did in the past in new territories”.
A video posted on January 2, 2024, showed a man under arrest by Russian internal security forces, who confessed to a “crime” of posting a video on social media that allegedly showed air defenses near the Russian city of Belgorod, which was the target of Ukrainian missile attacks on the same day. The man was flanked by two security officers who had the word SMERSH on the backs of their jackets. The video was seen as a confirmation of SMERSH’s revival and its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
The return of SMERSH may be seen as a further indication of the increasing clampdown on all forms of internal dissent and opposition in Russia, as well as a sign of Putin’s nostalgia for the Soviet era and its symbols. SMERSH’s name and history are likely to invoke fear and intimidation among the people of Ukraine and other neighboring countries, as well as among the critics and opponents of Putin’s regime within Russia. SMERSH’s activities may also pose a challenge and a threat to the intelligence and security services of the West, especially in the context of the new Cold War that has emerged between Russia and the NATO allies.
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