MOSCOW. April 30 (Interfax-AVN) - The overwhelming majority of Russians - almost 80% - believe the Federal Security Service (FSB) is a necessary element of the public administration system.
Sergei Ignatchenko, head of the FSB's public relations center, said this in an interview with Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper on Wednesday. He said that only 6% of respondents hold the opposite opinion.
Speaking about the FSB's feedback with the public, Ignatchenko said the official website www.fsb.ru has been operating for several years. In addition, the FSB was the first special service in the world to set up "a counter-intelligence hotline."
"No one in the history of mankind has invented anything more effective than the institution of special services. It is impossible to locate extremely dangerous criminals without them," he said.
Speaking about relations with the mass media, Ignatchenko said the FSB is trying to be "reasonably open" and find "the golden mean."
"If we do not provide the mass media and society with information, our opponents will do so. And that will inevitably produce rumors and a variety of speculation," he said.