Pyotr Semyonovich Popov
Encyclopedia
Pyotr Semyonovich Popov was a major in the Soviet
military intelligence
apparatus (GRU
). He was the first GRU officer successfully recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency
. Between 1952 and 1958, he provided the United States government with large amounts of information concerning military capabilities and espionage operations.
Popov first made contact by slipping a letter into the parked car of a US intelligence officer in Vienna
. He seemed to be motivated by a deep anger at what he felt was government exploitation of the peasants of Russia
, including his own family.
In Vienna, and later Berlin
, he brazenly contacted the Americans, delivering copies of secret documents. Popov described the organization of the Soviet military command, provided the names of Soviet intelligence agents in Europe and gave insight into the 'illegals' network run by the Soviets.
Reportedly, Margarita Nikolievska Tairov, an 'illegal' agent trained for work in the USA, was scheduled to meet another agent (in fact, her husband, Igor), identified as Walter Anthony Sjoa. Travelling as Mary Grodnik, she noticed she was under surveillance, allegedly all the way from Templehof. (Certainly, her entirely innocuous behavior, and her husband's, including their abrupt disappearance, suggest they suspected something was amiss.) She reported this, and the matter was heavily investigated by Moscow. The investigation pointed to Popov, who had been the woman's control officer in East Berlin
. He may also have been exposed by British double agent George Behar
, who inadvertently learned the CIA was using a senior Soviet intelligence officer stationed in East Germany as a mole.
Other sources indicate a coded letter to Popov, sent by the CIA and intercepted by the KGB
, led to his arrest. (This may be a misunderstanding. Popov passed a letter to British intelligence, of which Behar became aware.) He was executed by Soviet authorities in 1960.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
apparatus (GRU
GRU
GRU or Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye is the foreign military intelligence directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation...
). He was the first GRU officer successfully recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
. Between 1952 and 1958, he provided the United States government with large amounts of information concerning military capabilities and espionage operations.
Popov first made contact by slipping a letter into the parked car of a US intelligence officer in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. He seemed to be motivated by a deep anger at what he felt was government exploitation of the peasants of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, including his own family.
In Vienna, and later Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, he brazenly contacted the Americans, delivering copies of secret documents. Popov described the organization of the Soviet military command, provided the names of Soviet intelligence agents in Europe and gave insight into the 'illegals' network run by the Soviets.
Reportedly, Margarita Nikolievska Tairov, an 'illegal' agent trained for work in the USA, was scheduled to meet another agent (in fact, her husband, Igor), identified as Walter Anthony Sjoa. Travelling as Mary Grodnik, she noticed she was under surveillance, allegedly all the way from Templehof. (Certainly, her entirely innocuous behavior, and her husband's, including their abrupt disappearance, suggest they suspected something was amiss.) She reported this, and the matter was heavily investigated by Moscow. The investigation pointed to Popov, who had been the woman's control officer in East Berlin
East Berlin
East Berlin was the name given to the eastern part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the Soviet sector of Berlin that was established in 1945. The American, British and French sectors became West Berlin, a part strongly associated with West Germany but a free city...
. He may also have been exposed by British double agent George Behar
George Blake
George Blake is a former British spy known for having been a double agent in the service of the Soviet Union. Discovered in 1961 and sentenced to 42 years in prison, he escaped from Wormwood Scrubs prison in 1966 and fled to the USSR...
, who inadvertently learned the CIA was using a senior Soviet intelligence officer stationed in East Germany as a mole.
Other sources indicate a coded letter to Popov, sent by the CIA and intercepted by the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
, led to his arrest. (This may be a misunderstanding. Popov passed a letter to British intelligence, of which Behar became aware.) He was executed by Soviet authorities in 1960.