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    Svetlana Velmar-Janković

    Security Information Service
    Bezpečnostní informační služba
    (BIS)
    Seal of the Security Information Service
    Agency overview
    Formed30 July 1994
    Preceding agencies
    • Security Information Service of the Czech Republic (1992)
    • (Czechoslovak) Federal Security Information Service
    JurisdictionGovernment of the Czech Republic
    HeadquartersPrague, Czech Republic
    50°3′16.51″N 14°20′11.98″E / 50.0545861°N 14.3366611°E / 50.0545861; 14.3366611
    MottoAudi, Vide, Tace
     (Hear, See, Be silent)
    Employees1,000 (2019 estimate)[1]
    Annual budget$65 million (as of 2017)[2]
    Agency executive
    Parent agencyGovernment of the Czech Republic
    Websitewww.bis.cz

    The Security Information Service (BIS, Czech: Bezpečnostní informační služba) is the primary domestic national intelligence agency of the Czech Republic.[3] It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Czech Republic's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, both domestically and abroad. It also reports to and advises the Government of the Czech Republic on national security issues and situations that threaten the security of the nation.

    The BIS headquarters is located in Stodůlky, Prague 5. The Security Information Service reports directly to the Government, Prime Minister and President of the Czech Republic and is overseen by the Permanent Commission of the Chamber of Deputies.[a] It is under the command of the Government and organized militarily.

    Command, control and organization

    The BIS is a statutory body under the Act No. 154/1994 Coll., on the Security Information Service and it is strictly apolitical and has limited police powers; BIS can detain, arrest or interrogate suspects only as part of its internal oversight.[5] The service reports to the Government, Prime Minister and President of the Czech Republic and its activities are regulated and overseen by the Government, Permanent Commission of the Chamber of Deputies and its own internal audit.[6] The service is headed by the Director who is appointed by the Prime Minister with consent of the Committee on Security of the Chamber of Deputies.[7]

    The current director is Michal Koudelka [cs], who has served since 15 August 2016, after being sworn in by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka.[8]

    Duties

    The Security Information Service performs duties associated with the analysis, democracy and constitutionality, terrorism, counter-intelligence, cybersecurity, organized crime, proliferation and use of strategically important intelligence regarding the fields of politics, economics and intelligence within the territory of the Czech Republic.[9]

    2014 Vrbětice ammunition warehouse explosions

    In 2014, two explosions occurred at ammunition depots in Vrbětice, Czech Republic—the first on October 16 and the second on December 3—resulting in two fatalities and extensive damage. Subsequent investigations by Czech authorities revealed that agents from Russia's GRU Unit 29155 were involved, allegedly aiming to disrupt weapons supplies to Ukraine. The cleanup of unexploded ordnance concluded in October 2020.[10][11][12]

    2025 events

    In March 2025 revelation by Czech intelligence services of a covert Russian operation involving Belarusian journalist Natalia Sudliankova, identified as a key collaborator for Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. Active in the Czech Republic since 1999, Sudliankova allegedly published GRU-directed content, collaborated with pro-Kremlin organizations, and received crypto payments for espionage-related activities. Her expulsion, along with sanctions against her and GRU officer Alexey Shavrov, marked a major escalation in Czech efforts to counter Russian influence, highlighting the persistent threat of foreign intelligence operations in Europe.[13][14]

    See also

    References

    1. ^ "Bělobrádek: BIS se daří odhalovat nebezpečí i nabírat lidi". ČTK (in Czech). Archived from the original on 2020-09-27. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
    2. ^ "Zákon o státním rozpočtu České republiky na rok 2017" (in Czech). Retrieved 18 February 2017.
    3. ^ "What we do". BIS. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
    4. ^ "Permanent Commission on Oversight over the work of the Security Information Service". Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
    5. ^ "Inspection Department | BIS". www.bis.cz. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
    6. ^ "Audit and Oversight". BIS. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
    7. ^ "Věrná služba ředitele BIS" (in Czech). Respekt.cz. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
    8. ^ "Michal Koudelka becomes new head of counter-intelligence service". Czech Radio. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
    9. ^ "About us". BIS. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
    10. ^ https://www.facebook.com/UNNews (2024-04-29). "Czech police: Russian GRU was behind 2014 explosions at Vrbetice ammunition depot. Case postponed | УНН". Ukrainian National News (UNN). Retrieved 2025-04-06. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help); External link in |last= (help)
    11. ^ "How did Unit 29155 of the Russian GRU try to intervene in Ukraine through the Czech Republic and Bulgaria?". 2021.
    12. ^ Team, Bellingcat Investigation (2021-04-20). "Senior GRU Leader Directly Involved With Czech Arms Depot Explosion". bellingcat. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
    13. ^ "Czech counterintelligence uncovers Belarusian agent working for Russia's GRU in Prague". Radio Prague International. 2025-04-03. Retrieved 2025-04-06.
    14. ^ "Czech Republic to expel Belarusian national — longtime resident and ex-Radio Liberty journalist — over GRU ties". The Insider (in Russian). Retrieved 2025-04-06.

    Notes

    1. ^ The official translated name into English is the Permanent Commission on Oversight over the work of the Security Information Service.[4]
    Credit: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_Information_Service

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