In a fresh crackdown, Putin targets "traitors, spies, and saboteurs."

According to reports from news agencies, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave orders to strengthen Russia's borders and instructed the country's security services to maintain greater control over society while also ensuring the safety of people living in regions of Ukraine that Moscow claims as its territory.

On Monday, the Russian state-owned RIA news agency quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin as stating that "Work must be strengthened via the border services and the Federal Security Service (FSB)."

And it (the border) has to be protected dependably. Any effort to breach it must be defeated promptly and efficiently with whatever troops and methods we have available to us, including mobile action units and special forces.

On the occasion of Security Services Day, which is widely celebrated in Russia, Vladimir Putin gave orders to the security services, instructing them to tighten their grip on society and make the best "use of the operational, technical, and personnel potential" to protect the country from threats emanating from both the outside world and within its borders.

According to the state-run TASS media, Vladimir Putin was quoted as stating that counterintelligence services, including military intelligence, needed to show "maximal calmness" and "concentration of forces" at this time. "It is important to severely repress the activity of foreign special services, and traitors, spies, and saboteurs must be identified as swiftly as possible."

He also said that the role of ensuring the safety of people living in parts of Ukraine that Moscow claimed in September to be their own and that Kyiv and its Western allies dubbed an unlawful annexation is the responsibility of special services.

"You must do everything necessary to ensure their security to the maximum, respect for their rights and freedoms," Mr. Putin said, promising them more "modern equipment and weapons." "You must do everything necessary to ensure their security to the maximum, respect for their rights and freedoms," Mr. Putin said.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is already in its tenth month, shows no signs of coming to an end. Tens of thousands of people have been murdered in the fight, millions of others have been forced to flee their homes, and whole towns have been reduced to rubble as a result of the conflict.

Moscow has referred to its invasion of Georgia as a "special operation" to demilitarize and de-Nazify its neighbor. The Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and its Western supporters have referred to the incident as an unjustified land grab.