The Archives

“They were familiar characters of cloak-and-dagger fiction: bull-necked men with heavy fists and ill-fitting suits. But the real-life spies of the KGB are a different breed—the best and brightest of Soviet society,” Newsweek wrote, describing their mission and methods. “The KGB’S greatest asset in America, of course, is the nation’s open society.” Spies remain key in the struggle between superpowers. Last month, the U.S. indicted 13 Chinese nationals for spying for Beijing, and in 2020 the FBI announced a 1300 percent surge in China-related economic espionage cases since 2010.

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