Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Intelligence

On several occasions, the KGB leadership grossly exaggerated the

threat of war. In 1960 KGB Chair Aleksandr Shelepininformed

Nikita Khrushchevthat the United States was planning to initiate

nuclear war in the near future. In 1983 the KGB leadership exagger-

ated the threat of an American nuclear strike in its reports to the po-

litical leadership. Their information of a surprise attack did not come

from either human or technical intelligence sources. Rather, it was

generated by intelligence officers who were responding to demands

from Moscow for proof that war was imminent. See also RYaN.

ARTUZOV [FRAUCHI], ARTUR KHRISTYANOVICH (1891–

1937).A child of Swiss immigrants, Artuzov joined the Chekain

January 1919 and rose quickly. He conducted the Trustoperation

that lured enemies of the state to return to the Soviet Union, where

they met jail and death. He served as deputy head of foreign intelli-

gence from 1927 to 1930 and as head of foreign intelligence from

1931 through 1934. He was then assigned to head military intelli-

gence (GRU). Artuzov played a major role in the deployment of ille-

galsin the 1930s and their recruitment of important sources in

England, France, Germany, and the United States. An experienced

intelligence officer, Artuzov was distrusted by Joseph Stalin. He was

arrested in May 1937 and tried and executed on 21 August 1937.

Posthumously rehabilitated in 1956, Artuzov is recognized as a hero

of the foreign intelligence service.

AUGUST PUTSCH OF 1991.Opponents of Communist PartyGen-

eral Secretary Mikhail Gorbachevbegan to plot against him in late

1990, believing that his reforms threatened the party and the Soviet

state. A coterie of conservative bureaucrats and senior police officials

sought to replace him quietly and quickly, the way that party conser-

vatives had replaced Nikita Khrushchevin 1964. They failed to con-

sider, however, that the tactics of 1964 could not work in 1991 after

six years of Gorbachev’s reforms had raised the political conscious-

ness of the Russian people.

KGBChair Vladimir Kryuchkovand his senior deputies played a

critical role in planning the putsch, as did MVDchief Boris Pugo. Gor-

bachev and his wife’s office and apartments were bugged; thousands of

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