The Illegals
Russia's Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission to Infiltrate the West
The definitive history of Russia’s most secret spy program, from the earliest days of the Soviet Union to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and a revelatory examination of how that hidden history shaped both Russia and the West.
More than a century ago, the new Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad as deep-cover spies, training them to pose as foreign aristocrats, merchants, and students. Over time, this grew into the most ambitious espionage program in history. Many intelligence agencies use undercover operatives, but the KGB was the only one to go to such lengths, spending years training its spies in language and etiquette, and sending them abroad on missions that could last for decades. These spies were known as “illegals.” During…
$42.00
April 15, 2025
SHAUN WALKER is an international correspondent for The Guardian. He reported from Moscow for more than a decade and is the author of The Long Hangover: Putin’s New Russia and the Ghosts of the Past. His coverage of Russia’s war in Ukraine was shortlisted for the Foreign Reporter of the Year category at the British 2023 Press Awards. He has appeared as a commentator on Russia and Ukraine for various television and radio programs, including NPR’s Fresh Air. He currently divides his time between Warsaw, Kyiv, and London.
