Vasili Mitrokhin

defector

Vasili Mitrokhin was a KGB archivist and one of the most significant defectors in Cold War history. After years of meticulously copying top-secret documents detailing Soviet espionage activities, he sought asylum in the West. Initially rejected by the United States, Mitrokhin finally found refuge in Britain in 1992, facilitated by MI6. His extensive archive provided crucial insights into KGB operations and the identities of numerous agents, leading to hundreds of counterintelligence investigations in the 1990s. His defection was publicly revealed in 1999 with the publication of a book co-authored with historian Christopher Andrew. Mitrokhin's contributions significantly shaped the understanding of Soviet intelligence and espionage tactics, and he remained a pivotal figure in discussions about Cold War espionage until his death in 2004.