Within the Operations Department of Directorate S, there is an elite special operations unit called . Formerly in PGU KGB USSR called Vympel (e.g. French counterpart; Division Action & US counterpart; Special Activities Center). However, mere existence of such group within the SVR is denied by Russian authorities. Any information about its activities is highly classified or almost non-existent at all. Nevertheless, there were some rumours that such a group does indeed exist and is assigned to execute the most clandestine or black operations abroad which the Russian Government may not wish to be overtly associated. It is believed that the group exists deep in undercover and consists of approximately 300 highly experienced operatives speaking several languages and having extensive record of covert operations while serving in other secret units of the Russian military.