“The Cold War may be 'over' for the West. For the Soviets it has entered a new, active and promising phase.” – Anatoliy Golitsyn

The KGB is one of the most famous abbreviations of the 20th century, and it has become synonymous with the shadowy and often violent actions of the Soviet Union’s secret police and internal security agencies. In fact, it is often used to refer to the Soviet state security agencies throughout its history, from the inception of the inception of the Cheka (Extraordinary Commission) in 1917 to the official elimination of the KGB in 1992. Whether it’s associated with the Russian Civil War’s excesses, Stalin’s purges, and even Vladimir Putin, the KGB has long been viewed as the West’s biggest bogeyman during the second half of the 20th century.

Many people remain fascinated by stories about the Cold War, particularly the espionage that was covertly conducted across the globe by both sides. Indeed, from the beginning of the Cold War, there were hundreds if not thousands of spies positioned in each side’s governments. Some worked as double agents, while others worked to plant pivotal pieces of information or disinformation to persuade government officials within these warring countries.

Inevitably, some of the Cold War’s most shadowy actions involved trying to turn Soviet assets, whether for propaganda or intelligence purposes, but the Soviet system constantly had to worry about defections, as evidenced by the construction of the Berlin Wall in the early 1960s. That said, while the whistleblowers may be celebrated if they damage the public relations of an adversary, they can be controversial if they damage one’s own country, as evidenced by the polarizing reputations of individuals like Edward Snowden and Julian Assange.