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“There is a difference between being ‘simplistic’ and having simple answers to complex questions.” Then he said, “So, my theory of the Cold War is that we win and they lose. What do you think of that?”
Mitterrand revealed that France had a private sector company, Thomson-CSF, working on contracts in Moscow, and through it French intelligence had achieved a very deep penetration of the KGB. It had in place a key Soviet source who was voluntarily providing astonishing national security information about Soviet technology acquisition from the West, including massive theft of technological secrets. Thus was revealed the famous “Line X” KGB espionage network by one of the most precious and extraordinary “moles” the West ever had. The “Farewell” case was born.
The actions of a single person with access to the secrets of a major power have the potential to modify the course of history.
A KGB officer, Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Ippolitovich Vetrov, decided to betray the system.
The feeling of being a victim of social injustice and his aversion toward string-pulling would be the thread of his life story, typical for a Soviet-style self-made man.
“faire la tournée des grands-ducs”
One of the golden rules of the profession is never to let the first contact of a target make the recruiting approach. Recruiting can fail, but the relationship must be preserved. For this reason, at some point in time “a friend” would appear who would make the overture and disappear in case the deal fails.
More than in any other field, patience is required from anyone willing to succeed in the art of intelligence gathering.
Sun Tzu: “The essence of the art of war is deception. If able, fake inability; if close by, make believe you are far away. Transform your weak points into as many strong points.”
“A piece of information is only valuable if the source is reliable,”
“Those who do don’t talk, those who talk don’t do,” would have said Lao Tzu.
In Russia, moral judgment prevails over the law. This is why the country is not likely to ever become a constitutional state.
Madame de Staël’s words: “If the Russians do not hit the mark, it is because they overshoot it.”14
For the Russians, betraying one’s caste and homeland is inexcusable.
