Every day, even on weekends, the President receives a folder with the current intelligence report. The intelligence service works day and night. The most secret information from across the world comes here, to the Foreign Intelligence Headquarters in Yasenevo. Today, the service defends the interests of our state in the most difficult environment. The chief agent of our country, Sergey Naryshkin, will tell us what challenges the agents of today face, and how they're trained to overcome them.
- Bonjour, monsieur.
- Bonjour, madame.
- What's the French press writing about? How's the weather in Yasenevo today?
- The sky over Yasenevo is blue and serene.
How is an operative combat unit trained and what objectives does it carry out? It's the first time this unique footage airs on Russian TV. Why doesn't Naryshkin have a computer or Internet in his office and leaves his cell phone at the entrance?
- You know what they say, even walls have ears. We have to be very careful with electronic communication devices.
We'll expose the internal kitchen of the SVR both metaphorically and literally.
"I like fried eggs for breakfast".
We'll discover all the details of his Washington visit.
"We flew there on an ordinary Aeroflot flight".
- Have you ever been close to failure?
- Yes, I have.
For the first time, Naryshkin will share how he met Putin and declassify the codename he had in intelligence school.
Before the remodeling, there was a wall here. And this part of the room used to accommodate the most famous cadet of the Academy Vladimir Putin.
You're going to discover this and many more facts right now.
Main Actors with Nailya Asker-Zade
Sergey Naryshkin
- How often do you have to work late hours?
- Not very often.
Intelligence officers call this place "the Forest." The SVR headquarters is located basically in the outskirts of Moscow in the Yasenevo district. You won't find the exact address on any map. It's an out-of-bounds property. That's where Sergey Naryshkin spends most of his work hours. By the way, Vladimir Putin also worked in SVR.
- How often do you report to the President? He also used to work in the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
Sergey Naryshkin: The service sends the reports to the President every day. Including Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.
- Do you ask for his advice?
- He's got a great understanding of our job and its nuances. So, naturally, yes. We often discuss professional issues.
- Do you ever lose your temper?
- Naturally, I do. If I think hard I might remember a couple of cases. But generally, I'm a calm person. That's first. Secondly, I always try to remain calm and control myself.
Sergey Naryshkin has been in charge of the SVR since October 5, 2016. Putin personally introduced the new director to the staff.
- Do you ever raise your voice at your subordinates?
- I'd say never because I consider it a bad management method. There are more effective ones like demonstrating mutual interest, mutual trust, and respect towards their work.
- Have you ever been close to failure?
- Yes, I have. I'd prefer not to speak about that situation today.
- Let's hope they won't repeat.
- I hope.
The Intelligence Campus, so to say, has everything that's required for work and living a clinic, a store, and even a watch repair shop. But, most importantly, it has facilities to stay in good physical and fighting form. Journalists have never been allowed here. But they've made an exception for us.
Gunnery training is conducted in such extreme conditions. A howling siren, reduced visibility, and moving targets. Those who hit the bull's eye 9 times out of 10 are considered sharpshooters.
- Shall we begin?
- Let's start.
“Fire!”
- Let's have a look at the result.
- You hit the bull's eye 3 times out of 4.
- Yes. Your result is great too.
- I don't think so.
- This one was an accident and those are good.
- No way I'll ever become an intelligence officer.
- Now that you've made friends here, you might. Good shooting.
- Let's make it more difficult.
- We're ready.
"Fire!"
- Shall we check again?
- I was shooting a different gun this time. What were you aiming at, Mr. Naryshkin?
- I still missed one shot.
- So you were aiming at the face? One of my bullets hit the eye. One hit the neck.
- Well, the target's dead.
- It is. I even managed to hit the head once.
- You neutralized the terrorist twice. Congratulations!
- I wish I could do that in real life.
- Good job.
- Hero of the USSR Gevorg Vartanyan used to say: "Reconnaissance ends when shooting begins". Why do agents train to shoot, then?
- Mr. Vartanyan was right. This formula still applies to intelligence in general. However, we must bear in mind, that intelligence officers and ensigns are servicemen who must know how to handle firearms. There's a unique covert military unit within the Foreign Intelligence Service called the Special Purpose Center. It's an operative combat unit. One of its branches operates in compliance with the Foreign Intelligence Law. This law obliges the Foreign Intelligence Service to ensure the security of Russian organizations and citizens abroad. That's the main function and task of that operative combat unit. Its operatives must master both operative weapons and combat weapons as well.
We had a chance to see the operatives masterfully handle firearms.
"Target!"
This is unique footage with actual officers of the SVR. That's why we were allowed to shoot them only while they're wearing masks.
- Go!
- Enemy!
- Retreat!
- It's over.
Sergey Naryshkin: "Unfortunately, the world's become uneasy. Sometimes, Russian organizations abroad, embassies, consulates, and commercial missions are in serious danger. You might remember, it happened in Libya, Iraq, and just recently in Yemen. We were forced to evacuate the staff of our embassies. The task was executed by the operative combat unit".
- Your job's not an easy one. What does the operative training comprise of? Does everyone study at the Academy? How many years do you study there?
- There are different schools in the Foreign Intelligence Academy. In some cases, it takes a year, two, or three. You may ask, what's the difference?
- Spoken languages, perhaps?
- Many factors make a difference, speaking foreign languages is one of them.
- The worse your language is the longer you study?
- The fewer (or even none) languages you speak, the longer you study. It also depends on previous life experience of a young officer and their operative experience.
- You mentioned different schools. Some say they are Economy, Politics, Science and Technology, and a separate School of Counterintelligence.
- Those are specializations. Indeed, depending on the specialization of a Foreign Intelligence unit, the curriculum includes more or fewer classes dedicated to various subjects.
- But the S-Unit studies separately?
- Yes, separately.
Sleeper agents serve in the most classified unit called the S-Unit. It's the first letter of the last name of its founder, Pavel Sudoplatov. The selection process has always been rigorous. Cadets have a special education program. Sleeper agents have to live far from their homeland under false names. Their real names often remain classified forever. But not only sleeper agents have false names. All operatives study in the Academy under their codenames.
- All cadets have codenames. Putin's was Platov. Can you tell us yours?
- I can. Naumov.
- How long did you study at the Academy?
- Mine was a one-year program.
- How long have you been working for the intelligence?
- I'd say since 1978. I graduated from the Leningrad Mechanical Institute. Almost immediately after that, I was sent to Moscow to undergo a two-year course at the High Red Banner School.
- How long have you known Vladimir Putin? Could you tell us how you two met?
- I returned to Leningrad in 1980 and was immediately appointed to the Intelligence Department of the Leningrad Administration. He was already working there. That's where we met.
- Didn't you study together?
- We used to study together at the Foreign Intelligence Academy which used to be called the Red Banner Institute back then. We had our one-year course at the same time.
- Does one have to skydive in order to get enrolled?
- Yes. Before studying at the Academy, one has to pass a small test. During a military training, future cadets have to do a parachute jump. For that purpose, we were carefully studying the structure of the parachute system. The D-6 parachute system is very reliable. We also did a single jump.
- Why does a test like this exist? Does it test the physical fitness or the mental condition?
- It exists to make sure the future cadet is mentally tough. For me, it was a very pleasant experience.
- Did you enjoy it?
- I did.
- Do cadets instantly get a rank when they get accepted into the Academy?
- Most of the cadets already have an officer rank. But there have been exceptions.
This is the very Academy where future intelligence officers study. It's the most classified educational institution in the country. Let's have a look what it's like inside.
The general lectures are held in such lecture halls. Their contents are classified. Two doors are here for a reason: They restrict the access of other cadets and employees of the Academy to this information. The wait staff can access the room either early in the morning or late at night.
This part of our program was filmed on the weekend. That's why no cadets are present. Classes begin at 9 AM and end at 4 PM. The next two hours are dedicated to the mandatory self-tuition. After 6 PM, the cadets are free to leave the Academy. However, many stay to live in the dorm and continue studying. According to the professors, many of them study up to 1 AM. The hardest subjects are undoubtedly Chinese and Japanese. Some cadets study hieroglyphs even while showering. There's one in each room. When Putin was studying here, there was one on each floor.
Before the remodeling, there was a wall here. And this part of the room used to accommodate the most famous cadet of the Academy Vladimir Putin. Two beds, a table, three chairs. There's even a TV here today. Naturally, back then the room looked more modest. And there was a radio instead of the TV. Vladimir Putin stayed here for almost a year. Of course, today's cadets don't know that Vladimir Putin used to live in this room.
At the same time, another operative used to live on the opposite side of the hallway. His real name is Sergey Naryshkin.
And here's the boxing gym. That's where several generations of operative have been trained. One of them was cadet Platov or Vladimir Putin. It's said there are no D-students at the Academy. Cadets graduate with honors more often than without. They don't get to keep their diplomas though. After a solemn ceremony in this hall, the graduates receive their diplomas but only for a couple of minutes. They hand their diplomas in, and they're stored with their personal record.
Over the last years, there were only two cases when a student dropped out of the Academy. One did that for family reasons. His future wife wasn't ready to live with an intelligence officer and gave him an ultimatum. The second cadet dropped out because he thought the program would be too hard. But such cases are exceptions.
- Vladimir Putin said that it was his idea to become an intelligence officer. He came to the admission committee and shared his plans. However, he wasn't accepted right away. They sent him to get a law degree. Only after that, he got accepted. Can a random person join the intelligence today?
Sergey Naryshkin: Actually, they can. There's a special section on the Foreign Intelligence website dedicated to the work of our educational institution the Foreign Intelligence Academy. This section of our website contains the information on how a young man or lady can join the ranks of the intelligence; how and where to submit their papers. After that, the appropriate procedure begins.
- What do you call such people? Initiatives?
- Well, you know, intelligence officers usually apply this term to a different kind of situation when a foreign citizen led to their own motives that can vary finds an opportunity to address a Russian representative or a representative of any other country they choose and express their willingness to help the country, including on a confidential basis. That's who we call "initiatives." There aren't many of them because usually…
- It's dangerous. What if they were sent here on purpose?
- Oh, that's a special case.
- And those random people who decide to enlist in the intelligence? Are there many of them?
- I'd say the traditional way is more common. Our offices search for potential cadets first of all, among the students of universities.
- Is there an age limit, beyond which one can't become a cadet of the Foreign Intelligence Academy?
- Well, it's not clearly established. I'm going to take an extreme case: It would be hard to begin serving in the intelligence as a 50-year-old lieutenant. I exaggerate to make it easier to understand.
- So one can still join after 30?
- That's right. You've got a chance.
- There's hope for me.
- You don't even have to apply in an ordinary fashion. Since I'm your friend, you can tell me that you want to enlist. Although, that's the only benefit you're going to get. You would study on general terms.
- So serious, isn't it?
- It is.
- So think about it.
- I will.
Sergey Naryshkin
- Do you remember your first mission?
- I do. I had to analyze a part of a reconnaissance operation.
Someone might find it surprising but the Russian operatives abroad are supervised by two independent organizations. The Main Intelligence Department, GRU works with military and military-technical data, while the Foreign Intelligence Service has other priorities. Our diplomats call them close and far neighbors. The close one is the SVR because, during the Soviet times, the HQ was close to the Foreign Ministry. The GRU is the far neighbor.
- Is there some kind of rivalry between the GRU and SVR today?
- Rivalry, you say? You know, both GRU and SVR and partially FSB carry out the intelligence-gathering function. That partially applies to the FSB. In general, the government supervises all intelligence operations. We have different responsibilities. The Foreign Intelligence Service, the GRU, and partially the FSB have their own niche and sphere of activities. We treat our colleagues with great respect. They are talented people. We share our experience and the intelligence data we gather. We try to help each other. So I wouldn't call it rivalry.
- So there's no turf war?
- No. No.
- At all times, even during the Cold War, the Russian and US intelligence services didn't cease to cooperate. But what's the situation with Ukraine? Is there some kind of cooperation?
- Naturally, we used to cooperate with the Intelligence Service of Ukraine until 2014. But after Ukraine had a coup, there can be no cooperation due to the nature of the current authorities.
Cooperation within the post-Soviet domain has become a tradition. Last May, the Intelligence Commanders of the CIS countries gathered at the 15th annual meeting.
Sergey Naryshkin: “Our key priorities are such issues as international terrorism, the ultimate evil. We're actively exchanging intelligence, operative, and signaling information.”
- Mr. Naryshkin, it seems that electronic reconnaissance must be coming to the fore right now. Or is the human factor equally important? Can we acquire all necessary information using only computers, phones, and satellites?
- Powerful intelligence services use all available instruments to conduct intelligence operations. But communication systems are also getting more advanced. Today, one can't spend a day without a cell phone social networks, or cashless payments. We use all available forms and instruments to carry out intelligence operations.
- Do you have a cell phone?
- I do have a cell phone. I don't have it with me in my office though. When I come to work every morning, I turn my phone off and leave it in the far room. You know what they say, even walls have ears. Well, our walls are quite reliable but one has to be careful with electronic communication devices to ensure the security of intelligence activities.
- I assume the walls of your office don't have ears?
- My walls definitely have no ears.
- Is there an Internet connection in your office?
- Only outside of it. For the same reason.
- But not in your office?
- No.
- Do you have a TV?
- I do.
- Is that safe to have a TV?
- It can do no harm.
Another reason that makes the Russian intelligence special is that President Putin began his career there. Within its ranks, he worked his way up to lieutenant colonel. He used to work in the GDR during the hardest period when the USSR collapsed and the Berlin Wall was destroyed. By the way, the SVR reports directly to the President with no intermediaries.
- Mr. Naryshkin, are foreign intelligence services getting more active with their operations in Russia?
- Well, I believe my FSB colleagues are more fit to answer this question.
- But you're in charge of counter-intelligence.
- That's true. However, something that threatens Russia its territory and citizens impacts the way we conduct our operations as well. You're right, the international situation has become more difficult and that always leads to a more intensive and aggressive resistance by the special services. Let's have a snack.
- Hello.
- Good afternoon.
- May I have chicken, please? What cuisine do you prefer?
- Well, I like diversity. I can't think of something that would make me gasp — wring my hands, and say…
- Dumplings or borshch? Our cuisine?
- ...that I can't live without it.
- Pizza or spaghetti?
- No, I love various food but first, I'm trying to make it more diverse and secondly, I'm trying to eat something that supports my healthy lifestyle. It's unhealthy to eat a lot of fried, fatty, and salty food, you know. I'm trying to stay healthy.
- Do you scold your employees who gain excess weight?
- We don't, but we still notice it and suggest they do more sports. I like fried eggs for breakfast. It's a simple meal but I love it especially since doctors and nutritionists don't consider it unhealthy anymore. They used to believe eggs contain a lot of cholesterol. But now, they don't, so we're free to have our eggs.
- I see calories are indicated on the menu.
- Yes, some officers observe that attentively. I'm paying.
- We're not violating a state secret by filming your prices, are we?
- No, it's not a great state secret. We'll discuss that if you're so interested.
- Seem like they haven't changed since the last century.
- They do change sometimes, but not often, it seems.
- Yes, very seldom it seems.
The prices are really affordable. Naryshkin paid 1,000 rubles to buy an operative's lunch for 6 people.
- Speaking about your internal kitchen, do women work in operative units?
- They do, but few of them work in operative units. But in general, women constitute a significant part of our staff of the Foreign Intelligence. About a quarter. We have female analysts, financial experts, lawyers, psychologists.
- But previously, women weren't accepted in the operative unit, right?
- It rarely happened. It was more of an exception to the rule.
Despite the fact that our relations with the West are getting colder, our intelligence services continue to maintain their contacts. In December 2017, the information from our US colleagues helped our operatives prevent a terrorist attack in St. Petersburg. However, when Putin asked Donald Trump to convey his thanks to the CIA, the Central Intelligence Agency refused to comment on that. But that's understandable: secrecy above everything.
- What do you think, when will the trust crisis between Russia and the West be over? And who is to make the first step?
- Russia is open for dialogue. And dialogue should be maintained. Despite all the odds, despite the condition of the international climate the world's experiencing today, we must search for ways to cooperate. But it's obvious for us, that the parties in this dialogue should be equal. Naturally, we can't allow speaking with us I mean, with Russia, under any other conditions. It's the only way.
- Do we manage to maintain an equal dialogue under sanctions?
- Well, if we speak about the cooperation of special intelligence services, the dialogue can't be established on other terms. And we're maintaining it. In this regard, I'd like to say that the Foreign Intelligence Service has a wide partnership net with intelligence services based on practically all continents. Here's a couple of figures: over less than two years, I've taken part in consultations and negotiations held here in Moscow or in St. Petersburg with the commanders of the intelligence services from various countries. I had about 90 such meetings over less than two years. Over that period, I traveled to 22 countries with working visits to meet the commanders of the local special services. It shows the broad geography of our international cooperation which we call "partnership."
One of such meetings took place in Washington. The trip ended up being a sensation. The necessity of a direct contact between the intelligence commanders of Russia and the US is long overdue. That's why Naryshkin and his SVR-colleagues made a trip over the ocean. At the same time, other Russian officials arrived in the US to meet their counterparts. Among them were FSB Chief Bortnikov and the Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. It was his first visit in many years.
- Could you tell us about your trip to Washington? Was it initiated by the US?
- I'll start from the very beginning. A couple of months after the elections, after Trump assumed office as the President, we had our first phone conversation with the then-chief of CIA Mr. Pompeo.
- Did you discuss any issues or just said hello?
- We established our acquaintance over the phone. Then, we had another phone conversation when we agreed that Pompeo would come to Russia. The meeting with Pompeo and his colleagues took place in the summer of 2017. Naturally, I was invited to return the visit and did so in the fall of 2017. Our senior officers and I came to Washington. Both in Moscow and Washington, our conversations were quite professional. The main focus of our meetings and our cooperation with our colleagues in the CIA is the fight against international terrorism. We've been actively exchanging operative and intelligence information about particular persons and the plans of terrorist organizations. This partnership serves as a common interest of our two countries. Even though, there was this one aspect of my trip to the US: after we had left, the senators and the congressmen were surprised to discover the Chief of the Russian Foreign Intelligence had visited Washington despite being…
- But you're under sanctions.
- Despite being on the so-called notorious blacklist. They were outraged.
- How did they let you in?
- They were outraged.
- Did they question you?
- No, of course, not. Everything went in an orderly fashion. The meeting was organized by the administration represented by the CIA.
- But you didn't come there alone. That makes this meeting unique.
- I came there according to the official protocol accompanied by my colleagues. And the meeting went well from a professional point of view. However, the news leaked and I believe, no, I'm sure I know why. We flew there on an ordinary Aeroflot flight. Perhaps, there was some Russian journalist. My face is pretty well-known. Next day, they asked our ambassador as to why had the Chief of SVR arrived in the United States. He publicly stated that I was visiting the US, or rather, had been visiting. One thing led to another and…
- So it was your only visit to the US?
- It was my first US visit as the Chief of the SVR. So far, it was my only visit.
- Did you discuss the sanctions?
- No, we didn't.
In the middle of May, Gina Haspel was appointed Chief of the CIA. She's the first woman to assume this office.
- Do you still cooperate?
- After the Central Intelligence Agency got new leadership, we haven't yet established contact at the Chief-of-Intelligence level. But we maintain our partnership channel. There are official CIA representatives working in Moscow, as well as an official SVR representative working in Washington. We're exchanging information.
- So, there hasn't been a phone call yet?
- No, there hasn't.
The Skripal case has been dragging since last spring. On March 4, a former GRU operative Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned in the British town of Salisbury. London immediately blamed Russia. The assassination attempt triggered a large-scale international scandal. Britain keeps finding new evidence and new suspects. Our country denies all allegations and demands an unbiased investigation.
- What do you think, when will we discover the truth about the Skripals' poisoning? How long will it take?
- You might remember that the Russian side immediately offered assistance and expressed its readiness to take part in the investigation of this incident, this provocation. Regrettably, the British side refuses to cooperate. Moreover, the British side keeps destroying evidence as the Russian side sees it. Pets and other objects. We still haven't seen the Skripals. The Porton Down laboratory is pretty close. That's why, to answer your question, I'd say that if there is a professional joint investigation, it will be able to unearth the truth about the incident. So far, we treat the incident as a farce and a provocation.
- Enjoy your meal!
- Let's eat.
Few people know that there's a driving school here. Every operative must be able to drive a car. Some get to work in countries with left-hand traffic. That's why the school has a right-hand drive car.
- How often do the officers pass tests?
- Once a year, we pass the main tests of the military and physical training. It's swimming, running, and shooting. Operatives are required to be fit. Besides, sports is a great leisure activity. Our officers use this opportunity.
But first and foremost, physical training is required to be able to work. Exclusively for our show, Sergey Naryshkin allowed disclosing the targets for the officers. They are different for men and women; there are also age groups. To excellently pass, let's say, the crawl stroke test, a 30-35-year old man should cover 100 m in 1 min 50 sec while a woman should do it in 2 min 50 sec. Men of the same age should do 13 chin-ups and run 100 meters in 14 sec. Naryshkin loves swimming and has been doing it since he was a kid.
- Is swimming the only kind of sports you do?
- I swim a little, I continue to swim in the morning. Apart from that, I ski in winter. A couple of years ago, I found another favorite discipline — golf. Sergey Naryshkin.
- How many times have you seen Seventeen Moments of Spring?
- I'd say more than ten. And I'd gladly do it again and again. It's a brilliant classic movie. It's perfect from both professional and aesthetic points of view.
- Did you fall in love with your job after that movie?
- Yes, it did influence my career choice.
- Stirlitz from Seventeen Moments of Spring has a family. Do you hire those who don't have a family? Do you send them abroad?
- Yes, but it's a rare case. We usually send abroad operatives who already have families. But there are exceptions.
- Some say, back in school, you were the most popular boy among your female classmates.
- I believe that's an exaggeration.
- Are you a one-woman man?
- Well... I'll tell you a short story. After graduating from high school, I decided to enroll in the Leningrad Mechanical Institute. During the pre-enrollment classes, I noticed a young girl who was also going to apply to the same institute. After either first or second exam, I noticed that the girl instead of preparing for the exams was washing the windows or the window sills. Back then, there was a rule, those who graduate school with honors, could pass a single exam and get accepted if they get an A.
- That's the way I did it.
- So I assumed this girl was an A-student. I did quite well on my exam and got accepted. It turned out that we were in the same...
- Group?
- ...student group. And after a while, the affection became mutual. Several years after, we got married. We've been together for more than 40 years. We have kids. Our kids gave birth to the second generation of kids. It's up to you to decide whether I'm a one-woman man.
Tatiana Naryshkina is an IT specialist. They have two kids, a son and a daughter.
Sergey Naryshkin
- What's the most valuable lesson you've learned in your life?
- Take care of your honor from when you are young.
Sergey Naryshkin was born in the Soviet Leningrad. He did well in school and after graduating, chose a serious technical profession. But as it turned out, fate had other plans for him.
- Did your kids know where their dad was working?
- They didn't know that when I was an operative. They discovered it a bit later, when I retired from the operative service, after working there for 16 or 18 years. I was reassigned to civil service.
- But your wife knew?
- Sure, she did.
- Shall we play?
- Let's do this. I'll hit first if you don't mind, to spread the balls around the table. You'll have better chances to score a point.
- Let's hope so.
- Here's your cue.
- Thanks.
- I'll take that one.
- OK…
- I see you move like a professional.
- I learned that.
- You've been preparing, I see.
- Of course.
- Let's begin. Your move.
- Should I hit from there?
- The choice is yours. I would try this ball if I were you. Hit it with a quick stroke so that it would strike this ball and get it into this hole. We call this move the "brother-in-law."
- I just have to actually hit it.
- That alone would be a fine result for a beginner pool player. You did it! I'm going to aim at the same hole. I'll try it. Nice, I got it.
- A pro move.
- I must admit, that was an easy ball. I'll try this one next. Close, but didn't score.
- Is playing pool a mandatory skill for an operative?
- No, that's not necessary.
- You play it for fun?
- Right.
- Could you tell us about an average weekend of an operative?
- Well... Everyone's got their own habits and interests. It might be a day with the family, in the open air, sports, theater, books. Great job! It's 1-1 now.
- Thank you.
- It's a tie.
- Have you ever had to disguise yourself during an operation?
- No, never.
- Using wigs or a fake mustache. Do operatives do that at all, or is it a myth?
- Almost never.
Here's a unique document. It's a copy of the decree on the creation of the Foreign Department of the VChK. The paper was issued on December 20, 1920. The tasks the new organization had back then are still valid today: recruiting foreign citizens within the territory of the Russian SFSR and creating agent cells abroad. The VChK was the All-Russian Special Commission for Combating Counter-revolution and Sabotage. The name and abbreviation were changed multiple times. For the longest period of time, it was called the First Main Directorate of the KGB of the USSR.
On December 18, 1991, Boris Yeltsin signed a decree on the creation of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. Its first chief was Eugeny Primakov. He refused to be promoted to General, the rank provided by his position becoming the first civilian chief of the organization.
- Is that special operative equipment, Mr. Naryshkin?
- Yes, but these are old prototypes that our officers used in the 1950s and, perhaps, in the early 1960s. It's signaling equipment that was used to establish impersonal communication between an operative and their source. By pressing this button one, two, or three signals could be transmitted. Well, we don't have toys like that today.
- Yours is more advanced.
- The world's made a big step forward.
Naryshkin is also the all-time President of the Russian Historical Society. He's very serious about his responsibilities. He directly participates in all major events. And when speaking about intelligence, one can't help but mention the history.
- There are many legendary operatives. Many consider Fischer or Abel to be the most famous.
- Right, his real name was William Fischer. He was an extraordinary operative. He used to command agent cells, including sleeper agent cells, during the Second World War. He also used to command an agent cell during the post-war period in the late 1940s and early 1950s in the United States of America. He used to acquire enormous amounts of intelligence information.
His group was acting flawlessly for many years. It is thanks to them the USSR managed to develop the nuclear bomb much more quickly.
- Unfortunately, he was betrayed, arrested and sentenced to 30 years in prison, I think. However, in 1962, he was exchanged. The governments of the Soviet Union and the United States agreed to exchange him for the military pilot Powers. You might remember that.
- Sure.
- Here are his papers and awards. And this document was signed by John Kennedy, the President of the United States. It authorizes the exchange.
- There's even a container for storing microdots, right?
- That's right. Looks like a coin cut in half. Coins cut in half were used to store microdots. What's a microdot you ask? It's a document or several documents captured on microfilm using a special technology.
- During the Second World War, Comrade Fitin was the Chief of Intelligence.
- He's also an extraordinary person. He was very young when he joined the intelligence service. In 1939, he was appointed Chief of Foreign Intelligence. By that time, due to repressions, the staffing had suffered great losses. However, under Pavel Fitin's leadership, the intelligence service managed to quickly restore its positions over the next three years. The credit for this goes to this outstanding operative and Chief of Intelligence. A little over a year ago, a monument to Pavel Fitin was erected next to the Foreign Intelligence Press Office in the center of Moscow.
Kim Philby, another legend of the Russian intelligence, a member of the Cambridge Five.
- In 1933, Kim Philby graduated from Cambridge with honors and became a journalist. But in 1934, being a dedicated anti-Nazi, and having certain political beliefs, he started working for the Soviet intelligence. During the war, he made a great contribution to acquiring vital strategic information. Here's an example: he managed to acquire and transfer to the Soviet Intelligence Command the information about the plans of the Nazis regarding the so-called Battle of Kursk. A couple of months ago, the Moscow authorities made a decision. One of the squares in Yasenevo was named after this extraordinary and legendary man.
Sergey Naryshkin
- Do you have a cloak and a dagger?
- Well, you probably mean the artistic image of intelligence. I work for the intelligence service, so you can say I have "a cloak and a dagger."
- Perhaps, a gun and a listening device better suit the modern intelligence operative?
- Well, I'd say it's also an artistic image. That's why... Although I like the first one better.
- During the Soviet times, intelligence offered a decent salary and more importantly, trips abroad, which were unavailable for average citizens. What do you think, what attracts the youth of today? Is it romanticism, money, or perhaps patriotism?
- Be it the Soviet times or the present day, the motives remain the same. It might sound a bit pretentious but it's a desire to serve one's Fatherland by being an intelligence officer. Yes, our job is special, even unique, shrouded in some sort of romanticism. You know, I have a good friend, Anatoly Pshenichny I had the honor of working with him. He's a brilliant operative and a gifted person. He's a poet, a singer, and a member of the Authors Union. He wrote a lot of poems about Russia, his Motherland, and his job, of course. He has this one poem dedicated to the Foreign Intelligence:
Some aim to build a career.
Some hurry to fill their pockets.
But we just joined the intelligence service
to help Russia, our country.
I don't think it's too dramatic. First... Secondly, it's as precise as a gunshot. And it perfectly describes our motives.
