Yuri Borysovych Shvets (Russian: Юрий Борисович Швец, Ukrainian: Юрій Борисович Швець, born 16 May 1953) is a former Soviet intelligence officer of Ukrainian origin. He was a Major in the KGB between 1980 and 1990. From April 1985 to 1987, he was a resident spy in Washington, D.C.[2] While there, he held a cover job as a correspondent for TASS, a Soviet state-owned news agency.[3]
Yuri Shvets | |
|---|---|
| Born | Yuri Borysovych Shvets 16 May 1953 |
| Citizenship | American |
| Alma mater | Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University Academy of Foreign Intelligence |
| Espionage activity | |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union |
| Agency | KGB |
| Service years | 1980–1990 |
| Rank | Major |
| Other work | His YouTube channel |
Biography
editShvets graduated in international law from the Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University (now the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia). He also graduated from the Academy of Foreign Intelligence,[4] where he purportedly studied alongside Vladimir Putin, a fact that is disputed.[5]
Career in the KGB
editIn his book, Shvets alleges he had recruited two key sources of political intelligence — "Socrates", a former aide to President Jimmy Carter with strong ties to Greece, and his wife "Sputnitsa" (Russian: Спутница, lit. 'companion'), a journalist working in Washington.[6] Some of these details were called into question.[6] Later, on "60 Minutes", Shvets had identified Socrates as John Helmer, an Australian-born journalist, who denied being Socrates.[6]
Victor Cherkashin, in his 2005 book Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer, disputed Shvets' account, saying that he took Shvet off the case of trying to recruit John Helmer early on because of complaints from informants and Helmer himself about Shvets' drunken, rude, and "out of control" behavior. Although attempts to recruit Helmer continued with another agent, they were soon called off because Helmer was deemed "not a good prospect for recruitment". Cherkashin further reports that the revelation in Shvets' book greatly upset Helmer, whom he later personally assured that he was never considered an agent or a target.[7]
The book goes on to say that Shvets had previously faced dismissal for his alcohol problems before he tried to recruit John Helmer. However, he was given another opportunity by Cherkashin, who became his handler. Shvets' subsequent alcohol-related incidents, both during his attempt to recruit Helmer and in a later incident, ultimately led Cherkashin to recommend that Shvets resign from the KGB, which he did shortly thereafter.[7]
Move to America
editAfter publishing a book describing his exploits and ultimate falling out with the KGB, Shvets was banned from foreign travel. In 1993, he moved permanently to the United States, where he later gained citizenship.[3]
Shvets was a key source for the book American Kompromat by Craig Unger.[3][8]
Involvement with Alexander Litvinenko
editIn 2006, Shvets emerged as a potentially key witness in the poisoning of ex-Federal Security Service officer Alexander Litvinenko. In an interview with the BBC, broadcast on 16 December 2006, Shvets said that he and Litvinenko had compiled a report investigating the activities of senior Kremlin officials on behalf of a British company looking to invest "dozens of millions of dollars" in a project in Russia. Shvets said the dossier about Sergei Ivanov was so incriminating, it was likely that Litvinenko was murdered because of it.[9] He said that Litvinenko had shown the dossier to another business associate, Andrei Lugovoi, who had worked for the FSB and had passed the dossier to his superiors in Moscow. Shvets was interviewed about it by Scotland Yard detectives investigating Litvinenko's murder.[10]
References
edit- ^ YouTube: Розмова за участю Юрія Швеця, Тараса Березовця і Пітера Залмаєва. 05.04.2022
- ^ "Book Discussion on Washington Station: My Life as a KGB Spy". C-SPAN. 14 April 1995. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ^ a b c Smith, David (29 January 2021). "'The perfect target': Russia cultivated Trump as asset for 40 years – ex-KGB spy". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ Dvali, Natalia (28 April 2015). "Сокурсник Путина, экс-разведчик КГБ: Вы серьезно думаете, что Путин, делающий подтяжку лица, развяжет ядерную войну? У него от страха ботокс потечет" [Putin's classmate, ex-KGB spy: Do you seriously think that Putin doing a facelift will unleash a nuclear war? He will have botox flow from fear]. Gordon (in Russian). Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ "Интервью сокурсника Путина украинскому изданию раскрыло неудобные факты из жизни главы Кремля" [An interview with Putin's classmate to a Ukrainian journal revealed uncomfortable facts from the life of the head of the Kremlin]. nv.ua (in Russian). 28 May 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ^ a b c Wick, Daniel L. (12 March 1995). "Another Ex-KGB Spy Spills the Beans / Yuri B. Shvets claims he recruited a former Carter adviser". SFGate. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ^ a b Cherkashin, Victor; Feifer, Gregory (2005). Spy handler: memoir of a KGB officer; the true story of the man who recruited Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames. New York: Basic Books (published 28 December 2004). ISBN 978-0-465-00968-8. OCLC 56085946. S2CID 109182104.
- ^ How to stop Russia from recruiting the next Trump, by Frank Figliuzzi, MSNBC
- ^ Юрий Швец: Путин отмывал деньги наркокартеля. Дело Литвиненко / Видео №5., Jun 16, 2021
- ^ "Litvinenko 'killed over dossier'". BBC News. 16 December 2006.