Tsarist secret police

The Tsarist secret police were government agents in Imperial Russia responsible for monitoring, suppressing, and controlling dissent, political opposition, and revolutionary activities. They operated covertly, gathering intelligence and enforcing censorship to maintain the autocratic rule of the Tsar. Notable agencies included the Okhrana, established in 1881, which used surveillance, arrests, and infiltration to prevent uprisings and suppress revolutionary movements. Their activities often involved secret trials, exile, and violence, making them feared instruments of political repression during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.