Book
The illegals : Russia's most audacious spies and their century-long fight to bring down the West / Shaun Walker.
"A century ago, the new Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad as deep-cover spies, training them to pose as foreign aristocrats, merchants, and students. Over time, this became the most ambitious espionage program in human history. Many intelligence agencies use undercover operatives, but the KGB was the only one to go to such lengths, spending years training its spies to pass for foreigners, then sending them on missions that could last for decades. These spies were known as the illegals. During the Cold War, illegals were dispatched to assassinate world leaders and steal technological secrets -- the greatest among them performed remarkable feats, while many others failed in their missions or cracked under the strain of living a double life. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews with illegals and their descendants, as well as archival research in more than a dozen countries, Shaun Walker brings the illegals to life in a page-turning tour-de-force that takes us into the heart of the KGB's most secretive program. A riveting spy drama peopled with richly drawn characters, The Illegals also uncovers a hidden thread in the story of Russia itself. As Putin extols Soviet achievements and the KGB's espionage prowess, and Moscow continues to infiltrate illegals across the globe, this timely narrative shines new light on the long arc of the Soviet experiment, its messy aftermath, and its influence on our world at large"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780593319680 (hardcover)
- Physical Description: vi, 433 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 25 cm
- Edition: First hardcover edition.
- Publisher: New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2025.
Content descriptions
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
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Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeshore Branch | 327.1245009 Wal | 31681010415198 | NONFIC | Available | - |
- Baker & Taylor
Traces the history of the Soviet Unionâs âillegalsâ spy program, revealing how deeply embedded, long-term operatives shaped global espionage from the Bolshevik era to modern Russia, while examining its enduring influence on Russian identity, global politics, and Putinâs strategies today. Illustrations. - Baker & Taylor
"A century ago, the new Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad as deep-cover spies, training them to pose as foreign aristocrats, merchants, and students. Over time, this became the most ambitious espionage program in human history. Many intelligence agencies use undercover operatives, but the KGB was the only one to go to such lengths, spending years training its spies to pass for foreigners, then sending them on missions that could last for decades. These spies were known as the illegals. During the Cold War, illegals were dispatched to assassinate world leaders and steal technological secrets-the greatest among them performed remarkable feats, while many others failed in their missions or cracked under the strain of living a double life. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews with illegals and their descendants, as well as archival research in more than a dozen countries, Shaun Walker brings the illegals to life in a page-turning tour-de-force that takes us into the heart of theKGB's most secretive program. A riveting spy drama peopled with richly drawn characters, The Illegals also uncovers a hidden thread in the story of Russia itself. As Putin extols Soviet achievements and the KGB's espionage prowess, and Moscow continues to infiltrate illegals across the globe, this timely narrative shines new light on the long arc of the Soviet experiment, its messy aftermath, and its influence on our world at large"-- - Random House, Inc.
The definitive history of Russiaâs most secret spy program, from the earliest days of the Soviet Union to Putinâs invasion of Ukraine, and a revelatory examination of how that hidden history shaped both Russia and the West.
More than a century ago, the new Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad as deep-cover spies, training them to pose as foreign aristocrats, merchants, and students. Over time, this grew into the most ambitious espionage program in history. Many intelligence agencies use undercover operatives, but the KGB was the only one to go to such lengths, spending years training its spies in language and etiquette, and sending them abroad on missions that could last for decades. These spies were known as  âillegals.â During the Second World War, illegals were dispatched behind enemy lines to assassinate high-ranking Nazis. Later, in the Cold War, they were sent to assimilate and lie low as sleepers in the West. The greatest among them performed remarkable feats, while many others failed in their missions or cracked under the strain of living a double life.
Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews, as well as archival research in more than a dozen countries, Shaun Walker brings this history to life in a page-turning tour de force that takes us into the heart of the KGBâs most secretive program. A riveting spy drama peopled with richly drawn characters, The Illegals also uncovers a hidden thread in the story of Russia itself. As Putin extols Soviet achievements and the KGBâs espionage prowess, and Moscow continues to infiltrate illegals across the globe, this timely narrative shines new light on the long arc of the Soviet experiment, its messy aftermath, and its influence on our world at large.
