Active reserve (KGB) officers with a military rank who worked undercover in the Soviet Union. "Trusted contacts" were high placed civilians who collaborated with the KGB without signing any official working agreements, such as directors of personnel departments at various institutions, academics, deans, or writers and actors. Informers were citizens secretly recruited by the KGB, sometimes using forceful recruitment methods, such as blackmail. The precise number of people from various categories remains unknown, but one of the estimates was 11 million "informers" in the Soviet Union, or one out of every eighteen adult citizens The active reserve was established by Yuri Andropov in
KGB Security Troops the KGB Security Troops were similar to those worn by the armed forces of the Soviet Union but with Royal Blue piping and distinctions, and their shoulder boards were marked 'GB' (meaning "of State Security") that further distinguished them from other special troops, such as the Soviet Border Troops. KGB Security Troops The KGB Security Troops were the uniformed paramilitary troops of the Soviet KGB which engaged in military-related activities that are not mentioned in legislation governing the Soviet Armed forces. The KGB controlled elite units that guarded the highest party officials and stood a continuous ceremonial guard at the