KGB was, until 1991, a government agency of the Soviet Union. It operated a secret-police force to maintain the Communist Party’s control of the country. It also gathered political and military intelligence (information) about other countries. Such intelligence often involves a country’s national security, and governments keep much of it secret. The KGB also provided bodyguards for Soviet officials and patrolled the borders. In other countries, besides gathering intelligence, the KGB conducted various secret operations to aid governments or political organizations friendly to the Soviet Union. It also aided opponents of governments that Soviet leaders disliked.
In 1991, the head of the KGB took part with several other Communist officials in a failed attempt to take over the Soviet government. After the attempt, Soviet leaders replaced the KGB head and suspended all Communist Party activities. Later, the KGB was formally disbanded and its functions divided among several smaller agencies. In late 1991, the Soviet Union was replaced by a Commonwealth of Independent States.
The KGB developed from the Cheka, a secret-police force established in 1917. The organization had several names after that. In 1954, it received the name KGB, which stands for the Russian words meaning Committee for State Security.
See also NKVD .
