About ex-KBG general Oleg Kalugin, and not only

A week ago, the name of ex-KGB general Oleg Kalugin appeared in the press. The person is not very pleasant, both politically and physically. Information agencies reported that in Russia an action was brought against him, accusing him of high treason. Kalugin received a subpoena demanding from him to return to Moscow and to come to Investigation Department of the Federal Security Service. I can imagine, what a fun that was for this man, who sold his motherland long ago and left it for America, almost with honour. And now – the subpoena. He would spit on all these subpoenas. And it is bitter now to hear that the subpoena was handed over to him in a “neutral territory” he himself had chosen, in State Maryland, where he has been happily living for already 7 years. Of course, Kalugin is afraid of nothing, being protected by “friendly bayonets,” so next day he declared he was not intending to go to Moscow. It is clear, that this farce was first of all necessary for himself to become a US citizen as a person prosecuting in Russia from political reasons. However, US citizenship has been already deserved by him thanks to his unselfish devotion to CIA. To be honest, I though he had been become US citizen long ago: at least he has been serving to CIA for about 50 years, according to some Kalugin’s colleagues. According to KGB veterans, Kalugin managed to enlist for CIA already in 1958, just when he started to work for KGB. Being watched over by then-KGB chairman Yury Andropov, Kalugin obtained quick promotion, so in 1970th , he became the chief of KGB External Counter-Intelligence Office. Though in 1980, suspicious information about him appeared, probably obtained by some devoted KGB workers. The general had troubles, after Andropov’s death, an action was brought against him. Though all this efforts only created Kalugin’s image of martyr and “democrat.” All the more that in 1991, according to Gorbachev’s order, he was fully rehabilitated. As for Gorbachev himself, we know enough about his anti-Soviet activity. Though, there is one more powerful “guardian angel” who also did much to “restore the good name” in the second stage of the double agent’s career. This person acted openly, because he was reputed “father of glasnost.” That was the Political Bureau member, Alexandr Yakovlev, who leads now Commission on Rehabilitation of Political Repression’s Victims by the Russian President. As the chief of the commission he is even received by President Putin. In his time, ex-Andropov aid Vladimir Kryuchkov (who became KGB’s chief after his death) reported to Gorbachev that Alexandr Yakovlev was agent of influence and that he was directly connected with CIA. Not long ago, Kryuchkov openly said this in TV. At that time, Gorbachev advised Kryuchkov to tell about Yakovlev’s connection with the West – to Yakovlev himself. And added: “And probably, I tell this to Yakovlev?” Though, Kryuchkov seemed not to be satisfied with such overturn. So, he decided to act independently. Did he know about Gorbachev’s anti-Soviet activity? Yes, he did. Though he preferred to keep silence. While considering biographies of great anti-Communists from party bosses, one could see how deeply they are connected with Andropov. Yury Andropov is a very mysterious person, even a dark one. No one of his official biographies contains his true name. There are some unusual, sudden leaps in his career, all the more taking into account what time that was. Friendship between Andropov and Kryuchkov started when they both worked for International Office of the Communist Party’ Central Committee. Kryuchkov met with Andropov in 1956, during the Hungarian revolt, when Andropov was USSR ambassador to Budapest, while the young Kryuchkov his adviser. Since that time, they were together. Andropov’s participation in “upbringing” of Mikhail Gorbachev is well known. That was Andropov who proposed Gorbachev as secretary of the Communist Party’s Central Committee. While Kalugin’s relations with Yakovlev is even more curious. They started in 1950, when they both worked on probation in Colombia University, in New York. In 1991, Alexandr Yakovlev one more time visited this university. He gave a report to students and professors of the university and thanked his former “teachers” for they had shown him what it is communism. As if he even had promised to himself to “ruin communism from the top and on the inside. Now, the promise was realized. According to Russian philosopher Vladimir Maximov, “We aimed at Bolshevism, though hit Russia!” Mistakes are permissible for philosophers, but not for rulers or chiefs of special services. Now, we can for sure state, that economical hole we get the last days of perestroika was carefully planned and organized by these same people – Gorbachev, Yakovlev etc. Grocery stores were empty, while economy worked “with overfulfilment.” Already at that time, TV industriously showed us “bad results” of Soviet planned economy. So, it is not strange that many of us applauded to the USSR collapse. Discernment came later. And now this farce with accusing Kaluging of high treason. While generals and colonels, ministers and functionaries who sold their motherland and who are now citizens of the world still sit in offices. And of the whole number of these traitors, double agent Kalugin was chosen as scapegoat, probably because he is unattainable, as well as oligarchs Gusinsky and Berezovsky are unattainable for Russian Public Prosecutor General’s Office. Who knows, probably if they are caught, they will testify against powers that be? This is why, the power says seriously and at the top of its voice only about succession of power, however before the election, it said about annihilation of oligarchs’ class. I wonder, what does Roman Abramovich, governor of The Chukotka Autonomous Region, think about it, who managed to become second billionaire of Russia, while being close “the family”? This is why, they are punished for steeling two bags of diamonds as if for steeling two bags of potatoes.

Andrei Cherkasov PRAVDA.Ru Volgograd

Translated by Ver Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/04/02/39118.html