Viktor Cherkesov

Viktor Vasilyevich Cherkesov (Russian: Виктор Васильевич Черкесов, born July 13, 1950 in Leningrad, Soviet Union) is a Russian security services official.

He graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1973. In 1975–1991 he worked in Leningrad and Leningrad Oblast Directorate of KGB and prosecuted political dissidents, including members of Democratic Union.

In 1992 – August 1998, Cherkesov led Saint Petersburg Directorate of MBR/FSK/FSB, successor organization to KGB.

From August 1998, to May 2000, he was a First Deputy Director of FSB under Vladimir Putin and Nikolay Patrushev. From May 18, 2000, to March 11, 2003, he was President Vladimir Putin's plenipotentiary envoy to the Northwestern Federal District.

Since March 11, 2003 he was Head of the State Committee for the Control of the Circulation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances of the Russian Federation (since March 2004 – Federal Service for the Control of the Circulation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances).

He has been married twice. Currently his wife is Natalya Chaplina, Director General of Rosbalt information agency and former Editor-in-Chief of the Sankt Peterburgskiy Chas Pik newspaper.

In early October 2007 several senior officers of the Federal Drug Control Service were arrested by agents of the Federal Security Service, which was considered by analysts as part of a longtime battle between Viktor Cherkesov, Igor Sechin and other members of Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

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