**Russia’s Negotiator in Saudi Arabia: Who is Sergey Beseda?**
Sergey Beseda, a 70-year-old former head of Russia’s FSB, has been involved in the country’s war against Ukraine from the beginning. He was recently chosen to represent Russia in talks with the US in Saudi Arabia.
Beseda led the 5th Service of the FSB for 15 years and played a key role in keeping President Vladimir Putin informed about the situation in Ukraine before the full-scale invasion. However, the intelligence provided by his service turned out to be inaccurate, and he faced backlash but wasn’t removed from his position.
**A Career Intelligence Officer with a Troubled Past**
Beseda has been a career intelligence officer for most of his life, starting with the Soviet KGB predecessor organization. He was present in Kyiv during the bloodiest days of the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014 and allegedly commanded Ukraine’s law enforcement during their attack on protestors.
Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Chief, Kyrylo Budanov, described Beseda as a “very problematic person for Ukraine” who has done a lot of evil. The Russian delegation in Saudi Arabia includes Grigory Karasin, a Russian senator and career diplomat who is a staunch supporter of Moscow‘s war against Ukraine.
**Ukraine Accuses Beseda of Human Rights Abuses**
Beseda was accused by Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation for obstructing protests during the revolution and later charged with obstruction of justice. The US Ambassador to Moscow wrote in his memoir that Beseda was involved in talks on a prisoner exchange between the US and Russia in 2021.
**FSB’s Role in Spying on Ukraine**
The Washington Post reported in 2022 that the FSB has spent decades spying on Ukraine, trying to infiltrate its institutions, bribing officials, and preventing any shift towards the West. The 5th Service, led by Beseda, is officially in charge of the agency’s relations with foreign partners and gathering information in former Soviet republics, including Ukraine.
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