Another Russian federal agent is attacked in the street

Someone in Moscow walked up to a federal agent on February 24, punched him in the face, and stole his wallet. According to the Moskva news agency, the 41-year-old victim serves as a Federal Security Service (FSB) local department chief in Khabarovsk. He says the attacker ran away with his badge, bank card, and 24,000 rubles (about $370) in cash. Local police are still trying to identify the assailant.

Earlier in February, unknown men in Moscow attacked FSB Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Budagotsky, throwing a bottle at his service vehicle and then beating him up. Budagotsky serves in the agency’s “Department K,” which investigates economic crimes.

Correction: This article originally stated erroneously that the February 24 attack occurred in Khabarovsk. The FSB officer serves in Khabarovsk, but the attack took place in Moscow. Meduza apologizes for the mistake.

Attacks against Russian federal agents aren't as rare as you might think. In the 2000s, for example, Russian intelligence officers were attacked and robbed almost constantly. You can read more about that in Meduza special correspondent Daniil Turovsky's history of the Military Intelligence Directorate.