I've been reading a delightful little book
It's a sort of embellished memoir by a former KGB officer entitled Spy Handler. It's been highly amusing for reasons unrelated to Eroica, but I came across this tidbit and had to giggle.
"Counteracting the CIA wasn't a high priority in most European reszdenturas; some KGB stations didn't have a single agent with access to information on American intelligence. Rezidenturas instead focused their efforts on penetrating their host countries. The exceptions were in Bonn and Karlshorst, outside Berlin, which did exceptional work, thanks partly to their large size and top-level cooperation with the East German secret service, the Stasi."
Now here's the other fun part: in probably 95% of the cases cited, greed was the motivating factor to turn to espionage. Ideology rarely factored into the equation; there were about two cases where the recruited agents refused payment for their work. The KGB (and other services) sought individuals with access to classified information then did a little digging in their history, hoping to turn up debts, expensive tastes, or just plain blackmail material. Often individuals seeking financial gain -- this sounding like a grubby little accountant to anyone? -- would approach the KGB, offering to exchange secrets for large sums of money. Such relationships could last for decades.
With the KGB operating full-tilt in Klaus' back yard, and with such a large staff working under him, it would also be likely that at least one of the Alphabet was selling secrets or working as a double agent. It was also possible for high-level intelligence officers to act as double agents and go undetected for years, usually until a double agent from the other side fingered them.
"Counteracting the CIA wasn't a high priority in most European reszdenturas; some KGB stations didn't have a single agent with access to information on American intelligence. Rezidenturas instead focused their efforts on penetrating their host countries. The exceptions were in Bonn and Karlshorst, outside Berlin, which did exceptional work, thanks partly to their large size and top-level cooperation with the East German secret service, the Stasi."
Now here's the other fun part: in probably 95% of the cases cited, greed was the motivating factor to turn to espionage. Ideology rarely factored into the equation; there were about two cases where the recruited agents refused payment for their work. The KGB (and other services) sought individuals with access to classified information then did a little digging in their history, hoping to turn up debts, expensive tastes, or just plain blackmail material. Often individuals seeking financial gain -- this sounding like a grubby little accountant to anyone? -- would approach the KGB, offering to exchange secrets for large sums of money. Such relationships could last for decades.
With the KGB operating full-tilt in Klaus' back yard, and with such a large staff working under him, it would also be likely that at least one of the Alphabet was selling secrets or working as a double agent. It was also possible for high-level intelligence officers to act as double agents and go undetected for years, usually until a double agent from the other side fingered them.