Cold War Conversations

The Spy in the KGB Archive (408)


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The story of how one man—a librarian for the KGB—became a traitor to the intelligence agency, stealing the most prized Soviet-era archives and smuggling them to the West.

Historian and journalist Gordon Corera whose new book “The Spy in the Archive” tells the remarkable story of how Vasili Mitrokhin—an introverted archivist who loved nothing more than dusty archives—ended up changing the world.

As the in-house archivist for the KGB, the secrets he was exposed to inside its walls turned him first into a dissident and then a spy; a traitor to his country but a man determined to expose the truth about the dark forces that had subverted Russia, forces still at work in the country today.


Related episodes

  • Deep Cover Cold War Spies: How Russia’s Illegal Agents Penetrated the West https://pod.fo/e/2c6cf5
  • Portland Spy Ring Part 1 https://pod.fo/e/292bd
  • Portland Spy Ring Part 2 https://pod.fo/e/4471e
  • The Bridge of Spies spy https://pod.fo/e/15f244
  • Discovering your husband is a KGB spy https://pod.fo/e/17a1c4
  • I was a deep cover KGB spy Part 1 https://pod.fo/e/9c88f
  • I was a deep cover KGB spy Part 2 https://pod.fo/e/9e0a6


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      Cold War ConversationsBy Ian Sanders

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