Classification Levels Used by the Russian
Federation
The Russian Federation has
slowly undertaken the redesign of their bureaucratic
systems to be more responsive to current conditions.
The system for the protection and classification of State
secrets that depended on closed cities and authoritative
central control could not meet the needs
created by open cities and decentralized power. In July
of 1993, a new law established the basis for classifying
information in the Russian Federation. This new law
borrows from the old system of State secrets but
incorporates methods to
accommodate change according to the needs of an
emerging and more open society.
The State Secret Law of the Russian Federation is not
unlike the US Executive Order 12958 defining National
Security Information. Like th Executive Order, the Russian
law defines three levels of classification and areas of
information that may be classified. The law also
prohibits the classification of information not within the
defined areas of classifiable information and establishes
procedures for declassification.
Since 1993, the Russian government has issued "government decisions" detailing
more exactly how this new State secrets system works
and who may determine what information is classified.
The law states that there shall be an overall government
"list" defining what sorts of information are classified and
that this list must be published in the open press. The List of Information Considered Among State Secrets [Decree No 1203 ] was signed by President Yeltsin on 30 November 1995. The new list was compiled by the Interdepartmental Commission for the
Protection of State Secrets (hereafter referred to as the
"interagency commission"), and was based on more
detailed lists developed by each ministry.
In September of 1995, Government Decision No. 870
was issued approving the rules for classification of
information. This new decision provided the basis for
assigning each level of classification, the responsibility of
each ministry head to approve what is classified, the
establishment of expert commissions within each
ministry to determine what should be classified, the rules
for distribution of lists of what is classified to those
working with classified information, and procedures for
review of lists for currency. These rules are important
because these lists are the centerpiece to the Russian
State Secret's system in that they define exactly what
information is classified along with its appropriate
classification level. All lists are provided to the
interagency commission which is responsible for
compiling an overall government list and ensuring that
different ministry lists are not contradictory.
The three levels of classification are
- Of Special Importance is the highest classification level
and refers to information which, if released, would cause
damage to the entire Russian Federation.
- Completely Secret refers to
information which, if released, would cause damage to a
particular ministry or branch of the economy.
- Secret is for all other classified
information which, if released, would cause damage to
an enterprise, institution, or particular organization.
These
classification levels can be applied only to information
concerning the military, foreign policy, the economy,
science and technology, intelligence, counterintelligence,
and investigations. The level of classification assigned to
information is meant to correspond to the degree of
damage that may occur to the security of the Russian
Federation if such information is released. Procedures
for determining the degree of damage are to be
approved by ministry heads and also approved by the
interagency commission.
This
scheme is very different from the U.S. system in which
Top Secret, Secret, and Confidential classification levels
are used according to the degree of damage to the
United States, without consideration of the specificity of
the information itself.
Information revealing a critical
vulnerability in the defense of the Russian Federation
would likely be considered Of Special Importance.
Information revealing a deficiency in a particular weapon
system may be considered Completely Secret by the
Ministry of Defense, or information on a negotiating
position may be Completely Secret according to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Less sensitive information,
such as information revealing a technical process used at
a certain research facility or the budget allotted to a
particular naval base, would perhaps be considered
Secret by those respective organizations, if classified at
all.
Each ministry or government body with classified
information must have a list detailing what information is
classified. This list is to be created by a commission of
experts who will determine whether information should
be included in the list and the appropriate level of
classification. Those in each ministry who create the
information and believe it should be classified are
responsible for submitting proposals to the commission
of experts to include that information in the ministry's list.
Ministries sharing classified information are directed to
obtain mutual agreement for consistent application of
classification.
The head of the ministry has the authority to approve the
list of information to be classified. This head at his or her
discretion may classify this list and determine who
should receive the list in order to fulfill work
responsibilities. The head must forward a copy of the list
to the interagency commission.
Changes to the list of classified information, by either the
classification of more information or the declassification
of information, are provided for in the law and recent
Government Decision No. 870. Both law and decision
note that international agreements and new
achievements in science and technology may necessitate
changes to approved lists. Both law and decision also
mandate review of lists at least every 5 years. The
decision stipulates that by using the same procedure as
was used in determining the list, the ministry head has
the authority to approve changes to the ministry list,
though the interagency commission does have the right
to challenge ministry decisions it does not believe are
correct.
The Russian Federation is proceeding at a
considered pace with implementation of its State
Secrecy law. The most recent government decision
approves rules for determining the levels of classification
to be used, the procedures for determining the lists of
classified information, and how these lists are approved
and changed.
Sources and Methods
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/russia/class.htm
Maintained by Steven Aftergood
Created by John Pike
Updated Thursday, November 27, 1997 8:30:36 AM