▁called ▁V ym pel ▁( e . g . ▁French ▁counter part ; ▁Division ▁Action ▁& ▁US ▁counter part ; ▁Special ▁Activ ities ▁Center ). ▁However , ▁mere ▁existence ▁of ▁such ▁group ▁within ▁the ▁SV R ▁is ▁denied ▁by ▁Russian ▁authorities . ▁Nevertheless , ▁there ▁were ▁some ▁rum ours ▁that ▁such ▁a ▁group ▁does ▁indeed ▁exist ▁and ▁is ▁assigned ▁to ▁execute ▁the ▁most ▁c land est ine ▁operations ▁abroad ▁primarily ▁for ▁protection ▁of ▁Russian ▁emb ass y ▁personnel ▁and ▁internal ▁investig ations . ▁It ▁is ▁believed ▁that ▁the ▁group ▁is ▁deep ▁under cover ▁and ▁consists ▁of ▁approximately ▁ 3 0 0 ▁highly ▁experienced ▁oper atives ▁speaking ▁several ▁languages ▁and ▁having ▁extensive ▁record ▁of ▁operations ▁while ▁serving ▁in ▁other ▁secret ▁units ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁military . ▁ ▁In vol vement ▁in ▁Russian ▁foreign ▁policy ▁During ▁Bor is ▁Y el ts in ' s ▁presiden cy , ▁the ▁SV R ▁conflic ted ▁with ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Affairs ▁for ▁direct ing ▁Russian ▁foreign ▁policy . ▁SV R ▁director ▁Y ev gen i ▁Prim akov ▁up st aged ▁the ▁foreign ▁min istry ▁by ▁publishing ▁warnings ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁not ▁to ▁inter f ere ▁in ▁the ▁un ification ▁of ▁Russia ▁with ▁other ▁former ▁Soviet ▁republic s ▁and ▁attack ing ▁the ▁NAT O ▁extension ▁as ▁a ▁threat ▁to ▁Russian ▁security , ▁whereas ▁foreign ▁minister ▁And rey ▁Ko zy rev ▁was ▁request ing ▁different ▁things . ▁The ▁rival ry ▁ended ▁in ▁decis ive ▁victory ▁for ▁the ▁SV R , ▁when ▁Prim akov ▁replaced ▁Ko zy rev ▁in ▁January ▁