Yuri Bezmenov
Encyclopedia
Yuri Alexandrovich Bezmenov (Russian: Юрий Безменов, also known as Tomas David Schuman; 1939 – 1997?) was a journalist for RIA Novosti and a former KGB
informant from the Soviet Union
who defected to Canada.
After being assigned to a station in India, Bezmenov eventually grew to love the people and culture of India, while, at the same time, he began to resent the KGB-sanctioned oppression of intellectuals who dissented from Moscow's policies. He decided to defect to the West. Bezmenov is best remembered for his pro-American, anti-communist lectures and books from the 1980s.
to a high ranking Soviet Army officer. He was educated in an elite school inside the Soviet Union, and became an expert in India
n culture and Indian languages.
At the age of 17, Bezmonov entered the Institute of Oriental Languages, a part of Moscow State University
—which was under the direct control of the KGB and the Communist Central Committee
. In addition to languages, Bezmonov studied history, literature, and music. During his second year, Bezmonov sought to look like a person from India; his teachers encouraged this because graduates of the school were employed as diplomats, foreign journalists, or spies.
As a Soviet student, he was also required to take compulsory military training in which he taught how to play "strategic war games" using the maps of foreign countries, as well as how to interrogate prisoners of war.
working as a translator and public relations officer with the Soviet economical aid group Soviet Refineries Constructions, which built refinery complexes.
In 1965, Bezmonov was recalled to Moscow, and began to work for Novosti as an apprentice for their classified department of "Political Publications" (GRPP). Soon he discovered that about three-quarters of Novosti's staffers were actually KGB officers, with the remainder being "co-optees", or KGB freelance writers and informers like himself. However, Bezmonov did no real freelance writing; rather, he edited and planted propaganda
materials in foreign media, and also accompanied delegations of Novosti's guests from foreign countries on tours of the Soviet Union, or to international conferences held in the Soviet Union.
After several months, Bezmonov was formally recruited by the KGB as an informer—an offer he stated one could not simply say "no" to—while still maintaining his position as a Novosti journalist. He then used his journalistic duties to help gather information and to spread disinformation
to foreign countries for the purposes of Soviet propaganda and subversion.
Rapid promotion followed, and Bezmonov was once again assigned to Bila in 1969, this time as a Soviet press-officer and a public-relations agent for the KGB. He continued Novosti's propaganda effects in New Delhi
, working out of the Soviet Embassy. Bezmonov was directed to slowly but surely establish the Soviet "sphere of influence
" in India. In the same year, a secret directive of the Central Committee opened a new secret department in all embassies of the Soviet Union around the world, titled the "Research and Counter-Propaganda Group." Bezmonov became a deputy chief of that department, which gathered intelligence from sources like Indian informers and agents, regarding most every influential or politically significant citizen of India. Those who favored the Soviets' expansionist policy into India were promoted to higher positions of power, affluence, and prestige through various KGB/Novosti operations. Those who refused to cooperate with Soviet plans were the target of character assassination
in the media
and press
.
Bezmonov stated that he was also instructed not to waste time with idealistic Leftists, as these would become disillusioned, bitter, and adversarial when they realized the true nature of Soviet Communism. To his surprise, he discovered that many such were listed for execution once the Soviets achieved control. Instead, Bezmonov was encouraged to recruit such persons as were in large circulation, established conservative media, rich filmmakers, intellectuals in academic circles, and cynical, ego-centric people who lacked moral principles.
During that period, Bezmonov increasingly saw the Soviet system as insidious and ruthless, and began careful planning to defect.
attire, replete with a beard and wig, and joined a tour group; by this means, he escaped to Athens
, Greece
. After contacting the American embassy and undergoing extensive interviews with United States
intelligence, Bezmenov was granted asylum in Canada
.
In an interview with G. Edward Griffin he detailed how Soviet help for inciting anger and uprising in East Pakistan
(now Bangladesh
) was the final straw in his personal decision to defect to the West. In the interview Yuri details how Russian consulates in India were used to smuggle weapons and propaganda material to East Pakistan in a largely Soviet effort to break up the state of Pakistan
, then a staunch Western and US ally.
After studying political science
at the University of Toronto
for two years, Bezmenov was hired by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
in 1972, broadcasting to the Soviet Union as part of the CBC's International Service. In 1976, the KGB compelled his departure from that position, and Bezmenov began free-lance journalism. He later became a consultant for Almanac Panorama of the World Information Network.
, who at that time was a member of the John Birch Society
, an anti-communist group. In the interview, Bezmenov explained the methods used by the KGB to secretly subvert the democratic system of the United States.
Under the pen-name Tomas D. Schuman, Bezmenov authored the book Love Letter to America. The author's biography of the book states "Like a true-life Winston Smith, from George Orwell
's 1984
, Tomas Schuman worked for the communist equivalent of Orwell's Ministry of Truth—The Novosti Press Agency. Novosti, which means 'News' in Russian, exists to produce slanted and false stories to plant in the foreign media. The term for this K.G.B. effort is 'disinformation.' "
Tomas D. Schuman was associated with the World Information Network (WIN) of Westlake Village, California
.
In 1983, at a lecture in Los Angeles, Bezmenov expressed the opinion that he "wouldn't be surprised" if the Soviet Union had shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 in order to kill Larry McDonald
, a member of the United States House of Representatives
.
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...
informant from the Soviet Union
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....
who defected to Canada.
After being assigned to a station in India, Bezmenov eventually grew to love the people and culture of India, while, at the same time, he began to resent the KGB-sanctioned oppression of intellectuals who dissented from Moscow's policies. He decided to defect to the West. Bezmenov is best remembered for his pro-American, anti-communist lectures and books from the 1980s.
Early life
Bezmenov was born in 1939 in a suburb of MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to a high ranking Soviet Army officer. He was educated in an elite school inside the Soviet Union, and became an expert in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n culture and Indian languages.
At the age of 17, Bezmonov entered the Institute of Oriental Languages, a part of Moscow State University
Moscow State University
Lomonosov Moscow State University , previously known as Lomonosov University or MSU , is the largest university in Russia. Founded in 1755, it also claims to be one of the oldest university in Russia and to have the tallest educational building in the world. Its current rector is Viktor Sadovnichiy...
—which was under the direct control of the KGB and the Communist Central Committee
Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , abbreviated in Russian as ЦК, "Tse-ka", earlier was also called as the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party ...
. In addition to languages, Bezmonov studied history, literature, and music. During his second year, Bezmonov sought to look like a person from India; his teachers encouraged this because graduates of the school were employed as diplomats, foreign journalists, or spies.
As a Soviet student, he was also required to take compulsory military training in which he taught how to play "strategic war games" using the maps of foreign countries, as well as how to interrogate prisoners of war.
Soviet life
After graduating in 1963, Bezmonov spent two years in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
working as a translator and public relations officer with the Soviet economical aid group Soviet Refineries Constructions, which built refinery complexes.
In 1965, Bezmonov was recalled to Moscow, and began to work for Novosti as an apprentice for their classified department of "Political Publications" (GRPP). Soon he discovered that about three-quarters of Novosti's staffers were actually KGB officers, with the remainder being "co-optees", or KGB freelance writers and informers like himself. However, Bezmonov did no real freelance writing; rather, he edited and planted propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
materials in foreign media, and also accompanied delegations of Novosti's guests from foreign countries on tours of the Soviet Union, or to international conferences held in the Soviet Union.
After several months, Bezmonov was formally recruited by the KGB as an informer—an offer he stated one could not simply say "no" to—while still maintaining his position as a Novosti journalist. He then used his journalistic duties to help gather information and to spread disinformation
Disinformation
Disinformation is intentionally false or inaccurate information that is spread deliberately. For this reason, it is synonymous with and sometimes called black propaganda. It is an act of deception and false statements to convince someone of untruth...
to foreign countries for the purposes of Soviet propaganda and subversion.
Rapid promotion followed, and Bezmonov was once again assigned to Bila in 1969, this time as a Soviet press-officer and a public-relations agent for the KGB. He continued Novosti's propaganda effects in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, working out of the Soviet Embassy. Bezmonov was directed to slowly but surely establish the Soviet "sphere of influence
Sphere of influence
In the field of international relations, a sphere of influence is a spatial region or conceptual division over which a state or organization has significant cultural, economic, military or political influence....
" in India. In the same year, a secret directive of the Central Committee opened a new secret department in all embassies of the Soviet Union around the world, titled the "Research and Counter-Propaganda Group." Bezmonov became a deputy chief of that department, which gathered intelligence from sources like Indian informers and agents, regarding most every influential or politically significant citizen of India. Those who favored the Soviets' expansionist policy into India were promoted to higher positions of power, affluence, and prestige through various KGB/Novosti operations. Those who refused to cooperate with Soviet plans were the target of character assassination
Character assassination
Character assassination is an attempt to tarnish a person's reputation. It may involve exaggeration, misleading half-truths, or manipulation of facts to present an untrue picture of the targeted person...
in the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
and press
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
.
Bezmonov stated that he was also instructed not to waste time with idealistic Leftists, as these would become disillusioned, bitter, and adversarial when they realized the true nature of Soviet Communism. To his surprise, he discovered that many such were listed for execution once the Soviets achieved control. Instead, Bezmonov was encouraged to recruit such persons as were in large circulation, established conservative media, rich filmmakers, intellectuals in academic circles, and cynical, ego-centric people who lacked moral principles.
During that period, Bezmonov increasingly saw the Soviet system as insidious and ruthless, and began careful planning to defect.
Defection to the West
In February 1970, Bezmenov clothed himself in hippieHippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
attire, replete with a beard and wig, and joined a tour group; by this means, he escaped to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. After contacting the American embassy and undergoing extensive interviews with United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
intelligence, Bezmenov was granted asylum in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In an interview with G. Edward Griffin he detailed how Soviet help for inciting anger and uprising in East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
(now Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
) was the final straw in his personal decision to defect to the West. In the interview Yuri details how Russian consulates in India were used to smuggle weapons and propaganda material to East Pakistan in a largely Soviet effort to break up the state of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, then a staunch Western and US ally.
After studying political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
for two years, Bezmenov was hired by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
in 1972, broadcasting to the Soviet Union as part of the CBC's International Service. In 1976, the KGB compelled his departure from that position, and Bezmenov began free-lance journalism. He later became a consultant for Almanac Panorama of the World Information Network.
Pro-American lecturer, writer, advocate
In 1984, he gave an interview to G. Edward GriffinG. Edward Griffin
G. Edward Griffin is an American film producer, author, and political lecturer. He is perhaps best known as the author of The Creature from Jekyll Island , a critique of much modern economic theory and practice, specifically the Federal Reserve System.Starting as a child actor, he became a radio...
, who at that time was a member of the John Birch Society
John Birch Society
The John Birch Society is an American political advocacy group that supports anti-communism, limited government, a Constitutional Republic and personal freedom. It has been described as radical right-wing....
, an anti-communist group. In the interview, Bezmenov explained the methods used by the KGB to secretly subvert the democratic system of the United States.
Under the pen-name Tomas D. Schuman, Bezmenov authored the book Love Letter to America. The author's biography of the book states "Like a true-life Winston Smith, from George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
's 1984
Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
, Tomas Schuman worked for the communist equivalent of Orwell's Ministry of Truth—The Novosti Press Agency. Novosti, which means 'News' in Russian, exists to produce slanted and false stories to plant in the foreign media. The term for this K.G.B. effort is 'disinformation.' "
Tomas D. Schuman was associated with the World Information Network (WIN) of Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village, California
Westlake Village is a planned community that straddles the Los Angeles and Ventura county line. The eastern portion is the incorporated city Westlake Village, located on the western edge of Los Angeles County, California. The city, located in the region known as the Conejo Valley, encompasses half...
.
In 1983, at a lecture in Los Angeles, Bezmenov expressed the opinion that he "wouldn't be surprised" if the Soviet Union had shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 in order to kill Larry McDonald
Larry McDonald
Lawrence Patton McDonald, M.D. was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the seventh congressional district of Georgia as a Democrat...
, a member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.