The National Guard of the Russian Federation () or Rosgvardiya () is the internal military force of Russia, comprising an independent agency that reports directly to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin under his powers as Supreme Commander-in-Chief and Chairman of the Security Council. The National Guard is separate from the Russian Armed Forces. A law signed by Putin established the federal executive body in 2016. The National Guard has the stated mission of securing Russia's borders, taking charge of gun control, combating terrorism and organized crime, protecting public order and guarding important state facilities. The establishment of the National Guard was seen as an effort to enhance efficiency and to avoid duplication of responsibilities within the Russian security system, a result of an extensive assessment of strategic challenges facing Russia.p. 6 Others have accused the Rosgvardyia of being an attempt by Putin to create a private army to control civil strife or attempts of a colour revolution, not only domestically but also abroad in friendly regimes. the National Guard numbered approximately 340,000 personnel in 84 units across Russia; it consolidated the forces of the MVD Internal Troops, SOBR, OMON and other internal military forces outside of the Russian Armed Forces. In 2017, Putin designated 27 March as National Guard Day, linking the National Guard to a long history of public-security services within Russia – a decree of Emperor Alexander I organised the on 27 March in the Old Style Julian calendar in 1811. Official name The organisation's official designation is the Federal Service of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation (; . In official documents, it may be referred to by the romanized acronym FSVNG RF (). In Russian, the less formal acronym Rosgvardiya (, lit. "Russian Guard") is commonly used. History One of the only defence moves the new Russian government made before March 1992 involved announcing the establishment of a National Guard. Until 1995, it was planned to form at least 11 brigades numbering 3,000 to 5,000 each, with a total of no more than 100,000. National Guard military units were to be deployed in 10 regions, including in Moscow (three brigades), (two brigades), and a number of other important cities and regions. In Moscow alone expressed their desire to service in the new Russian Army, mostly former Soviet Armed Forces servicemen. In the end, President Yeltsin tabled a decree "On the temporary position of