Diplomatic Cable < United States >

[Jay]

ФСО Federal Guard Service​

AUTHENTIC COMMUNIQUE OF THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS Security Clearance: Secure and Encrypted​

[Recipient]: Director of the Secret Service < Odinson > [Sender]: Federal Protective Service, Russian Federation < YAMurov@Kremlin.ru.gov > [Subject]:Confidential:

Dear Director Carter, I hope this email finds you well. I have been informed by the Chief of Staff to the President of the Russian Federation, Dimitry Smirnoff, of the intentions of the President to attend the January 20th Inauguration of President-Elect Sinclair. Due in large part to the sensitivity of such an event as well as the topics to be discussed in this email I hope we can discuss them with relative comfort of each agencies desire to ensure a secure and safe event for our guests and principles. The Federal Protective Service, or FSO for short, is in charge of the security of a number of federal officers of the Federation including President Boris Nemtsov. It is my understanding that President Nemtsov will be traveling with his daughters Zhanna and Sofia Nemtsova. Alongside them will be the Russian Ambassador. To ensure a safe and successful trip my agency would like to discuss the security planning necessary for such an event. Given the President will be flying to Washington D.C., we would like the ability to bring our armored vehicles to the city at least one week prior to the event. In addition, we would like to request additional security elements be provided by the Secret Service including electronic jammer vehicles, an ambulance, and armored cars. The FSO expects to bring 55 agents to protect President Nemtsov and his two daughters. In addition to Washington D.C., the President expects to visit Massachusetts to speak at the Kennedy School of Government. Lastly, the President is expected to make a trip to Florida with his daughters to visit Disney World. I hope that we can plan the necessary security precautions to be taken to ensure that President Nemtsov is safe during his trip. While the President is attending the inauguration it is my understanding that the Secret Service will maintain the bulk of the security arrangements. However what accommodations may be made to allow Russian snipers and EOD specialists to assist in the securing of the exterior? We respect of course your professionalism in conducting sweeps of the venue however I wish to insist as well that Russian agents be permitted to either support or conduct their sweep as well such as sweep can be limited to where the President will be seated. My agency would like to request the following documents: Pre-Visit Plan of Action Inauguration Day Plan of Action Route and Alternative Routes for trips in all three locations List of person(s) who have called for violence or made specific threats against President Nemtsov Please confirm the following: If there will be screening of event participants and guests If there will be screening of university students present on campus for the day If there will be monitoring of medical and hazardous materials on-campus facilities If there will be Police Motorcade/Escort provided by the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Floridian Police; If there will be monitoring of on-site communications to be conducted by the Secret Service; If there will be Route alternation for all foreign leaders present so as to avoid providing an area of attack to potential actors If there will be monitoring of persons of interest through the Secret Service on information and intelligence provided by Russia's security services Lastly, FSO is requesting that 1. The Russian Spetsnaz SBP or their Secret Service counterpart the CAT, to be deployed, in four teams, with three teams covering 15 miles at each point of the travel time to the campus 2. Russian 3. A Counter-Surveillance Unit deployed around Harvard University & Disney World 4. A Jamming Emitter deployed on Harvard University & Disney World ready-use 5. Counter-sniper teams and ground-level surveillance patrols be permitted to be brought 6. Bomb and IED sweeps of Harvard University & Disney World 7. A location for the equipment of the President to be safely secured be provided 8. the FSO be permitted to secure a block permittee around the Prentiss House and to secure the floors above and below the Disney Coronado Resort and the Hay-Adams. Please find a tentative itinerary for President Nemtsov attached below. The itinerary includes his chosen accommodations, dates of the visit, and location. Please ensure that the information is shared on a need to know basis only. Prentiss House by Thatch January 17-18th Boston, Massachusettes The Hay-Adams January 19th-21st Washington D.C. Disney's Coronado Springs Resort January 21st-23rd Orlando, Florida While my agency has had the privilege of working closely with the Secret Service regarding the visits of former President Yeltsin, it has in recent years lapsed on that relationship building, I am hopeful that we may continue to build strong inter-agency relations in a growing age of challenges with the personal protection of World Leaders. I look forward to your response and being your considerations during these demanding times. Regards, Yevgeny Murov Director of the Federal Protective Service Russian Federation Russian Federation The Kremlin All information is protected from release by Federal Law No. 45, the Diplomatic Communications Security 1995 Authorized viewing is limited to those directly emailed, cc'd, and bcc'd​

 

[Odinson]

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OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE​

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ENCRYPTED MESSAGE​

TO: Yevgeny Murov, Director of The Federal Protective Service ( Jay )​

FROM: Robert Carter, Director of the United States Secret Service

Good afternoon,

The Vice President's Office has informed me that President Nemstov has accepted President-elect Sinclair's invitation to come to Washington D.C. for his inauguration, and that President Nemstov have been invited to speak at Harvard University, and that he also intends to visit Disney World with members of your family.

Firstly, in regard to the inauguration, the President-Elect has extended the offer for President Nemstov, his family, his staff and security, and whomever else may be coming to stay at Blair House for the duration of his time in Washington. Blair House is a secure facility that is part of the White House Complex and is walking distance from the White House. While President Nemstov is in the United States, the Secret Service and the FBI will provide ample security to ensure the safety and security of the entire Russian delegation. With that being said, if President Nemstov would prefer to stay at the Russian Ambassador's Residence or the Russian Embassy instead of Blair House, that is permissible as well.

Regretfully, I cannot agree to allowing Russian counter-assault sniper teams being deployed in Washington during the inauguration. We cannot permit any non-American armed personnel inside of the Capitol Building itself on inauguration day (but protective agents themselves are still welcomed). I can assure you that the Secret Service, the FBI, a number of other law enforcement agencies, the Navy, the Coast Guard, and the National Guard will all be coordinating security that day to ensure that the inauguration is both secure and safe, and that there will be numerous layers of security as well as redundant measures taken to ensure that all bases are covered.

However, with that being said, we would be more than happy to accommodate the FSO's request to bring 55 protective agents and also to bring armored vehicles to Washington (they can be flown into Andrews Air Force Base) a week in advance. The Secret Service, alongside the D.C. Metro Police, will provide escorts for President Nemstov's motorcade while he is in the United States, and we can provide additional armored vehicles and an ambulance as requested. Also, the Secret Service will continuously be sweeping the entirety of the Capitol Building the day of the inauguration. I do not see any problem with allowing the FSO to conduct a sweep of the outside seating area where President Nemstov will be. This area will be crowded, but if you would like a handful of protective agents to join the President, that is entirely at your discretion - just let us know so that we will have them on the list of individuals to permit into the seating area.



Items Mentioned

1. If there will be screening of event participants and guests.
All guests in the Capitol Building and everyone in the National Mall standing area will be subject to a metal detector test. Firearms or weapons of any kind will not be allowed into the National Mall or the Capitol Building.

2. If there will be screening of university students present on campus for the day
Harvard is a private college on private property. While the Secret Service and local police can increase their presence in the area and provide secure means for President Nemstov to travel, American citizens are protected from illegal searches and under the Constitution. However whenever President Nemstov addresses students in an enclosed space (e.g. a lecture hall) we can take measures to search students with metal detection wands. We can also run background checks on anyone who wishes to attend, if you would rather this be an event where students have to register instead of being able to come at random the day of.

3. If there will be monitoring of medical and hazardous materials on-campus facilities
The Secret Service will employ all legal measures available to ensure the safety of President Nemstov and the Russian delegation.

4. If there will be Police Motorcade/Escort provided by the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Floridian Police;
Yes - the Secret Service and local police will coordinate together along with President Nemstov's motorcade. If, for any reason, the Russian delegation requires additional vehicles at any time, the Secret Service can help with that.

5. If there will be monitoring of on-site communications to be conducted by the Secret Service;
The Secret Service will employ all legal measures available to ensure the safety of President Nemstov and the Russian delegation.

6. If there will be Route alternation for all foreign leaders present so as to avoid providing an area of attack to potential actors
Exceptional measures are being put in place to ensure the safety of all visitors and guests, especially foreign heads of state and government who are visiting from abroad. I can confirm to you that regardless of where President Nemstov stays in Washington, he will have a secure route to the inauguration, that it will be low-profile and classified (which we will share with the FSO), and that the Secret Service will employ all legal measures available to ensure the safety of President Nemstov and the Russian delegation.



Additional Requests

1. The Russian Spetsnaz SBP or their Secret Service counterpart the CAT, to be deployed, in four teams, with three teams covering 15 miles at each point of the travel time to the campus
I cannot approve the deployment of foreign military forces into the United States. The Secret Service and the FBI will, at all times, have assault teams and counter-assault teams in place in Boston, Washington, and Florida while President Nemstov is in place in case there is an incident of any kind, or if he needs to be evacuated. With that being said, if the FSO would like to have an assault team in place at each of these locations as well, we could coordinate our teams together so that there could be a joint response in the event of any kind of incident.

2. A Counter-Surveillance Unit deployed around Harvard University & Disney World
The Secret Service will employ all legal measures available to ensure the safety of President Nemstov and the Russian delegation. We will have counter-surveillance units deployed.

3. A Jamming Emitter deployed on Harvard University & Disney World ready-use
The Secret Service will employ all legal measures available to ensure the safety of President Nemstov and the Russian delegation. We will have jamming equipment, as well as other technologies, in place in the event that it is needed.

4. Counter-sniper teams and ground-level surveillance patrols be permitted to be brought
Regretfully, I cannot agree to allowing Russian counter-assault sniper teams being deployed in Washington during the inauguration. We cannot permit any non-American armed personnel inside of the Capitol Building itself on inauguration day (but protective agents themselves are still welcomed). We can permit the FSO to have ground teams at Disney World and Harvard, provided that they coordinate with the Secret Service. Also, the Secret Service will have counter-assault sniper teams deployed at all locations that President Nemstov visits in order to ensure his security.

5. Bomb and IED sweeps of Harvard University & Disney World
The Secret Service will perform these. However, if the FSO would like to participate in these sweeps, we can coordinate this mission together. Ultimately, the Secret Service will take full responsibility for the safety of all visiting leaders while in the United States, so there will be a lot of redundant checks, but we would prefer to overdo these kinds of things.

6. A location for the equipment of the President to be safely secured be provided
This can be arranged.

7. The FSO be permitted to secure a block permittee around the Prentiss House and to secure the floors above and below the Disney Coronado Resort and the Hay-Adams.
We recommend that President Nemstov stay at a larger hotel in Boston. However, if he must stay at the Prentiss House, then we are going to run a cover story that he is staying at a different location. In addition to that, the Secret Service will secure a block perimeter around the Prentiss House - but keep in mind that there are locals who live in the area and who will need to get to and from their private residences. We will provide a cover story that there is an American official staying there at the time so that we can avoid too much suspicion. If the FSO would like to participate in securing the perimeter, we can arrange that, however the presence of Russian agents would be conspicuous to the general public. The FSO may secure the floors above and below the Disney Coronado Restort, though the Russian government will have to reimburse the resort for those rooms.

If President Nemstov does not wish to stay at Blair House or the Russian Ambassador's Residence in Washington, then he may of course stay at the Hay-Adams hotel and the FSO may secure the floors above and below his room - though the Russian government will have to reimburse the hotel for those rooms. I highly recommend that the Russian delegation stays at Blair House while in Washington, as it will be the most secure location and has an ample amount of space (14 bedrooms) for the Russian delegation.



I appreciate your concern for the safety of your president, as well as the specificity in the questions that you have asked. Please see the attached documents that you requested. I look forward to hearing back from you.​

Very respectfully,

Robert Carter
Director of The Secret Service
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Requested Documents

A. Pre-Visit Plan of Action
This document was provided. It went over, vaguely, the intense security measures that would be taken to protect the Russian delegation while they were in the United States.

B. Inauguration Day Plan of Action
This document was specific to the Russian perspective. The document took into account the possibility of the Russian delegation staying at different locations (e.g. Blair House, the Hay-Adams), and showed the numerous alternative routes that could be taken the day of to get President Nemstov to and from the Capitol Building. A summary was that President Nemstov and the other Russian representatives would arrive at the Capitol Building before the other heads of state and would be kept in a secure, and comfortable, room which the FSO could secure on the inside and the Secret Service would secure from the outside. It was once again stated plainly that every single person in the Russian delegation, along with all other delegations and even American visitors, would be subject to security checks to ensure that they were not bringing in weapons of any kind to the inauguration. Depending on the wishes of the FSO, President Nemstov could wait inside the room as long as he wanted to, or be one of the first foreign visitors to be seated outside, near where the President would be sworn in. After the inauguration took place and soon-to-be President Sinclair gave his speech, he would leave the Capitol Building and go to the White House. Much of the attention of the nation would be taken off the Capitol Building which would make it easier for the foreign leaders to return back to where they had been staying the night. Nevertheless, security arrangements to get the Russian delegation back would still be very robust.

C. Route and Alternative Routes for trips in all three locations
This would be provided. There would also be notations of numerous underground routes (only the publicly known ones) that could be used to get the Russian delegation there as well. It was outlined in the document that some of these paths may be the best to use, if to and from the Capitol, then at least one or the other.

List of person(s) who have called for violence or made specific threats against President Nemtsov
A comprehensive report on anti-Russian sentiments was compiled by the FBI which showed that, generally, the American People have a somewhat-favorable view of Russia since the fall of communism, and that the favorability of Russia had gone up dramatically since America and Russia were on the same side during the war with Turkey. While the American and Russian governments (or at least their bureaucracies) may still have a thawing Cold War attitude towards each other, the American People see the Russian Federation in a totally different light from the Soviet Union. Something else of note was that there was no mainstream federal politicians or major news outlets that were angry about potential Russian attendance to the inauguration. The only semi-credible threats that the Secret Service could find were Chechen Islamic radicals outside of the United States who had other reasons to dislike the Russian President and other radical groups like the Klu Klux Klan and Neo-Nazi groups that posed a threat to virtually everyone, but it was widely believed by the public (and known to be true internally) that the FBI and the ATF had infiltrated virtually all of these groups. Also, it was notated that a fringe conspiracy theorist - Alex Jones from Austin, Texas - he said that President Nemstov was actually an intergalactic space reptile and that he shouldn't be allowed into the United States (tough no threat was made).