Vitaly Yurchenko
Encyclopedia
Vitaly Yurchenko (born May 2, 1936) is a former high-ranking KGB
officer in the Soviet Union
. In 1985, after 25 years of service in the KGB, he made a fake defection to the United States
during an assignment in Rome
. After providing the names of two U.S. intelligence officer
s who were KGB agents
, Yurchenko slipped from the Americans and returned to the Soviets. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star
.
and Edward Lee Howard
. Pelton was later convicted
, Howard fled the United States before he could be questioned.
In November 1985, before eating a meal at Au Pied de Cochon, a restaurant in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
, Yurchenko told his CIA guard, "I'm going for a walk. If I don't come back, it's not your fault." Yurchenko did not return.
Several days later, the Soviet Embassy called a press conference, at which Yurchenko announced he had been kidnapped and drugged by the Americans. It is possible that his defection was staged to fool the CIA with wrong leads, to protect Aldrich Ames
, an American who worked for the CIA and was then one of the USSR's most important double agents. The KGB was reported to have secretly interrogated Yurchenko after his return, under the influence of a truth drug
, to ensure he had not been recruited by the CIA as a double agent
.
Redefector or plant?
At a 1999 Texas A&M conference attended by several CIA intelligence professionals, as well KGB General Oleg Danelovich Kalugin, the question of Yurchenko's defection came up. Kalugin stated that Yurchenko started out as a real defector, then changed his mind and redefected. Kalugin gave several points:
Another panelist also believed he was a legitimate defector. James Olson of the George Bush School said "I think he was a very disturbed individual and he redefected out of psychological problems that he had." Paul Redmond said that Sandy Grimes and Jeanne Vertefeuille (of the Aldrich Ames
case) also believed Yurchenko was genuine. Redmond on the other hand thought it possible that Yurchenko might have been sent by the KGB as a "starburst".
from the Soviet government for the successful "infiltration operation".
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...
officer in 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....
. In 1985, after 25 years of service in the KGB, he made a fake defection to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during an assignment in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. After providing the names of two U.S. intelligence officer
Intelligence officer
An intelligence officer is a person employed by an organization to collect, compile and/or analyze information which is of use to that organization...
s who were KGB agents
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
, Yurchenko slipped from the Americans and returned to the Soviets. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star
Order of the Red Star
Established on 6 April 1930, the Order of the Red Star was an order of the Soviet Union, given to Red Army and Soviet Navy personnel for "exceptional service in the cause of the defense of the Soviet Union in both war and peace". It was established by Resolution of the Presidium of the CEC of the...
.
Background
After his defection to the United States, Yurchenko identified two American intelligence officers as KGB agents: Ronald PeltonRonald Pelton
Ronald William Pelton was an National Security Agency intelligence analyst who was convicted in 1986 of spying for and selling secrets to the Soviet Union. He reportedly has a photographic memory as he passed no documents to the Soviets...
and Edward Lee Howard
Edward Lee Howard
Edward Lee Victor Howard was a CIA case officer who defected to the Soviet Union....
. Pelton was later convicted
Conviction
In law, a conviction is the verdict that results when a court of law finds a defendant guilty of a crime.The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal . In Scotland and in the Netherlands, there can also be a verdict of "not proven", which counts as an acquittal...
, Howard fled the United States before he could be questioned.
In November 1985, before eating a meal at Au Pied de Cochon, a restaurant in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Yurchenko told his CIA guard, "I'm going for a walk. If I don't come back, it's not your fault." Yurchenko did not return.
Several days later, the Soviet Embassy called a press conference, at which Yurchenko announced he had been kidnapped and drugged by the Americans. It is possible that his defection was staged to fool the CIA with wrong leads, to protect Aldrich Ames
Aldrich Ames
Aldrich Hazen Ames is a former Central Intelligence Agency counter-intelligence officer and analyst, who, in 1994, was convicted of spying for the Soviet Union and Russia...
, an American who worked for the CIA and was then one of the USSR's most important double agents. The KGB was reported to have secretly interrogated Yurchenko after his return, under the influence of a truth drug
Truth drug
A truth drug or truth serum is a psychoactive medication used to obtain information from subjects who are unable or unwilling to provide it otherwise. The unethical use of truth drugs is classified as a form of torture according to international law. However, they are properly and productively...
, to ensure he had not been recruited by the CIA as a double agent
Double agent
A double agent, commonly abbreviated referral of double secret agent, is a counterintelligence term used to designate an employee of a secret service or organization, whose primary aim is to spy on the target organization, but who in fact is a member of that same target organization oneself. They...
.
Redefector or plant?
At a 1999 Texas A&M conference attended by several CIA intelligence professionals, as well KGB General Oleg Danelovich Kalugin, the question of Yurchenko's defection came up. Kalugin stated that Yurchenko started out as a real defector, then changed his mind and redefected. Kalugin gave several points:
- The KGB typically didn't use 'fake defectors' because the defection would be a propaganda problem for the Soviet government. ("People were not supposed to run from the paradise")
- Yurchenko was in love with a woman married to a Russian official, and thought that in the US they could be together. This did not work out as planned.
- Yurchenko had a stomach ulcer that worried him greatly, and thought it could be cured in the US. It wasn't.
- Yurchenko's defection was leaked to the media, after he'd been promised it wouldn't.
- Yurchenko "felt his freedom to move around was sort of limited by the CIA".
- Yurchenko apparently thought the KGB might treat him well because of the cases of recent redefectors like Betov and Chebatriov.
Another panelist also believed he was a legitimate defector. James Olson of the George Bush School said "I think he was a very disturbed individual and he redefected out of psychological problems that he had." Paul Redmond said that Sandy Grimes and Jeanne Vertefeuille (of the Aldrich Ames
Aldrich Ames
Aldrich Hazen Ames is a former Central Intelligence Agency counter-intelligence officer and analyst, who, in 1994, was convicted of spying for the Soviet Union and Russia...
case) also believed Yurchenko was genuine. Redmond on the other hand thought it possible that Yurchenko might have been sent by the KGB as a "starburst".
Aftermath
Yurchenko received the Order of the Red StarOrder of the Red Star
Established on 6 April 1930, the Order of the Red Star was an order of the Soviet Union, given to Red Army and Soviet Navy personnel for "exceptional service in the cause of the defense of the Soviet Union in both war and peace". It was established by Resolution of the Presidium of the CEC of the...
from the Soviet government for the successful "infiltration operation".