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Oleg GordievskyiFormer colonel of the First Main Directorate of the KGB of the USSR and agent of the British intelligence service MI6
Date of Birth: 10.10.1938
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Oleg Gordievsky: A Double Agent's Journey
- Career in the KGB
- Collaboration with MI-6
- Return to Moscow and London
- Suspicion and Defection
- Sentencing and Life in Exile
Oleg Gordievsky: A Double Agent's Journey
Early Life and EducationOleg Antonovich Gordievsky was born on October 10, 1938, in Moscow. In 1962, he graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) and joined the KGB.
Career in the KGB
After completing his training at the KGB Intelligence School, Gordievsky worked in the "S" Division of the KGB's First Main Directorate, analyzing intelligence gathered from covert agents. In 1966, he was sent to the Soviet embassy in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he worked with covert agents under the cover of a consular officer.
In 1970, Gordievsky returned to Moscow and resumed his work at the "S" Division. In 1972, he was reassigned to Copenhagen, this time as a political intelligence officer. He became deputy KGB resident in Denmark in 1973 and resident in 1976.
Collaboration with MI-6
While in Denmark, Gordievsky began collaborating with the British intelligence agency MI6. Accounts vary on when this occurred, with some sources indicating 1960-1961 and others suggesting 1974.
Return to Moscow and London
In 1978, Gordievsky returned to Moscow to assume a position as deputy head of the Third Department of the KGB's First Main Directorate. In 1982, he was appointed to the Soviet embassy in London as a counselor.
Suspicion and Defection
In 1985, Gordievsky was summoned back to Moscow under the pretext of being confirmed as resident in London. However, his suspected involvement with MI6 had raised suspicions. In July 1985, he defected from the USSR.
Sentencing and Life in Exile
In November 1985, Gordievsky was sentenced to death in absentia. The sentence has never been overturned. He currently resides in a suburb of London, receiving a pension from the British government.
Gordievsky has supplemented his income by providing paid interviews to journalists, commenting on high-profile espionage scandals and exposing the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
