SpyTalk
The Forever Spies
Jun 2, 2023
Jeff talks with Calder Walton, author of 'Spies: The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West'. They discuss the possibility of a Russian spy whale, the evolution of espionage and the threat of Putin's Russia, the unpreparedness of intelligence services at the start of WWII, the game-changing role of code-breaking, the intelligence wars and the Cold War, and Chinese espionage and technological advances.
44:15
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Quick takeaways
- The controversy surrounding a beluga whale as a potential Russian spy highlights the use of animals for espionage throughout history.
- The success of Soviet intelligence in recruiting high-level agents in the West was often driven by ideological beliefs.
Deep dives
Beluga whale spy controversy
The podcast discusses the controversy surrounding a beluga whale that was found with a GoPro camera, suspected to be a Russian spy. The guest suggests that it may be a Russian disinformation plot or a simple case of unsophisticated tradecraft. The discussion also highlights historical instances of using animals for espionage.
