What responsibilities did the KGB have in the Soviet Union?

The KGB served as the primary foreign intelligence and domestic security agency of the Soviet Union. Established in 1954 as the "sword and shield of the Communist Party," its core responsibilities included:1

• Intelligence and Counterintelligence: Conducting foreign intelligence operations, domestic counterintelligence, and technical intelligence gathering.12
• Security and Protection: Safeguarding the country’s political leadership and maintaining the security of national frontiers.312
• Surveillance and Control: Performing general surveillance of the population and monitoring suspected dissidents, including intellectuals and religious activists.31

The agency functioned as an instrument of political control, often harassing or arresting those deemed disloyal to the regime. It also focused on procuring scientific and technical information for the Soviet military. Unlike its Western counterparts, such as the CIA, the KGB conducted the majority of its activities domestically against its own citizens. It is a fundamental ethical principle that state security agencies must operate within the rule of law; the KGB’s history of suppressing human rights and its failure to be held accountable for crimes against the Soviet people remain significant historical issues.1