On May 6, 1922, in recognition of the activation of foreign secret services in Soviet Russia, the leadership of the State Political Administration of the RSFSR took a decision to establish a special unit in the GPU structure for combating foreign espionage, referred to as the V Counterintelligence Division of GPU, and its local authorities. Counterintelligence units were engaged in fighting subversive activities of foreign intelligence services, foreign emigrant centers, political banditry, smuggling and illegal border crossing. Many of the battles of the secret war went down in the history of the Russian counterintelligence service, and its golden fund comprises the names of their organizers. Some of these names are immortalized in books, films and on postage stamps.
The postage stamps provide portraits of prominent counterintelligence officers: P. Fedotov, E. Pitovranov, O. Gribanov, G. Grigorenko, and I. Markelov, who headed the 2nd (counterintelligence) Directorate of the USSR NKGB (NKVD) – the 2nd Main Directorate of the USSR MGB (KGB) from 1940 to 1989, and the symbol of the state security agencies: the sword and the shield. The design of the coupon features the emblem of the Counterintelligence Service of the FSB of the Russian Federation and the jubilee lapel badge “100th Anniversary of Counter-intelligence Services” designed with the participation of Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts, People's Artist of Russia V. Nikonov. The margins present images of the 1919 buildings in Lubyanka Square when the VChK of the RSFSR SNK started working and their current guise after the reconstruction.
In addition to the issue of the postage stamps, JSC Marka produced First Day Covers and special cancels for Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Perm and Saratov.
Design Artist: V. Beltyukov.
Face value: 40 rubles.
Stamp size: 42×30 mm, sheet size: 144×103 mm.
Emission form: a sheet with formatted margins with (3×2) 5 stamps and a coupon.
Quantity: 37 thousand each stamp (37 thousand sheets).
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