History Extra podcast The librarian who stole KGB secrets
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Nov 12, 2025 Gordon Corera, a journalist and author specializing in intelligence, shares the intriguing tale of Vasili Mitrokhin, a Soviet archivist who covertly copied thousands of KGB documents over 12 years. He discusses Mitrokhin's remarkable journey from a KGB insider to a whistleblower, revealing the moral struggles he faced. Corera highlights the significance of Mitrokhin's archive for understanding modern Russian intelligence and its impact on global security. The conversation also delves into the challenges governments faced when dealing with this treasure trove of secrets.
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Embassy Dropoff In Vilnius
- In March 1992 Vasily Mitrokhin, an old man with a battered suitcase, walked into the British Embassy in Vilnius and asked to see a "special services" officer.
- A young diplomat who spoke Russian examined his files and realised he carried genuine, remarkable KGB secrets.
Archivist's Access Beat Field Work
- Mitrokhin's career from 1922 tracked the Soviet intelligence service's evolution and internal crimes.
- Banishing him to the archives gave him extraordinary access to the KGB's deepest secrets.
Twelve Years Of Secret Transcription
- From 1972 Mitrokhin copied files by writing tiny coded notes and reconstructing documents at home and at his dacha.
- He hid voluminous transcripts under floorboards and in milk churns, working surreptitiously for 12 years.
