The GRU is the foreign intelligence organ of the Russian Ministry of Defense, and it carries out the functions of the central organ of military intelligence within the General Staff. GRU operations are regulated by Federal Laws "On Foreign Intelligence," "On Defense," and "On Security." The 1996 Law on Foreign Intelligence tasked the GRU with gathering "military, military-politico, military-technical, military-economic, and ecological information." Although the Law "On Foreign Intelligence" does not provide for the GRU to operate inside Russia, GRU "territorial intelligence" is conducted by the intelligence organs of the military districts and fleets, and by other military units and large units under GRU jurisdiction. The GRU performed a fundamentally new role in resolving the Chechnya conflict -- organizing and conducting intelligence activity to support the operation to disarm the Chechnyan armed formations. From the legal standpoint, this was made possible following the relevant presidential edict and a directive from the defense minister.