The Penkovskiy Papers

by Oleg Penkovsky

Colonel Oleg Penkovskiy, Russian was hero, senior officer in Soviet military intelligence, graduate of the Soviet staff college and the missile academy, rocked the Soviet regime to its foundations by the effect of his voluntary spying for the West. Singlehandedly he sabotaged Khrushchev's threatened Berlin show-down in 1961 and his information lay behind President Kennedy's successful defeat of the Soviet Cuban messile threat in October, 1962. Experts assess Penkovskiy's achievenment as the greatest intelligence coup of modern times.

Genres: Russia, History, Nonfiction, Espionage

411 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Oleg Vladimirovich Penkovsky (Russian: Оле́г Влади́мирович Пенько́вский), codenamed "Hero" (by the CIA) and "Yoga" (by MI6) was a Soviet military intelligence (GRU) colonel during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Penkovsky informed the United States and the United Kingdom about Soviet military secrets, including the appearance and footprint of Soviet intermediate-range ballistic missile installations and the weakness of the Soviet intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program. This information was decisive in allowing the US to recognize that the Soviets were placing missiles in Cuba before most of them were operational. It also gave US President John F. Kennedy, during the Cuban Missile Crisis that followed, valuable information about Soviet weakness that allowed him to face down Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and resolve the crisis without a nuclear war.

Penkovsky was the highest-ranking Soviet official to provide intelligence for the West up until that time, and is one of several individuals credited with altering the course of the Cold War. He was arrested by the Soviets in October 1962, and tried and executed the following year.

Reviews

[Mary]

Oleg Penkovsky was a well-respected colonel in the Soviet GRU in the late 50s and early 60s. His cover had him leading a state scientific group which gave him access to Westerners and travel abroad. He ostensibly experienced a crisis as he realized the USSR and communism were terrible for him and his fellow Russians. He volunteered to spy for the US and UK leading to them to better understand Russian military capabilities and Khrushchev’s reckless personality. This information helped JFK understand the Cuban Missile Crisis and potentially avoid a military conflict. Penkovsky was arrested 6 days before Khrushchev relented on the Cuban missiles and eventually was tried , convicted and executed.

The Penkovskiy Papers are his musings on what made him tick and purloined intelligence. The entries are preceded by editorial context provided by a knowledgeable American journalist. Penkovsky comes across as informed, righteous and angry. He really did not care for Khrushchev! Somehow the papers got to the West and were published as the author had wished. Penkovsky wanted to warn the West to stay vigilant with the Soviets and push back hard against their war machine. We should be doing this today in support of the Ukrainian bulwark. Letting Berlin be closed off was an invitation to the Soviets to test the West further. He also points out that by inviting the Soviet leadership to international summits unwisely boosts their prestige. Adding Russia to the G7 in the 90s was a mistake rectified after the Russian invasion of Crimea. Penkovsky describes how behind the Soviet façade of calling for peace and disarmament, they were all along building theirs, stealing technology and trying to catch up. They were also sabotaging even their allies and recruiting spies. The breakup of NATO has been a Soviet and Russian goal since its creation. If Trump were to miraculously become president again, our membership to NATO would be jeopardized at best. Penkovsky also warns the West not to project. The Soviet, and now Russian, mindset is not like ours.

[Ulas Ergin]

Although the book title implies memories of a Soviet Spy in Turkey, this is not the case, I guess the title is chosen for marketing reasons.The book is on a KGB agent who was unhappy with the soviet system so voluntarily gave USSR secrets to 'western world'. During his KGB days his way also crossed with Ankara- capital of Turkey, that's all.Anyway, I briefly outlined he subject of the book,it is a real life spy story after all, so good to read.

[Vanessa Dargain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good flashback to the political prime time issues of the cold war era . His names and info are dated but the managerial objectives are crystal clear .