Putin's resurrection of the KGB

 

In the November 22, 2017 edition of "Spy Agency Happenings," the rebuilding of Putin's KGB spy agency is the central theme. The article explores Vladimir Putin's childhood as a street fighter living in a crowded housing development in the Soviet Union and his aspirations to become a spy. As a teenager, Putin attended a public reception at the KGB Directorate office to inquire about how to become a spy. It also discusses other KGB spies who defected from the agency and turned up in Britain and the US with large amounts of sensitive intelligence to share.

     The “Spy Agency Happenings!” issue covers how Putin and his FSB spy agency have reinstated the use of Cold War "Active Measures" against America and the West, the same disinformation schemes used by the KGB during the Cold War. In the 60s, KGB agents spread a rumor that the US government assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. In the 80s, they spread gossip that American intelligence had created the AIDS virus at Fort Detrick, Maryland. The KGB infiltrated and supported progressive movements inside the US, as well as leftist parties and insurgencies throughout Latin and South America.

     This November 22, 2017 issue of “Spy Agency Happenings!” further explains that Putin's philosophy about the KGB is complex. He has expressed nostalgia for the Soviet Union and the KGB's role in maintaining order and stability, but he has also acknowledged that the organization had its flaws and made mistakes. U.S. intelligence believes that Putin's past KGB training influences his current foreign policy decisions, like the invasion of Crimea and the heavy use of disinformation and propaganda to influence public opinion in the U.S. 2016 presidential election.

     It also discusses the CIA's efforts to stop the KGB's "Active Measures" during the Cold War, including the overthrow of regimes in Iran, Cuba, Haiti, Brazil, Chile, and Panama. While the Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s, the CIA asked Russia to abandon these measures, and Russia promised to do so. However, when Sergey Tretyakov, the station chief for Russian intelligence in New York, defected in 2000, he revealed that Moscow's "Active Measures" had never subsided. This Russian hegemony has resurfaced under Putin's leadership.

     The MISSION OF VENGEANCE spy thriller novel describes Putin’s reactivation of the KGB. It follows the story of Corey Pearson, a seasoned CIA spymaster, who is tasked with investigating a group of former KGB agents who are using the same "Active Measures" tactics employed by Putin to undermine America's credibility in the Caribbean.

     As Pearson delves deeper into the case, he realizes that the stakes are higher than he initially thought. The former KGB agents have already established a strong network of sleeper agents across the region and are planning a major attack on the US. With time running out, Pearson must use all his skills and resources to stop the impending threat.

     As the clock ticks down to the final showdown, Pearson must navigate treacherous waters to bring the KGB agents to justice and save America from a catastrophic attack. With high-stakes action, complex characters, and a pulse-pounding plot, MISSION OF VENGEANCE is a gripping spy thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

     I hate to end with a negative conclusion, but the resurgence of Putin's KGB spy agency and their use of Cold War "Active Measures" against America and the West is a dangerous threat to global stability. With the potential for catastrophic attacks on democratic governments, the stakes have never been higher. As tensions escalate and the clock ticks down, the world watches with bated breath to see what will happen next.

     The shadow of the KGB permeates Russia’s current intelligence agencies (the GRU and FSB) and looms ominously over the future. The only hope for a peaceful resolution rests in the hands of the U.S. and its allies, and their willingness to risk everything to stop it. 

Robert Morton is a member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO) and enjoys writing about the U.S. Intelligence Community. He authors the Corey Pearson- CIA Spymaster series.