Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A Russian federal security service: The FSB is the principal internal security and counterintelligence agency of the Russian Federation. It is the main successor agency to the Soviet-era KGB (Committee for State Security).

Usage

• The term FSB is used as a proper noun to refer specifically to the Russian security agency. It is typically used with the definite article "the" when referring to the organization as an entity.
• Example: "The journalist was reportedly detained for questioning by the FSB."
• Example: "FSB officers are responsible for counterintelligence and border security."

Advanced Usage

• The acronym FSB can be used attributively (like an adjective) to describe things related to the agency.
  • Example: "He was a former FSB director."
  • Example: "The report detailed FSB operations."

Variants and Related Words

• FSB officer (noun phrase): A member of the FSB.
• KGB (proper noun): The predecessor state security agency of the Soviet Union, from which the FSB originated.

Synonyms

• Security service
• Intelligence agency (specifically for domestic counterintelligence)
• Secret police (this term carries a more negative, historical connotation)

Notes on Different Meanings

• The provided reference context lists two distinct definitions. The first ("a federally chartered savings bank") is an unrelated, homographic acronym primarily used in a U.S. financial context (Federal Savings Bank). In contemporary global discourse, especially concerning politics and security, the term FSB almost exclusively refers to the Russian Federal Security Service. The financial meaning is highly specialized and context-dependent.

Noun

1. a federally chartered savings bank
2. the internal counterintelligence agency of the Russian Federation and successor to the Soviet KGB; formerly led by Vladimir Putin