The KGB Reality

I highly recommend that readers check out this memoir excerpt from David Satter, a correspondent for the FT in Russia from 1976 to 1982, posted on the Weekly Standard. Satter relates an amusing story of a bait-and-switch interview he conducted with Estonian “dissidents” – who later turned out to be KGB plants.

I turned to look at Tsalitis and Terleckas who were sitting in the back seat. “If I didn’t spend those two days with Udam and Ratas,” I said, “then who did I spend them with?” There was silence in the car. “Do you mean?” Antanas smiled. “They’re clever. You’ve got to hand them that.” “Yes,” I said, “but these were Estonians.” “The Estonian KGB,” Tsalitis said. “You mean the whole thing, the meetings, the arguments, the discussion of KGB tactics, the small army they had following me, all that was a performance?” “They are brilliant actors,” Antanas said. “But what was the point of it? Just to prevent me from meeting a group of Estonian dissidents?” “Not only that,” said Antanas. “The Soviet Union is a land of miracles, and from time to time the KGB likes to create reality.”

Complete article here.