Intelligence Officer of the Atomic Age

11 hrs. 29 min.

Language Russian

Author Anatoly Maksimov

Narrator Andrey Leonov

Description

The book tells about Vladimir Borisovich Barkovsky (1913–2003), an outstanding Soviet intelligence officer, a colonel of foreign intelligence whose name stands alongside Rudolf Abel, Leonid Kvasnikov, members of the “Cambridge Five.” After receiving special training at an intelligence school, at the end of 1940 he was assigned to work in the United Kingdom as an employee of the London residency in scientific-technical intelligence (under the cover of an embassy attaché position). In London, Barkovsky recruited a number of valuable sources, including among English scientists who were only moderately involved in the development of nuclear weapons. The intelligence he obtained under the “Enormoz” project played an important role in the creation of nuclear weapons in the USSR. After returning to Moscow, Barkovsky held senior positions in the Administration for Scientific-Technical Intelligence. He traveled on long-term business trips to the USA and Western Europe for S&T intelligence purposes. In 1996, for the successful completion of special assignments to ensure state security in conditions associated with a risk to life, the heroism and courage shown by V.B. Barkovsky were awarded him the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

Contents:

From the author
Foreword. “An ‘invaluable contribution’”
Chapter 1 The path to the “London front” of the war
“Lifestyle of the youth of those years...”
“They said: you’ll be an intelligence officer...”
“An intelligence officer of general profile”
“The British were patriots too, like us”
“Danger was always nearby...”
Chapter 2 On both sides of the Atlantic
“Information flowed to Kurchatov...”
“Could he light up the audience...”
“Through the NTR channels from England and the USA...”
“Would you have tested this charge on yourselves!”
“The intelligence’s area of interest was broad...”
Chapter 3 Within the walls of NTR and “alma mater”
“from the Kvasnikov guard”
“The first violin at the department...”
“Not a single compromise happened”
“If KOK is armor, then NTR is the projectile”
“Into the country’s defensive might”
“The forge of professionals”
“Honorary professor of the academy”
Chapter 4 From the position of a historiographer
“Professional exactingness”
“Don’t attribute myths to intelligence”
Conclusion. “Our first nuclear intelligence officer”
Afterword. “A unique intelligence officer of the fatherland”