Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Intelligence

Joseph Stalinera, often surpassing that of ambassadors. After 1953

there was a gradual change, and “straight” diplomats—as opposed to

intelligence officers—gained more authority. The Soviet services of-

ten appointed the senior illegalin a country as “illegal rezident,” with

the authority to take over existing intelligence networks in case of

war or a breakdown of diplomatic relations. William Fisher, for ex-

ample, was the illegal rezidentin New York City from 1949 to 1957.

GRU and NKVD networks in occupied Europe were managed by il-

legal rezidents, many of whom were not commissioned officers in the

Soviet services.

REZIDENTURA.The Russian word for intelligence station is reziden-

tura(residency). Both the KGBand the GRUused the term. KGB

rezidenturaswere compartmentalized into “lines.” Line PR (Political

Intelligence) was responsible for the collection of political and eco-

nomic intelligence and active measures. Line KR (Counterintelli-

gence) was responsible for the protection of the Russian diplomatic

colony and for penetration of hostile intelligence and security ser-

vices. Many Line KR officers began their career in the domestic

counterintelligence components of the KGB. Line X (Scientific and

Technical Intelligence) recruited and ran agents with access to scien-

tific and commercial information.

Line N (IllegalSupport) supported the operation of illegals. It re-

cruited agents with access to official documents and archives neces-

sary for the identity of illegals. Line N officers also maintained con-

tact with illegals through indirect means of communication such as

dead drops.

KGB and GRU rezidenturas had large support staffs, including

dedicated code clerks. Rezidenturasalso conducted signal intelli-

genceoperations from embassies, consulates, and the personal resi-

dences of diplomats.

REZUN, VLADIMIR BOGDANOVICH (1948– ). AGRUofficer

serving in Geneva, Rezun defectedto the West in 1978. He has since

written a number of accounts of his life in the Red Army and the

GRU under the nom de plume “Viktor Suvorov”; the name was taken

from one of the greatest tsarist marshals. The books have been pub-

lished in a number of languages; his account of life in the military in-

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