History 09/03/20 Operation “Tarantella”: the main success of Soviet spies
“Tarantella” is one of the largest and most successful operations of the Soviet intelligence. For a long time the information was top secret. Ajar veil of secrecy was only in 2008 when a foreign intelligence Service of Russia published a number of interesting documents of the early 1930-ies.
Former Denikin
One of the main figures of the operation was a former Denikin officer Viktor Bogomolets. In 1921, after emigrating from Russia, he was recruited by the captain of the Secret intelligence service (SIS) of the United Kingdom Harold Gibson. The main task of the worshiper was espionage against the Soviet Union.
the Second key figure in this story – Boris Lago. As petitioner, he at one time served under Denikin. After emigrating, he lived in Istanbul, then moved to Prague. There he was recruited by Soviet intelligence.
But at first his tasks in the newly-minted spy coped poorly. It pursues a series of setbacks, which resulted in the arrest in Romania and serving four-year prison term. In Romania, at Lago stumbled petitioner and offered to cooperate with British intelligence agencies.
Given their difficult financial situation, Lago agreed, but at the same time, reiterated the cooperation of the Soviet intelligence. According to one version, he hoped to return to Russia. Knowing that Lago has access to the British, the Soviet secret service decided to give him a second chance.
the Beginning of “Tarantula”
the Plan of operation was developed by one of the founders of the Soviet secret police – Artur Artuzov, head of the Foreign Department of the OGPU. It was his idea to use Lago for large-scale disinformation the UK. Former Denikin were provided “secret” information he then shared with London in Bogomolets. The British thought that these data were obtained by agents of Lago in the Soviet Union.
to buildü “spy network”, London sends Lago in 1931 on a false passport in the USSR. There he is using the GPU “borrows” a number of senior party functionaries.
From the Soviet Union “double spy” is back with a solid array of information about the situation in the national economy of the USSR, the army and the party and the government. In addition, the OGPU gave Lago a copy of the original report of the Commissar for military Affairs Kliment Voroshilov on the status of the armed forces.
This information finally got to Gibson’s, which from that moment fully believed Lago. The British thought that they have a reliable network of agents in the country of the Soviets. The information provided by the former denikine, always was of paramount importance.
what was the USSR?
the Soviets tried in the early 30’s to break through the foreign policy and economic blockade. The warming of relations with Britain, which remained a major force in Europe, could provide the Soviet Union entering the global political arena, loans and the supply of modern industrial production.
While London recognized the Soviet Union in 1924, to cooperate with Moscow, he did not seek. The USSR was calculated using the “secret” information from Lago to mislead Britain, to create in the political circles of the United Kingdom the idea of the Soviet Union as a powerful state, which is advantageous to be friends.
secret public relations campaign
In most cases coming from the Lago to the British information was embellished. The reports said the significant success of the Soviet Union in industry, agriculture and other sectors of the economy, new samples of military equipment. Failures as a rule, was ignored.
One of the most efficient operations in the framework of the “Tarantula” has been associated with the Far East. In 1933, the British received information that the US is waging with the Soviet Union negotiations on expanded military cooperation in the region.
In reality they were but to no avail. Lago also embellished information as if the agreement was almost achieved. In London became concerned: the strengthening of Soviet-American relations could threaten the position of Britain in the far East. After that, the British pacified pride and went to negotiate with the Soviet Union.
the End
Gradually, the goal of “Tarantula” was achieved and the Soviet Union came out of international isolation. An indirect result of the operation was the creation of the anti-Hitler coalition.
But the fate of many members of the “Tarantula” was tragic. Artuzov and Lago he was shot during the “great terror”. And pilgrim after the war he was recruited by Soviet intelligence under the name “Britt” worked to death in France.
Ivan Proshkin
Source:
© Russian Seven
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