Pyotr Semyonovich Popov

Who was Pyotr Semyonovich Popov?

Pyotr Semyonovich Popov was a major in the Soviet military intelligence apparatus. He was the first GRU officer successfully recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency. Between 1952 and 1958, he provided the United States government with large amounts of information concerning military capabilities and espionage operations.

Popov first made contact by slipping a letter into the parked car of a United States intelligence officer in Vienna. He seemed to be motivated by a deep anger at what he felt was government exploitation of the peasants of Russia, including his own family.

In Vienna, and later Berlin, he boldly contacted the Americans, delivering copies of secret documents. Popov described the organization of the Soviet military command, provided the names of Soviet intelligence agents in Europe and gave insight into the 'illegals' network run by the Soviets.

Reportedly, Margarita Nikolievska Tairov, an 'illegal' agent trained for work in the USA, was scheduled to meet another agent, identified as Walter Anthony Sjoa. Travelling as Mary Grodnik, she noticed she was under surveillance, allegedly all the way from Berlin Tempelhof Airport. She reported this, and the matter was heavily investigated by Moscow. The investigation pointed to Popov, who had been the woman's control officer in East Berlin. He may also have been exposed by British double agent George Blake, who inadvertently learned the CIA was using a senior Soviet intelligence officer stationed in East Germany as a mole.