Vladimir Putin is one of the most hated and respected men in the world. Soon he will be able to add another item to his resume: rebuilding the KGB, the Soviet Unions most feared intelligence service, in the Russian federation. The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on Sunday that Putin was planning a major reform over the nations security services. At the moment, their security services separate between international and domestic services. The KGB was unique in the sense that it would cover nearly every aspect of security, from domestic surveillance and asset protection, to spying on other states. The current idea is to combine the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and the Federal Security Service (FSB) into a new ministry, the Ministry of State Security. Now, if this name rings any bells for you, give yourself a pat on the back and then get ready to face palm.

This is nearly the exact name given to an agency by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. The name? Committee for State Security. The agency? The KGB. This makes sense coming from Putin. A former KGB agent himself, he has been working to consolidate his power over the past several years while systemically eliminating democratic reforms and freedoms that the Russian people enjoyed after the fall of the Soviet Union. By creating this ministry, it gives the Russian president direct control over all information flowing in and out of the country. It also allows Putin to personally control investigations and direct attention from himself.

But why should we care? Well, there are a number of good reasons. First, Russia is a major player on the world stage. They have veto power on the United Nations Security Council, and have a number of regional partners that affect the globe. Perhaps this is best seen in Syria, where Russian military assets are conducting operations and very little in the way of agreement has been made for the conflict which has displaced millions. The consolidation of Putin's power allows him to make more bold decisions that have lasting consequences for the international community. As more information comes out regarding the likelihood and scope of this new ministry, the international community will continue to see into the evolving politics of the Russian Federation.