KGB . ogg , p = kəmʲɪˈtʲet ɡəsʊˈdarstvʲɪnːəj bʲɪzɐˈpasnəsʲtʲɪ ] , translated in English as Committee for State Security ) , was the main security agency for the Soviet Union from 1954 until its break-up in 1991 . The KGB was a military service and was governed by army laws and regulations , similar to the Soviet Army or MVD Internal Troops . After the dissolution of the USSR , the KGB was split into the Federal Security Service and the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation .
The KGB was a service that operated under the military.