Special Communications and Information Service (Spetssvyaz)
Organizational Overview
The Special Communications and Information Service (Spetssvyaz) is a structural component of the Federal Protective Service of the Russian Federation (FSO). It is responsible for establishing, operating, and protecting special government communications for the highest state authorities and other designated users. The service was formed in 2003 following the dissolution of the Federal Agency for Government Communications and Information (FAPSI), with government communications functions transferred to the FSO.
Headquarters and Command
Headquarters location reported: Moscow, 1st Mytishchinskaya street, 17. The provided data names Vasily Zapltakin as commander. This command attribution is presented as reported and is not independently corroborated here. Leadership positions in such services are subject to change and are not always publicly announced.
Legal and Institutional Framework
Spetssvyaz operates under the legal framework that governs the FSO, including the Federal Law of the Russian Federation on state protection and associated presidential decrees and government regulations. Its mandates include providing special government communications, ensuring their resilience, confidentiality, and integrity, and supporting protected persons and facilities with secure communications. Detailed internal regulations, network topologies, and technical standards are generally classified.
Mission Set and Core Functions
Core functions include providing secure voice, data, and video communications to federal state authorities and designated regional bodies; ensuring continuous communications for national-level decision making and crisis management; operating and maintaining secure switching, transmission, and access infrastructure; and implementing information security measures for government communications systems within its remit. Publicly visible outputs have included secure videoconferencing support for senior leadership, as shown in state media coverage since 2020.
Unit Categories and Roles
The reported units reflect several functional categories: operational and technical communications centers that run and sustain core networks and platforms; special purpose communications centers that serve as key nodes or specialized hubs for secure government communications; territorial government communications units that provide regional-level connectivity and support; and a training center that prepares and certifies personnel for technical and operational roles on special communications systems.
Enumerated Units Reported
The following designations and military unit numbers are reported: 18th Operational and Technical Communications Center — military unit 65240; Spetssvyaz Communications Unit — military unit 54985; Spetssvyaz Communications Unit — military unit 56707; Territorial Government Communications Unit — military unit 38953-Ya; 5th Territorial Government Communications Unit — military unit 38953-K; FSO Special Purpose Communication Units Training Center — military unit 13291; 3rd Special Purpose Communications Center — military unit 28685; 4th Special Purpose Communications Center — military unit 77071; 11th Special Purpose Communications Center — military unit 57358; 15th Special Purpose Communications Center — military unit 16662; 16th Special Purpose Communications Center — military unit 68323; 17th Special Purpose Communications Unit — military unit 28677; 17th Special Purpose Communications Center — military unit 28677; 20th Special Purpose Communications Center — military unit 69793; 25th Special Purpose Communications Center — military unit 35657; 28th Special Purpose Communications Center — military unit 68895.
Numbering and Notation Observations
Russian security and defense bodies routinely use military unit numbers as cover designations for facilities and formations. The repeated base number with letter suffixes (for example 38953-K and 38953-Ya) typically denotes separate subunits or detachments under a parent unit. The presence of both a 17th Special Purpose Communications Unit and 17th Special Purpose Communications Center with the same number (military unit 28677) indicates variant naming of the same entity or co-located subelements. Non-sequential numbering of centers implies that additional centers likely exist beyond the list provided.
Geographic Footprint
The headquarters in Moscow indicates central coordination, while the presence of territorial government communications units and multiple numbered special purpose communications centers suggests a distributed national footprint aligned to federal and regional administrative centers. Precise addresses and site layouts for the listed units are not provided and are typically restricted; identification of exact locations generally relies on official registers, court filings, or procurement documentation when available.
Infrastructure and Technical Capabilities
Spetssvyaz is assessed to operate multi-layer secure communications incorporating terrestrial fiber backbones and other transmission media, with secure switching, encryption-equipped endpoints, and protected data services for government users. Services include secure telephony, data transport, and video communications over closed networks. Where necessary, the service interconnects with state and commercial operators to achieve nationwide reach; specific vendor systems, cryptographic suites, frequencies, and circuit topologies are not publicly detailed.
Training and Workforce Development
The FSO Special Purpose Communication Units Training Center (military unit 13291) serves as the institutional hub for preparing specialists who operate, maintain, and secure special communications systems. Training commonly includes secure network operations, systems maintenance, incident response within special communications environments, and compliance with internal technical and information security standards. Detailed curricula and throughput figures are not publicly released.
Interagency Interfaces and Dependencies
Spetssvyaz communications link to broader government and security architectures, necessitating interfaces with networks operated by the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Guard (Rosgvardia), the Federal Security Service, and civilian telecommunications operators. While interconnection is a practical necessity for end-to-end reach, governance boundaries, service-level agreements, and technical demarcations are not publicly disclosed. This interagency connectivity supports continuity of government communications and crisis response.
Operational Security Practices
Operational security is characterized by the use of numeric military unit identifiers in place of descriptive names, limited public-facing information about sites and personnel, and reliance on closed procurement and classified technical standards. Physical security of facilities is typically layered, and public disclosures avoid technical parameters, staffing levels, and equipment inventories. As a result, open-source information on internal structure and site specifics is inherently limited.
Open-Source Indicators and Verification Avenues
Corroborating details on these units typically relies on cross-referencing Russian official registers, regional administrative records, court decisions, state media coverage of ceremonies or infrastructure launches, and procurement notices where not classified. Military unit numbers may appear in award citations, legal documents, or budgetary references. However, many procurement and technical documents for Spetssvyaz are either restricted or redacted, and comprehensive public registries for the FSO are limited.
Sanctions and Legal Exposure
Since 2014 and especially after 2022, multiple jurisdictions have imposed sanctions on a broad range of Russian state organs and officials. This report does not confirm unit-level sanctions designations for the entities listed. The sanction status of specific units or officeholders requires checking current, authoritative sanctions lists, which are updated frequently.
Data Gaps and Confidence Assessment
High confidence: Spetssvyaz is a component of the FSO formed after the dissolution of FAPSI, with a mandate to provide secure government communications; the listed unit designations are consistent with known naming conventions and functions. Moderate confidence: headquarters location in Moscow at 1st Mytishchinskaya street, 17, and the mapping of the specific military unit numbers to Spetssvyaz elements. Low to moderate confidence: current commander name as provided, detailed geographic siting of each unit, and specific technical systems in use. Many particulars are not publicly available or are classified.