الجواسيس الروس.. الأكثر جرأة لاختراق الغرب

The definitive history of Russia's most secret spy program, from the early days of the Soviet Union to Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and a revealing examination of how this hidden history affected both Russia and the West. More than a century ago, the new Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad as deep-seated spies, trained to pose as foreign nobles, merchants, or students. Over time, this evolved into the most ambitious spy program in history. Many intelligence services use undercover agents, but the KGB was the only one to go to such lengths, spending years training its spies in language and etiquette, and sending them on missions that could last decades. These spies were known as "illegal elements." During World War II, illegal elements were sent behind enemy lines to assassinate top Nazi leaders. Later, in the Cold War, they were sent to assimilate and disappear as "sleepers" in the West. The greatest of them accomplished amazing feats, while others failed in their missions or collapsed under the pressure of a double life. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews, as well as research into archives in more than a dozen countries, Sean Walker presents this history in a riveting style that takes us to the heart of the KGB's most secret programs. Illegal Elements is a thrilling spy drama with brilliantly drawn characters, and also reveals a hidden thread in the story of Russia itself. As Putin extols the Soviet Union's achievements and the KGB's espionage prowess, and Moscow continues to send illegal agents around the world, this narrative highlights the long reach of the Soviet experiment, its chaos, and its impact on our world today.