SOVIET DEFECTOR LED KGB IN U.S.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000302330036-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 10, 2012
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: October 14, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000302330036-5
M'rlctE ~r-----~
oM P~ LL._
Soviet
defector
led KGB
in U.S.
By BiM Gertz
n~ w-rwarar~ rwa
Senior Soviet KGB defector
Vitaly Yltt'chenbo has been identi-
Pied as Moscow's top North
American spy operations expert,
according to the U.S. State Depart-
ment.
After weeks otofficW silencx, the
State Department saidthat Mr. Ylu'-
chenko haabeen in the United States
"for some time" after defecting is
Rome.
"Prior to his voluntary arrival is
the United States in August 1985, Mr.
Yurchenko xrved as deputy chief in
the North American Department of
the KGB's First Chief Directorate;'
the statement said. "The First Chief
Directorate handles KGB intelli-
gence operations worldwide:'
Mr. Yurchenko "had previously
asked that his presence here not be
publicized;' the statement said,
explaining why official comment
had been withheld prior to last week.
"Mr. Yitrchenko was specifically
responsible for KGB intelligence
operations in the United States and
Canada;' the statement said.
During what was described as
a"lengthy career" in the KGB, Mr.
Yurchenko held "various key posi-
tions" in the KGB, including the
most sensitive post of global coun-
terintelligence -directing all pen-
etrations of foreign governments
and policing the KGB and GRU, the
military spy service. He also ran
KGB operations out of the Soviet
embassy in Washington between
1975 and 1980, the State Department
said.
As deputy chief in the North
American department, Mr. Yur-
chenko would have directed several
categories of KGB operations in the
IrnirPd Orates and Canada.
WASHINGTON TI~4ES
14 October 1985
These activities, according to one
intelligence expert who declined to
be identified, would have included
political. military and technological
espionage, such as handling Ameri-
cansand foreign nationals spying for
Mosww; "active measures;' - var-
ious covert action and "disinfor-
mation" programs; and a network of
"illegal" agents operating indepen-
dently of Soviet and East bloc diplo-
matic representatives.
The statement rovided no da
for rc a 's duties Pn er ?
a ter ~~ 1980 '
But a is lieved_ to have direct
rPr~.- _-eri
after leav let em~
as tngton and rior to s romo-
ti too a or ericas`
dam, a post a ie dunti! Aunt.
1.
The State Department identified
Mr. Yurchenko's counterspy role as
"chief of Department 5 of Director-
ate K (worldwide counterintelli-
gence] of the First Chief
Directorate;' a position that would
have provided him with access to
some aspects of virtually every
operation of the KGB, GRU and East
bloc foreign intelligence services
throughout the world.
Soviet security services conduct
very active counterspy programs
that require officers to monitor. to
some degree, all Soviet and East bloc
agents and the information they pro-
vide to the KGB and GRU, the intel-
ligence expert said.
Intelli ence sources clox to Mr.
Yurc en 's-3esne~'ina sai~the
~o~'ficer s been vi ' S,
au on es wit a windfall of intelii.
aence data a ut KG$ Doers '~.+s
an o~erattonal methods ince
August. is a rie inQ by Justice
De eat and CIA officials man
ea at an un 'sc ose ovation in the
to Des an is expect co c^r~
tinue or severe ears these
so
So far M . v_
er two Americans -both former
-wc
Union after lea ' the a en .One
o t e ormer A o eratives,
w e owe e u o I
s ce a eats to at mon
in ew extco. a is etna aov t
r
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000302330036-5