Alexander Bortnikov

Alexander Vasilyevich Bortnikov (Алекса́ндр Васи́льевич Бо́ртников; born 1951 in Perm, Soviet Union) is a Russian official. He has been Director of the FSB since May 12, 2008.

Career
Bortnikov graduated from the Leningrad Institute of Railway Engineers in 1973.

From 1975–2004 he worked in the KGB and its successors in Leningrad/Saint Petersburg. In June 2003 – March 2004 he was the Chief of the St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast FSB Directorate.

From February 24, 2004 to May 12, 2008, he was Head of the Economic Security Service of FSB and a Deputy Director of FSB.

Controversies
In February 2007 Russian magazine The New Times wrote about the plan to murder Alexander Litvinenko with reference to "a source in the FSB": "People from the top management of the agency had taken part in the elaboration of the plan, maintains an FSB source. And, allegedly, FSB Director Patrushev knew about it. According to the same source, Head of the FSB Economic Security Department general-lieutenant Alexander Bortnikov had allegedly been appointed overseer of the operation." In May 2007 he was reported to have been implicated in a money-laundering case investigated by the RF Interior Ministry in connection with the murder of the Central Bank Deputy Head Andrey Kozlov.

On May 12, 2008, he was appointed Director of the FSB by President Dmitry Medvedev and is believed by some security analysts to be Medvedev's man.

He is also a member of the board of directors of Sovkomflot.

Honours and awards

 * Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd, 3rd and 4th classes
 * Order of Military Merit
 * Medal of Honour
 * Diploma of the Government of the Russian Federation (15 November 2006) - for his great personal contribution to the economic security of the country and many years of honest service