Essays on the history of Russian foreign intelligence, volume 2. History of Russian foreign intelligence

Essays on the history of Russian foreign intelligence. Volume 2 Primakov Evgeny Maksimovich

28. Everyday life of illegal immigrants

28. Everyday life of illegal immigrants

In the 1920s, when there were many displaced persons in Europe, the passport regime in many countries was not too strict. Sometimes people were allowed in there without any documents. Illegal Soviet intelligence officers took advantage of this and in some cases acted under the guise of refugees.

But in the early 1930s, the documentary regime began to tighten. To travel abroad, a passport was required, and in some countries an entry visa was also required. The success of the assignment largely depended on what document the illegal was supplied with. A fictitious passport made at a good technical level was also suitable for short-term assignments. But for a long stay in the country, a real document was needed, which would be issued by the official means and would contain all the necessary marks.

At the same time, such a factor as the citizenship of the passport holder was taken into account. For a successful foreign work what was required was not just a real passport, but a passport of a country to whose citizens a loyal attitude had developed in the host country, or a local document that generally removed all questions related to the formalities introduced for foreigners.

Here it is necessary to say a few words about what need forced the Soviet intelligence to resort to illegal forms of work, fraught with many serious difficulties and, in particular, with great efforts to document intelligence officers.

This was due to the fact that in the 20s - early 30s in Soviet Russia still not established diplomatic relations with a number of countries, and the need to obtain classified information became more and more acute. Then the question arose of organizing intelligence work from illegal positions.

It was also necessary to resort to using illegal forms in a number of countries where “legal” residencies were already operating, but the difficult operational situation impeded their effective work.

However, in the process of working out the issue, it turned out that Nikolai's father is known in Latvia as a revolutionary who left for Russia, and complications may arise when issuing a passport. It was not possible to obtain a German passport at all, since there was not even the slightest reason for this. The use of a dummy document was excluded because the task,

Intelligence work from illegal positions during these years was carried out not only in Europe, but also in China, the USA, Turkey, Iran and some other countries.

Intelligence was careful in choosing nationality, the social status of illegal intelligence officers, and especially documents proving their identity. All these factors, as a rule, were strictly coordinated with the tasks that the intelligence officer had to solve. In practice, however, there were cases when an intelligence officer was given the task of obtaining political information, and was sent to any Western country under the guise of a White Guard officer who had fled Russia. As a result, the scout got into military unit, where the disciplinary regime deprived of mobility, chained to one place and did not give the opportunity to carry out full-fledged work on a given problem. There was very little benefit from such a worker.

It also happened that an intelligence officer arrived in this or that country with a passport of the state, whose citizens were treated there with distrust. As a result, he had problems with employment and, as a result, complications in intelligence activities. Therefore, in the process of preparing an illegal intelligence officer, they strove, first of all, to ensure that the documents meet the requirements necessary for successful work in a particular country and on the intended problems.

The preparation and withdrawal of an illegal scout abroad required serious and great creative efforts from both the performer and the Center.

How this process was carried out and what difficulties were encountered along the way, can be clearly seen on the example of Nikolai, an employee of the illegal apparatus.

To work on scientific and technical problems in Germany, either a German by nationality or a foreigner from a friendly country who had the opportunity to start a business or mastered a specialty that would allow him to get a prestigious job was required. The choice fell on Nikolai. His father was Pole, his mother was Latvian. He was fluent in Latvian and German and could act as both Latvian and German. It was decided to get a Latvian passport for him - Latvia was then considered a friendly country to Germany. By his mother, he had the right to receive such a document.

However, in the process of working out the issue, it turned out that Nikolai's father is known in Latvia as a revolutionary who left for Russia, and complications may arise when issuing a passport. It was generally not possible to obtain a German passport since there was not even the slightest reason for this. The use of a fictitious document was ruled out, because the task that faced Nicholas required a firm settling in the country, which did not cause the slightest doubt among the German authorities. For such purposes, a real passport was required, carried out for all records and registrations.

Further work on this option led to the idea of \u200b\u200busing Nikolai's maternal uncle, who lived in Riga and was a major entrepreneur, to obtain a Latvian passport. He had a son from his first marriage, about the same age as Nikolai, but the marriage turned out to be unsuccessful, and after the divorce, the wife left with the child abroad, their trace was lost, and it was only known that the boy died shortly after leaving.

Nikolai wrote a letter to his uncle and asked to meet with him in one of the neighboring countries. The meeting took place.

Uncle without hesitation agreed to help his nephew get a passport. During the discussion, Nikolai expressed the idea that complications might arise because of his father and the whole undertaking would be useless. He carefully hinted to his uncle about the possibility of using the document of his deceased son. He readily seized on this option, since he was even ready to buy a Latvian passport for his nephew. In this case, he believed, the document can be obtained legally.

Taking the photographs and the petition, my uncle left for Riga, and two months later announced that he had received the passport. Again we agreed to meet in a neighboring country, where the nephew from the hands of his uncle received a passport and letters of recommendation to Germany to his friends. The most difficult issue, over which the staff at the Center puzzled for a long time, was resolved.

On a legal basis, Nikolai managed to arrive in Berlin, register at the Latvian embassy and begin to resolve the issue of employment. According to the plan, he was to open either a small store or a pharmacy. This made it possible, under the guise of goods or medicines arriving for sale, to receive intelligence materials, including drawings, samples, and send them to the Union.

After examining the situation on the spot, we stopped at the purchase of a small store selling medicines and sanitation and hygiene goods, which could serve as a shipping point for extracted materials and, at the same time, legends to others about the source of its owner's livelihood. The store was acquired, and Nikolai began practical intelligence work.

Everything was going well. But suddenly, as often happens with intelligence officers, unforeseen circumstances arose. Nicholas was summoned to the embassy and presented with a summons: “Arrive in Latvia for passing military service". It was absolutely unacceptable, all the work done went down the drain. It was necessary to look for some way out. The center gave instructions to leave for Riga and, with the help of my uncle, obtain a reprieve from service. Upon arrival in Latvia, Nikolai immediately began to clarify the issue of a postponement. We had to act carefully - in Latvia he graduated from high school at one time, and many people here knew him.

It was possible to establish that the maximum that he can count on is getting a grace period of six months. This option, of course, did not suit Nikolai. In the meantime, my uncle found out that it is possible to free his nephew from military service with the help of one of the highest leaders of the state or the army under the pretext of, say, studying in Germany.

The uncle turned to one of his good acquaintances, a former minister. He went to meet and advised to organize a dinner in a fashionable restaurant, expressing his readiness to invite there " the right people". And so they did. Dinner was ordered at one of the most prestigious Riga restaurants and lasted until the morning. They did not spare money for a treat. At the end of the dinner, Nikolai drank brotherhood with his patrons and received a promise to fulfill his request. The very next day, he was released from military service and enrolled in the reserve of the sanitary department with the rank of lieutenant. For the service rendered and in accordance with the stated condition, Nikolai contributed 1000 lats to the “Monument of Freedom” fund. After that I calmly left for Berlin.

In Berlin, intelligence work continued. Technical documentation and product samples began to arrive, which were of a closed nature. The documentation was photographed, and the samples were appropriately packed and transported to Moscow through the available channels. Things were going well, they were satisfied with the work at the Center.

But again the danger arose from where it was least expected. There was a bank branch not far from his store, and a police patrol appeared next to it at night from time to time. It was also beneficial to Nikolai, since the store, where the obtained materials and samples were sometimes kept for storage, was under supervision at night. There were no police in the area during the day.

Once Nikolai stayed late in his store. Suddenly revolver shots were heard. He ran out into the street and saw a Mercedes drive away from the bank. Young guys jumped into the car on the move, a policeman ran after them, firing from a revolver. There was no doubt that it was a bank robbery. Without hesitation, Nikolai jumped into his old car, drove up to a policeman, and together they chased the robbers. Then other policemen joined in pursuit, and Nikolai returned, locked the store and headed home. In the morning he found that all the newspapers were full of reports of the robbery, descriptions of the bold actions of the police and the heroic deed of Nikolai, a "real patriot." The newspapers indicated his name, stated that he was the owner of the store, and gave his address. When he approached his establishment, there were already reporters turning around and a large group of customers were waiting, who wanted to personally pay their respects to the brave man. The reporters did their job, took pictures, asked the owner about the details of the incident, took interviews, etc.

This incident did not leave the pages of newspapers for several days. Description of Nikolai's act, his photographs occupied a prominent place in them. Literally overnight, the humble businessman turned into almost a national German hero. Customers poured into the store, many of them traveled from other areas to shake hands with the “patriot” and buy goods in his establishment.

Even the head of the police station personally visited the store and offered Nikolai to get a revolver. Weapons, he noted, were issued only to the most trustworthy citizens of the city. The scout thanked him and refused the weapon. The police chief also informed him that, as a token of gratitude, the police would monitor the store and thus protect it from potential burglars. "Rejoice," he patted Nikolai on the shoulder, "now we will not leave you in trouble."

But Nikolai realized on the very first day that there was nothing to be happy about. The base of cover created with such difficulty collapsed. Now it was impossible to use the store for storing and transferring reconnaissance materials. Systematic observation of the situation around the store could lead professionals to believe that the lifestyle of its owner is not quite usual, and this would lead to failure.

After receiving information about the incident, the Center banned the use of the store as a transfer point, and Nikolai was instructed to temporarily stop reconnaissance work. There was a concern that the photographs of the illegal, published in the newspapers, could play a negative role. However, a careful study of them showed that it would be difficult to identify him on them due to the blurred images.

In the future, the store still had to be closed, and Nikolai, for security reasons, was transferred to work in another country.

Since the beginning of the 30s, the military industry has developed rapidly in Germany, and the relevant Soviet departments have shown interest in obtaining data on the latest achievements of the Germans in the field of electrical engineering, radio industry, instrument making, aviation, chemistry, etc.

To work in the scientific and technical direction, an illegal intelligence officer Leo Gelfot arrived at Kaminsky's station in 1931. The file of the Vienna police archive contained the following data: “(Gelfot) was born on the territory of Bukovina, before the First World War he studied in Vienna at the Faculty of Medicine, then was drafted into the army.

In 1914 he was captured by the Russians, continued his medical education in Russia, apparently sympathizing with the Communist Party. "

All this was true. From the archive of the Foreign Intelligence Service, one can add to this: he was married to a Soviet citizen, worked in the Ministry of Health, and was the head of a polyclinic. From this position, he was invited to work at the INO OGPU and sent to work illegally in Germany.

Gelfot worked in illegal intelligence from 1931 to 1938. In Berlin, he got a job as an assistant at the clinic of a famous German professor. He was a radiologist by profession. Working in the clinic made it possible to get acquainted with materials related to military medicine, collect information about new methods of treating the wounded in field conditions... However, the main sources of his information were three German agents who worked in military-industrial concerns and were transferred to him for communication.

Gelfot managed to obtain through them a significant amount of materials and samples related to military aviation, electrical engineering, instrument making and chemistry for military purposes.

At the end of 1933, in connection with the complicated situation around the residency, Gelfot was transferred to Paris, where he was entrusted with the work of maintaining communication with active sources. However, his foreign passport did not make it possible to stay in France for a long time, and therefore the intelligence officer began to look for ways to secure himself in another european country, creating the necessary base there to continue working with their sources.

For this purpose, he traveled to the Scandinavian countries, but he did not manage to settle there permanently. Foreigners who had a temporary residence permit were under the control of the police, and this naturally left its mark on the conditions of operational work. It was extremely difficult to work in such conditions.

After four years in Europe, when his situation with getting a job and obtaining a residence permit became more and more hopeless, Gelfot sent a request to the Center to allow him to return to Moscow. In his letter he, in particular, wrote: “I am so exhausted and nervous that I cannot work. Nerves are shattered to the point of impossibility. I have not taken leave for four years. "

Leo Gelfot returned to the Union, rested, received medical treatment and was again sent across the cordon. This time his path was in the USA. The task remained the same - scientific and technical intelligence.

First of all, he was advised to pay attention to obtaining data regarding US-developed protective equipment against chemical warfare agents. In Germany at that time, work was intensively carried out to create modern chemical weapons and equip the army with them. It caused great concern. soviet leadership, and it demanded from intelligence not only information about the types and volumes of production of chemical warfare agents, but also information about the means of protection against them.

Gelfot, in particular, was instructed to find opportunities to obtain the following samples and materials:

Secret paste for treating mustard gas lesions;

Artificial hemoglobin synthesis technologies;

Individual anti-chemical package used in the US Army;

A technical installation for washing people in the field after being hit by mustard gas;

Antidotes for chemical warfare agents.

Before starting the assignment, he had to

to work thoroughly on creating a reliable base, which then allowed to legally obtain a residence permit in the United States and the right to engage in professional activities.

Already the first results were encouraging. He managed to get a sample of a portable device for blood transfusion in combat conditions, unique at that time. The device was classified and was of particular value to our military doctors. However, the successfully started work was not further developed. Leo fell ill with croupous pneumonia and "burned out" in just a few days. Together with him on a business trip was his wife Maria Mitrofanovna, who was his faithful assistant throughout all eight years of work abroad. In a roundabout way, they managed to take her to the Union. At her request, an urn with her husband's ashes was delivered to Moscow ...

From the book Technique and armament 2004 03 author Technics and Armament Magazine

Everyday life of the test site Nikolay Yuriev Testing new anti-aircraft missile systems air defense troops ground forces (about the features of the tests of the "Cube" air defense missile system is described in "TV" No. 1/2004) was supposed to be carried out at the only one under the jurisdiction of the GRAU - the customer of these complexes -

From the KGB book. The last argument author

Working days After a while, "ASTOR" - the working pseudonym of Krantz, the captain of the Main Intelligence Directorate, - offered the chief to recruit Leonora, posing as an officer of Soviet intelligence. He substantiated his idea by the fact that in the eyes of Leonora, a great power was something

From the book Appearance on demand author Okulov Vasily Nikolaevich

From the book Everyday life of elephanteria author Nefedkin Alexander Konstantinovich

Everyday life of elephants The term "elephants", recently introduced into the Russian language, designates war elephants as a branch of the army. It is essentially a tracing paper with english word elephantry. Elephanteria originated in Ancient India, where about three elephants were used for military purposes

From the book Life according to the "legend" (with ill.) author Antonov Vladimir Sergeevich

Chapter 14. King of illegal immigrants The name of this legendary scout became known during his lifetime. Hitler's Gestapo searched in vain for an illegal immigrant until the final defeat of the Nazi Reich. In Austria and Germany, he was known under the name Alexander Erdberg, for

From the book All for the Front? [How the victory was actually forged] author Zefirov Mikhail Vadimovich

Everyday life of housing and communal services As for the housing and communal services, there is always not enough money for it, and the situation worsened even more during the war. The workers of the waterworks and sewers belonged to the 2nd category of workers, they were not given any armor, the salary was low.

From the book Afghan: Russians at War author Braithwaite Rodrick

Chapter 8. Soldiers' everyday life Even during the campaign, the soldiers of most armies spend little time in battle. They wander around, scold their officers and the military machine in general, shy away from work, pull food, look for opportunities to get drunk, continuously (but not in combat, of course)

From the book The Long Walk by Castner Brian

IV. Harsh everyday life The rehearsed "ballet" began when we received another challenge. It is known that firefighters do not patrol the streets of the city in order to spot a column of smoke on the horizon in time. We, sappers, in this sense are not much different from them: we do not drive around from morning to evening until

From the book Silk road... Military Scout Notes author Kartsev Alexander Ivanovich

Everyday life of special forces Spring has come imperceptibly. The first snowdrops appeared in the mountains. The Union celebrated International Women's Day. Boris Dmitrievich did not deceive, and a week before the holiday, on the first of March, my poems were recited in the Field Mail of the radio station Yunost. I was sure,

From the book The Andropov Phenomenon: 30 Years in the Life of the General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee. author Khlobustov Oleg Maksimovich

Everyday life of the chairman of the KGB But, in addition to getting acquainted with his complex and multifaceted "economy", the chairman of the KGB under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, literally from the very first hours of his stay in new position, had to be directly involved in the solution of the most difficult and urgent, little familiar to him

From the book Frontline artilleryman's everyday life [With a howitzer from Sozh to Elbe. 1941-1945] author Stopalov Sergei Grigorievich

Frontline everyday life During the war one could sometimes hear the old saying from the soldiers: "Hunger is not an aunt." Most often this was due to interruptions in power supply, and sometimes its poor quality. In fact, we were fed satisfactorily, and no one died of hunger. But the cases where

From the book by Richard Sorge. Who is he really? author Prudnikova Elena Anatolievna

Everyday life of scouts ... The first curator Sorge Alex after 1937 could not tell anyone anything. But his next curator, Boris Gudz, happily lived until 2002, in which he turned a hundred years old. He came to intelligence in 1923, starting to work in the INO OGPU. 1934 to 1936

From the book Scouts and Spies author Zigunenko Stanislav Nikolaevich

Mexican weekdays Our resident in Mexico City was then Lev Vasilevsky - an old acquaintance of Kitty. It was he who took her from Paris to Bordeaux in 1940, and then sent her to Moscow under the guise of the wife of a Soviet diplomat. To no small extent contributed to their rapprochement and the fact that

From the book License to Recruit author Atamanenko Igor Grigorievich

WORKING DAYS After a while, "Astor" - the working pseudonym of Krantz, the captain of the Main Intelligence Directorate, - invited the chief to recruit Leonora, posing as a Soviet intelligence officer. He substantiated his idea by the fact that in the eyes of Leonora, a great power was something

From the book of Nakhimov. The genius of sea battles author Lubchenkov Yuri Nikolaevich

WEEKDAYS OF SEVASTOPOL In the winter of 1854-1855. in the siege of Sevastopol, there was a relative calm. Both the allies and the Russians in the Crimea were busy, first of all, building up their forces, preparing to resume a decisive struggle with the arrival of a warm time. And here more and more began

From the book With a certificate of Truth (From the military man's notebook) author Polevoy Boris

Military weekdays Open leaf We drove out suddenly for Eagle. At night I got a call from the military department and asked if the car was ready. I said that it had just been primed and did not have time to paint. The answer was a real newspaper: "Eagle has 'begun', leave immediately." And so,

HISTORY OF RUSSIAN EXTERNAL INTELLIGENCE

Essays

In six volumes

Volume II 1917-1933 years

Chief Editor Academician E.M. PRIMAKOV

Deputy Chief Editor V.A. KIRPICHENKO

Executive Secretary V.A. SAVELIEV

V.B. BARKOVSKY (27), L.M. VAVILOV (ZO), S.M. GOLUBEV (9,10,12,13,19), I.A. DAMASKIN (8, I, 17,19),

ON. ERMAKOV (2, 25, 26, 28), A.N. ITSKOV (1, 3, 4, 5, 6,12,17,18), E.K. KOLBENEV (34), V.A. KUZIKOV (7,15, 31,32, 33),

V.S. MOTOV (14), O. I. NAZHESTKIN (foreword, 20), V.I. SAVELIEV (16, 29), B.D. YURINOV (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)

Literary editor L.P. ZAMOISKY

Foreword

The second volume of the "History of Russian Foreign Intelligence" covers the initial period of the activity of Soviet foreign intelligence, which emerged after the revolution in Russia in October 1917.

The first world War, the collapse of the monarchy, the inability of the Provisional Government to keep the situation under control, the transfer of power into the hands of the Soviets led to the fact that the old socio-political structures collapsed or were destroyed as a result of the revolutionary process. Shaken to the limit, the demoralized state apparatus was unable to carry out its functions. On its wreckage, another quickly formed, more suitable for solving qualitatively different problems.

From the very first steps of its activity, the Soviet power was forced to repel the blows of external and internal enemies, to defend independence and territorial integrity the young state, to bring it out of isolation. To protect national interests along with others government bodies special services were needed, including foreign intelligence. And they were created in the process of fighting and overcoming the incredible difficulties that the country faced.

The situation in it was difficult and crisis. Russia was still at war with Germany, the German army began active hostilities in Ukraine, Belarus, on the outskirts of the capital, Petrograd. The economy was struck by economic disruption. Inside the country, the white movement grew stronger.

Russia had to urgently get out of the war, but get out with a minimum of losses. It is no coincidence therefore that one of the first decrees new government there was a Decree on Peace, in which all belligerents were asked to immediately begin negotiations for a just, democratic peace.

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, General Dukhonin, flatly refused to fulfill the orders of the new government to end hostilities and establish contacts with the command of the enemy armies in order to negotiate a truce.

The Entente countries ignored the proposals of Soviet Russia on peace negotiations and began to prepare an armed intervention against it in order to, by supporting internal anti-government forces, overthrow the regime that came to power in October 1917 and force Russia to fulfill its allied obligations - to continue the war with Germany and its allies ... Already on December 23, 1917 England and France signed an agreement on rendering assistance to the White Guard movement and dividing the "zones of influence" in Russia. The English zone included the territories of the Cossack regions, the Caucasus, Armenia, Georgia, Kurdistan. In French - Ukraine, Bessarabia, Crimea.

Germany formally accepted the proposal for negotiations, but not at all in order to conclude a just peace. She tried to use the current crisis situation in Russia to satisfy her territorial claims, to impose favorable peace conditions for herself and to transfer the released troops to the West to fight the Entente countries.

The absence of the Soviet government accurate information on the situation inside Germany and the intentions of the German command led to the signing of the Brest Peace Treaty, which was unfavorable for Russia. This was one of the first signals about the need for an immediate organization of intelligence work.

By the fall of 1918, the European south of the Soviet state, part of Belarus and the entire Baltic region were occupied by Germany. Huge regions - Far East, a significant part of Siberia and the Urals, north and south of the country, middle Asia and Transcaucasia, the Volga region - over the course of a number of years, they found themselves alternately under the rule of the interventionists or the "governments" and "directories" associated with them.

Secret counter-revolutionary organizations, most of which were associated with foreign intelligence services, relied on their help and support, posed a huge danger to the young republic.

Hunger and devastation, the flourishing of banditry completed the job. At times, it seemed to the enemies of the Soviet regime that only a few days remained. And they did not really hide the fact that the next step was the dismemberment of the country, the brutal suppression of popular uprisings, the elimination of Russia's independence, its colonization.

The crisis situation required an adequate response. Already on December 20, 1917, an All-Russian Extraordinary Commission, the VChK, was created to fight counter-revolution and sabotage. It was headed by the professional revolutionary F.E. Dzerzhinsky.

The autobiography of Felix Edmundovich fit into 2.5 typewritten pages:

“Born in 1877. Studied in Vilno.

In 1894, being in the 7th grade of the gymnasium, I entered the Social Democratic self-development circle; in 1895, I entered the Lithuanian Social Democracy and studied Marxism myself, lead circles of artisan and factory students. There I was in 1895 and was christened Jacek. I left the gymnasium voluntarily in 1896, believing that faith should be followed by deeds and that we should be closer to the masses and study with it ”.

So it began revolutionary activity future chairman of the Cheka. Then - arrests, prisons, exile, escapes ...

Further in his autobiography, he writes: “Soon after my arrival in Berlin, in the month of August (1902), our party conference, the Social Democracy of Poland and Lithuania, was convened. I am settling in Krakow to work on communication and assistance to the party because of the cordon. Since that time I have been called Jozef ... In 1912 I moved to Warsaw, on September 1 I was arrested, tried for escaping from the settlement and sentenced to three years in hard labor. In 1914, after the start of the war, they were taken to Oryol, where he served hard labor; sent to Moscow, where he was tried in 1916 for party work in the period 1910-1912. and add another six years of hard labor. Released me from the Moscow Central February revolution... Until August I work in Moscow, in August Moscow delegates to the party congress, which elects me to the Central Committee. I remain to work in Petrograd.

UDC 351.746.1 (47 + 57) (091) BBK 67.401.212

Chief Editor Academician E.M. PRIMAKOV Deputy. Chief Editor V.A. KIRPICHENKO Executive Secretary V.A. SAVELIEV

V.B. BARKOVSKY (27),

L.M. VAVILOV (30), S. M. GOLUBEV (9, 10, 12, 13, 19), I.A. DAMASKIN (8, 11, 17, 19),

ON. ERMAKOV (2, 25, 26, 28), A.N. ITSKOV (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 17, 18), E.K. KOLBENEV (34), V.A. KUZIKOV (7, 15, 31, 32, 33),

V.S. MOTOV (14), O. I. NAZHESTKIN (foreword "20),

IN AND. SAVELIEV (16, 29), B.D. YURINOV (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)

Literary editor L.P. ZAMOISKY

History of Russian foreign intelligence: Essays: In 6 volumes - Vol. 11.

I90 1917-1933. - M .: International relationships, 2014. -

272 p., Ill.

ISBN 978-5-7133-1456-9 (T. 11)

ISBN 978-5-7133-1451-4

The second volume covers the formation and strengthening of the Soviet external

her intelligence (1917-1933) as part of political system qualitatively

another state, which, however, retained the priority tasks and directions

the activities of Russian foreign intelligence - protection of national

For a wide range of readers.

Foreword

The second volume ~ the history of Russian foreign intelligence ~ - covers the initial period of the Soviet foreign intelligence, arose

after the revolution in Russia in October 1917.

World War I, collapse of the monarchy, failure Temporarily

th government to keep the situation under control, transfer of power

into the hands of the Soviets led to the fact that the old socio-political

structures fell apart or were destroyed as a result of the revolutionary

process. Loose, demoralized state

the military apparatus was unable to perform its functions. On his

debris quickly formed another, more suitable for solving

qualitatively different tasks.

The Soviet government, from the very first steps of its activity, forced den was to reflect the blows of external and internal enemies, to defend

independence and territorial integrity of the young state

wa, take him out of isolation. To protect national interests

along with other state bodies, special

services, including foreign intelligence. And they were created in the process of fighting and overcoming the incredible difficulties that they faced

the country was formed.

The situation in it was difficult and crisis. Russia is still found

was at war with Germany, the German army began

to active hostilities in Ukraine, in Belarus, on a substitute

smelled to the capital - Petrograd. The economy was struck by economic disruption. Inside the country, the white movement grew stronger.

Russia had to urgently get out of the war, but get out with a minimum

mom losses. It is no coincidence therefore that one of the first decrees of the new

power was the Decree on Peace, in which all belligerent parties before

was supposed to immediately begin negotiations on the conclusion of a fair

th, democratic world.

General Dukhonin, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army

flatly refused to comply with the orders of the new government to terminate

fighting and establishing for the purpose of negotiating

on the armistice of contacts with the command of the enemy armies.

The Entente countries ignored the proposals of the Soviet Russia

this about peace negotiations and began to prepare an armed intervention

against her in order to support the internal anti-ruler natural forces, to overthrow the one who came to power in October1917 the regime and force Russia to fulfill its allied obligations

in the early part of 1917, England and France signed an agreement to provide assistance to the White Guard movement and to divide the "zones of influence" in Russia. The English zone included the territories of the Cossack regions, Kav

kaz, Armenia, Georgia, Kurdistan. In French - Ukraine, Bessa

slave, Crimea1

Germany formally accepted the negotiating proposal, but

not at all in order to conclude a just peace. She is trying

tried to use the current crisis situation in Russia to satisfy their territorial claims, to impose you

conditions of peace suitable for themselves and to transfer the liberated troops to the West to fight the Entente countries.

The lack of accurate information on the Soviet government

position inside Germany and the intentions of the German command

led to the signing of the Brest Peace Treaty, which was unfavorable for Russia.

This was one of the first signals of the need to immediately organize intelligence work.

By the fall of 1918, the European south of the Soviet state, part

Byelorussia and all the Baltic states were occupied by Germany. Huge regions - the Far East, a significant part of Siberia

and the Urals, the north and south of the country, Central Asia and the Transcaucasus, the Volga region -

for a number of years were alternately under the power of the intervention

comrades or related "governments" and "directories". Thai posed a huge threat to the young republic

counterrevolutionary organizations, most of which were

connected with foreign intelligence services, relied on their help and under

Hunger and devastation, the flourishing of banditry completed the job. Sometimes you are

the din of the Soviet regime seemed to have only a few days left. And they

did not really hide the fact that the next step was the dismemberment of the country, the cruel

suppression of popular uprisings, elimination of independence

Russia, its colonization.

The crisis situation required an adequate response. Already

the All-Russian Extraordinary Commission - VChK was created. It was headed by

professional revolutionary F.E. Dzerzhinsky. The autobiography of Felix Edmundovich fit into2.5 ma

on the pages of the shine: “Born in 1877. Studied in Vilno.

In 1894, being in the 7th grade of the gymnasium, I entered the Social Democracy

a circle of self-development; in 1895 I join the Lithuanian social

democracy and I am learning Marxism myself, I lead handicraft circles and fa

shaved students. There I was in 1895 and was christened Jacek. Of

i left the gymnasium voluntarily in 1896, believing that I owe faith

we must follow the deeds and we must be closer to the masses and learn with them ourselves. "

This is how the revolutionary activities of the future chairman of the Cheka began. Then - arrests, prisons, exile, escape...

at Berlin, in the month of August(1902) our party was convened -

social Democracy of Poland and Lithuania - conference. Settling in

at Krakow for liaison work and party assistancebecause of the cordon.

FROM of that time they call me Jozef... In 1912 I move to Warsaw, 1 september I am arrested, tried for escaping from the settlement

and sentenced to three years in hard labor. In 1914, after the outbreak of war,

taken to Oryol, where he served hard labor; sent to Moscow, where they are tried in1916 year for party work of the period1910-1912 and add another six years of hard labor. The February Revolution freed me from the Moscow Central. Until August I work in Moscow, in August Mo

squa delegates to the party congress, which elects me to the Central Committee. Stay

for work in Petrograd.

I take part in the October Revolution as a member of the Military

revolutionary committee, and then, after its dissolution, I am entrusted

organize a body for the fight against counter-revolution - the Cheka (7.12.1917),

of which I am appointed chairman. "

Life quickly made its own adjustments: internal and external threats turned out to be too closely related, and soon the Cheka was

intelligence and counterintelligence functions were given. So,

due to the peculiarity of the prevailing historical conditions, the exploration of the eye

became a part of the power, repressive structures. It was difficult to leave

to fight with internal hostile to the new regime

mu by secret organizations that received help from outside, from counter-intelligence and intelligence activities. An example of this

the so-called "zago

thief of ambassadors ”, led by Lockhart. The English intelligence officer prepared it with the help of French and American representatives in Moscow

and the British naval attaché Cromie in Petrograd. Ino

strange consulates, taking advantage of their immunity, gave shelter

russian terrorists. At the English consulate in Moscow ukry

the leader of the Union for the Defense of Homeland and Freedom, Boris Savinkov. The testimony of one of the members of this terrorist organization, the head captain Pinka: “We received a strong benefit

from the allies. We received the allowance in money, but the reality was also promised

naya strength. The allies expected us to create a government on behalf of which they would be officially invited. Allied units are

were mixed so that neither side had an advantage. Teaching

the Americans should have accepted this step as well "2 The struggle of the Cheka bodies against counter-revolutionary organizations

was mainly of a forceful nature. However, during it,

and methods of intelligence activities. Bodies of the Cheka carried out

whether undercover penetration into hostile organizations, mined

information about their plans, personnel, carried out work to decompose

the perception of these organizations from within. So the basics of intelligence were learned

solid art. Using the arsenal of means of the former special services, the nascent Soviet intelligence replenished him with its own experience, looked for and found new methods and forms of work suggested by

peculiar situation, conditions of political struggle.

Archival materials show that from the first months of the existence of the Cheka, attempts were made to conduct intelligence

work behind the cordon.

At the beginning of 1918, Dzerzhinsky attracted to secret cooperation

honor on a patriotic basis of the former publisher of the newspaper "money

A.F. Filippov, who was benevolent to the Soviet regime, seeing favorable opportunities in the young republic and its policies development of Russian statehood. Fortunately, about A.F. Phi Lippove has preserved a lot of detailed information. He was sent several times by the chairman of the Cheka with assignments to Finland to disrupt

ra information about the political situation in the country, financial plans

political circles and the White Guard against the Soviet

Russia, the mood of the sailors and soldiers who were at that time in

Finland. He managed to convince the tsarist admiral Razvozov to stand

drink at the head of the Russian fleet in Finnish ports and

reiterate with him on the side of the Soviet regime. This is the first since 1917

the historical fact of the establishment of the

quality and transfer of an agent abroad to perform such a scale

and important tasks.

We know a letter sent by Dzerzhinsky in February 1919 to the authorized representative in Istanbul, with a request to help the Cheka agent in organizing intelligence work from the territory of Turkey.

From the surviving documents it is clear that the agent acted under fa

miley Sultanov R.K. It was established that this was not his real name, but any additional information about him should be sought

failed, although his photograph is preserved in the archives.

With the beginning of the intervention and Civil War there was a need

the need to strengthen the fight against subversive activities of foreign intelligence services in the army. In December 1918, it was decided to create a Special Department of the Cheka in the army and navy in order to intensify the fight against counterrevolution and espionage. Special departments by creating

were in the central office of the Cheka, in large military and military

naval units in some provinces.

HISTORY OF RUSSIAN EXTERNAL INTELLIGENCE

Essays

In six volumes

Volume II 1917-1933 years

Chief Editor Academician E.M. PRIMAKOV

Deputy Chief Editor V.A. KIRPICHENKO

Executive Secretary V.A. SAVELIEV

V.B. BARKOVSKY (27), L.M. VAVILOV (ZO), S.M. GOLUBEV (9,10,12,13,19), I.A. DAMASKIN (8, I, 17,19),

ON. ERMAKOV (2, 25, 26, 28), A.N. ITSKOV (1, 3, 4, 5, 6,12,17,18), E.K. KOLBENEV (34), V.A. KUZIKOV (7,15, 31,32, 33),

V.S. MOTOV (14), O. I. NAZHESTKIN (foreword, 20), V.I. SAVELIEV (16, 29), B.D. YURINOV (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)

Literary editor L.P. ZAMOISKY

Foreword

The second volume of the "History of Russian Foreign Intelligence" covers the initial period of the activity of Soviet foreign intelligence, which emerged after the revolution in Russia in October 1917.

The First World War, the collapse of the monarchy, the inability of the Provisional Government to keep the situation under control, the transfer of power into the hands of the Soviets led to the fact that the old socio-political structures fell apart or were destroyed as a result of the revolutionary process. Shaken to the limit, the demoralized state apparatus was unable to carry out its functions. On its wreckage, another quickly formed, more suitable for solving qualitatively different problems.

From the very first steps of its activity, the Soviet power was forced to repel the blows of external and internal enemies, to defend the independence and territorial integrity of the young state, to bring it out of isolation. To protect national interests, along with other state bodies, special services were needed, including foreign intelligence. And they were created in the process of fighting and overcoming the incredible difficulties that the country faced.

The situation in it was difficult and crisis. Russia was still at war with Germany, the German army began active hostilities in Ukraine, Belarus, on the outskirts of the capital, Petrograd. The economy was struck by economic disruption. Inside the country, the white movement grew stronger.

Russia had to urgently get out of the war, but get out with a minimum of losses. It is no coincidence, therefore, that one of the first decrees of the new government was the Decree on Peace, in which all the belligerents were asked to immediately begin negotiations on the conclusion of a just, democratic peace.

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, General Dukhonin, flatly refused to fulfill the orders of the new government to end hostilities and establish contacts with the command of the enemy armies in order to negotiate a truce.

The Entente countries ignored the proposals of Soviet Russia on peace negotiations and began to prepare an armed intervention against it in order to, by supporting internal anti-government forces, overthrow the regime that came to power in October 1917 and force Russia to fulfill its allied obligations - to continue the war with Germany and its allies ... Already on December 23, 1917 England and France signed an agreement on rendering assistance to the White Guard movement and dividing the "zones of influence" in Russia. The English zone included the territories of the Cossack regions, the Caucasus, Armenia, Georgia, Kurdistan. In French - Ukraine, Bessarabia, Crimea.

Germany formally accepted the proposal for negotiations, but not at all in order to conclude a just peace. She tried to use the current crisis situation in Russia to satisfy her territorial claims, to impose favorable peace conditions for herself and to transfer the released troops to the West to fight the Entente countries.

The lack of accurate information from the Soviet government about the situation in Germany and the intentions of the German command led to the signing of the Brest Peace Treaty, which was unfavorable for Russia. This was one of the first signals about the need for an immediate organization of intelligence work.

By the fall of 1918, the European south of the Soviet state, part of Belarus and the entire Baltic region were occupied by Germany. Huge regions - the Far East, a significant part of Siberia and the Urals, the north and south of the country, Central Asia and Transcaucasia, the Volga region - for a number of years have been alternately under the rule of the interventionists or the "governments" and "directories" associated with them.

Secret counter-revolutionary organizations, most of which were associated with foreign intelligence services, relied on their help and support, posed a huge danger to the young republic.

Hunger and devastation, the flourishing of banditry completed the job. At times, it seemed to the enemies of the Soviet regime that only a few days remained. And they did not really hide the fact that the next step was the dismemberment of the country, the brutal suppression of popular uprisings, the elimination of Russia's independence, its colonization.

The crisis situation required an adequate response. Already on December 20, 1917, an All-Russian Extraordinary Commission, the VChK, was created to fight counter-revolution and sabotage. It was headed by the professional revolutionary F.E. Dzerzhinsky.

The autobiography of Felix Edmundovich fit into 2.5 typewritten pages:

“Born in 1877. Studied in Vilno.

In 1894, being in the 7th grade of the gymnasium, I entered the Social Democratic self-development circle; in 1895, I entered the Lithuanian Social Democracy and studied Marxism myself, lead circles of artisan and factory students. There I was in 1895 and was christened Jacek. I left the gymnasium voluntarily in 1896, believing that faith should be followed by deeds and that we should be closer to the masses and study with it ”.

This is how the revolutionary activities of the future chairman of the Cheka began. Then - arrests, prisons, exile, escapes ...

Further in his autobiography, he writes: “Soon after my arrival in Berlin, in the month of August (1902), our party conference, the Social Democracy of Poland and Lithuania, was convened. I am settling in Krakow to work on communication and assistance to the party because of the cordon. Since that time I have been called Jozef ... In 1912 I moved to Warsaw, on September 1 I was arrested, tried for escaping from the settlement and sentenced to three years in hard labor. In 1914, after the start of the war, they were taken to Oryol, where he served hard labor; sent to Moscow, where he was tried in 1916 for party work in the period 1910-1912. and add another six years of hard labor. The February Revolution freed me from the Moscow Central. Until August I work in Moscow, in August Moscow delegates to the party congress, which elects me to the Central Committee. I remain to work in Petrograd.

I take part in the October Revolution as a member of the Military Revolutionary Committee, and then, after its dissolution, I was instructed to organize a body for the fight against counter-revolution - the Cheka (7.12.1917), whose chairman I was appointed.

Life quickly made its own adjustments: internal and external threats turned out to be too closely related, and soon the Cheka was given intelligence and counterintelligence functions. Thus, due to the uniqueness of the prevailing historical conditions, intelligence found itself within the framework of the power, repressive structures. It was difficult to separate the struggle against internal secret organizations hostile to the new regime that received outside assistance from counterintelligence and intelligence activities. An example of this is the well-known in history the so-called "conspiracy of ambassadors" led by Lockhart. The British intelligence officer trained him with the help of French and American representatives in Moscow and the British naval attaché Cromie in Petrograd. Foreign consulates, using their immunity, provided shelter to Russian terrorists. Boris Savinkov, the leader of the Union for the Defense of Homeland and Freedom, was hiding in the British consulate in Moscow. The testimony of one of the members of this terrorist organization, Captain Pink, has survived: “We received a strong aid from the allies. We received the allowance in money, but real strength was promised. The Allies expected us to create a government on behalf of which they would be officially invited. Allied units were mixed so that neither side had an advantage. The Americans were to take part as well.

The struggle of the Cheka bodies against counter-revolutionary organizations was mainly of a forceful nature. However, in the course of it, methods of intelligence activity were also used. The organs of the Cheka carried out undercover penetration into hostile organizations, obtained information about their plans, personnel, and carried out work to decompose these organizations from within. So the basics of the art of intelligence were mastered. Using the arsenal of means of the former special services, the nascent Soviet intelligence replenished it with its own experience, looked for and found new methods and forms of work, prompted by the peculiar situation, the conditions of political struggle.