The Director of the Russian Federal Security Service (Федеральная служба безопасности Российской Федерации, FSB), General Alexander Bortnikov, and that of the Foreign Intelligence Service (Служба внешней разведки, SVR), Sergey Naryshkin, paid a secret visit to the United States at end of January 2018. They were received by Mike Pompeo, the director of the CIA, and Dan Coats, the director of National Intelligence.

A high-profile political figure, Sergey Naryshkin (photo) has been a member of President Putin’s security detail since the 1990s at the Saint Petersburg City Hall where Putin entered politics. He was director of Russia’s first television channel, served as president of the Duma and deputy prime minister.

Since Crimea joined the Russian Federation, he has been targeted with sanctions by the United States ... including a ban to enter US territory issued by President Obama in March 2014.