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State Secrets: An Insider's Chronicle of the Russian Chemical Weapons Program
“The persecution of Dr. Mirzayanov stands in direct contradiction of the Clinton Administration’s commitment to strengthen democratization efforts in the former Soviet Union, and halt the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. I am confident that you share my deep concern over the treatment of this courageous scientist, and I call on you to personally appeal for his release.”
- From the Letter of John Conyers, Jr., Chairman of the Congressional Legislation and National Security Subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, to Warren Christopher, the U.S. Secretary of State, October 19, 1993.
“I personally feel a strong common bond with this courageous man, recognizing that his motives are the same as those that led me to release the Pentagon Papers.
The Mirzayanov case is an immediate legal litmus test of emerging Russian democracy. He is an individual in the true tradition of Andrei Sakharov, a man persecuted under the former regime for telling the truth, but now, rightfully, universally honored.”
- By Dan Ellsberg, author of “Secrets – A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers”
“I was proud to add my voice to that of the many scientific and human rights organizations that have worked to free Dr. Mirzayanov.
- Senator Patrick Moynihan, U.S. Senate (Congressional Record. Proceedings and Debates of the 103d Congress, First Session. Vol.140, No. 28. Washington, Tuesday, March 15, 1994.)
“…in recognition of his courage and his singular demonstration of the moral responsibility of individual scientists in uphold the integrity of scientific knowledge in an emerging democratic society”. The 1994 Heinz R. Pagels Human Rights of Scientific Award of The New York Academy of Sciences.
- Signed by Chairman Cyril M. Harris and President Joshua Lederberg.
“Cavallo Foundation Inc. takes great pleasure in presenting a Certificate of Special Recognition for Moral Courage in Business and Government to Vil Mirzayanov”
- From the Text of the Award in June 1993.
“For his integrity as a scientist, strength of character, and exceptional personal courage that served to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the Russian people and of all humankind”
- From the Text of the 1995 AAAS Freedom and Responsibility Award.
- From the Letter of John Conyers, Jr., Chairman of the Congressional Legislation and National Security Subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, to Warren Christopher, the U.S. Secretary of State, October 19, 1993.
“I personally feel a strong common bond with this courageous man, recognizing that his motives are the same as those that led me to release the Pentagon Papers.
The Mirzayanov case is an immediate legal litmus test of emerging Russian democracy. He is an individual in the true tradition of Andrei Sakharov, a man persecuted under the former regime for telling the truth, but now, rightfully, universally honored.”
- By Dan Ellsberg, author of “Secrets – A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers”
“I was proud to add my voice to that of the many scientific and human rights organizations that have worked to free Dr. Mirzayanov.
- Senator Patrick Moynihan, U.S. Senate (Congressional Record. Proceedings and Debates of the 103d Congress, First Session. Vol.140, No. 28. Washington, Tuesday, March 15, 1994.)
“…in recognition of his courage and his singular demonstration of the moral responsibility of individual scientists in uphold the integrity of scientific knowledge in an emerging democratic society”. The 1994 Heinz R. Pagels Human Rights of Scientific Award of The New York Academy of Sciences.
- Signed by Chairman Cyril M. Harris and President Joshua Lederberg.
“Cavallo Foundation Inc. takes great pleasure in presenting a Certificate of Special Recognition for Moral Courage in Business and Government to Vil Mirzayanov”
- From the Text of the Award in June 1993.
“For his integrity as a scientist, strength of character, and exceptional personal courage that served to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the Russian people and of all humankind”
- From the Text of the 1995 AAAS Freedom and Responsibility Award.
- GenresHistory
622 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2008
29 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 19, 2009
The author Vil Mirzayanov worked for 26 years in Russia's main chemical weapons development institute. Russia was making binary chemical weapons, which could be disguised as agricultural chemicals, such as pesticides, which were 8-10 times more deadly than VX nerve gas. At some point in the late 1980s he came to the realization that chemical weapons were not necessary for the defense of his country, and he decided to do something about it. Mirzayanov paid a huge price for his courage, sacrificing his scientific career, and was sent to prison twice in Russia. Eventually, he was forced to change his life completely. This autobiography will appeal to people who are interested in scientific freedom and responsibility issues and those who are intrigued by Russian history.
There are a lot of wonderful stories in this book about growing up in extremely rural Russia and about the people who worked in the regime of secrecy. There is a richly detailed account of Mirzayanov's secret show trial, the time spent in prison and his journey through Russia's wild legal system. Mirzayanov was the first person to sue the KGB, his institute and the Procurator General in the new Russia
State Secrets: An Insider’s Chronicle of the Russian Chemical Weapons Program is absolutely brimming full of new details about the Novichok program up until 1992.
This book is all about history, the author's long battle with his conscience and his efforts to redeem himself. There was a long battle to get this book published in English, and the author felt compelled to list Novichok formulas in order to push the countries of the world to acknowledge and correct the serious flaws in the Chemical Weapons Convention. Fourteen years have passed since Mirzayanov immigrated to the United States, but not one of the binary weapons or their precursors are listed on the schedule of substances controlled by the CWC.
There are a lot of wonderful stories in this book about growing up in extremely rural Russia and about the people who worked in the regime of secrecy. There is a richly detailed account of Mirzayanov's secret show trial, the time spent in prison and his journey through Russia's wild legal system. Mirzayanov was the first person to sue the KGB, his institute and the Procurator General in the new Russia
State Secrets: An Insider’s Chronicle of the Russian Chemical Weapons Program is absolutely brimming full of new details about the Novichok program up until 1992.
This book is all about history, the author's long battle with his conscience and his efforts to redeem himself. There was a long battle to get this book published in English, and the author felt compelled to list Novichok formulas in order to push the countries of the world to acknowledge and correct the serious flaws in the Chemical Weapons Convention. Fourteen years have passed since Mirzayanov immigrated to the United States, but not one of the binary weapons or their precursors are listed on the schedule of substances controlled by the CWC.
March 14, 2018
Actually I read it's russian language version. It is surprisingly well written and resembles other soviet technical scientists memoirs - more on local administration and career than on science itself. However it made me believe that Novichok is something that was actually produced, it doesn't look like a made up story.
January 23, 2022
Interesting subject, but desperately needed a good editor. This book could have been a lot shorter without diluting its effectiveness.
The author served as a Ph.D chemist in the former USSR. He was involved with the creation and testing of chemical weapons.
Shortly after Russia signed the Chemical Weapons Convention, stating it wouldn’t continue to develop and stockpile chemical weapons, it successfully created more toxic, undetectable chemical weapons in contravention of the agreement.
The author blew the whistle, but didn’t break the law by divulging state secrets. The newly created Russian Federation established laws after the fact making his discussion of chemical weapons illegal.
However, prosecuting people for past actions that weren’t illegal at the time is contrary to Russian & international law. In the end, Mirzayanov’s charges were dismissed.
He eventually moved to the US and continued to discuss Russia’s chemical weapons, which Russia still illegally retains and uses (for instance, in the Sergei and Yulia Skripal poisoning).
The author served as a Ph.D chemist in the former USSR. He was involved with the creation and testing of chemical weapons.
Shortly after Russia signed the Chemical Weapons Convention, stating it wouldn’t continue to develop and stockpile chemical weapons, it successfully created more toxic, undetectable chemical weapons in contravention of the agreement.
The author blew the whistle, but didn’t break the law by divulging state secrets. The newly created Russian Federation established laws after the fact making his discussion of chemical weapons illegal.
However, prosecuting people for past actions that weren’t illegal at the time is contrary to Russian & international law. In the end, Mirzayanov’s charges were dismissed.
He eventually moved to the US and continued to discuss Russia’s chemical weapons, which Russia still illegally retains and uses (for instance, in the Sergei and Yulia Skripal poisoning).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews