Rick Spence

Let's Freedom

Let's Freedom

Let's Freedom

The most powerful intelligence agency in history. I mean, it's an interesting question. I'd say probably in terms of historical longevity and consistency of performance that the Russian intelligence services, notice I didn't say the KGB specifically, but the Russian intelligence services going back to the czarist period are consistently pretty good, not infallible. None of them are.

The most powerful intelligence agency in history. I mean, it's an interesting question. I'd say probably in terms of historical longevity and consistency of performance that the Russian intelligence services, notice I didn't say the KGB specifically, but the Russian intelligence services going back to the czarist period are consistently pretty good, not infallible. None of them are.

The most powerful intelligence agency in history. I mean, it's an interesting question. I'd say probably in terms of historical longevity and consistency of performance that the Russian intelligence services, notice I didn't say the KGB specifically, but the Russian intelligence services going back to the czarist period are consistently pretty good, not infallible. None of them are.

Of course, there's a common Western way of looking at anything Russian. Very often, I think it's still the case, Russians are viewed in one of two ways. Either they are bumbling idiots or they are diabolically clever. No sort of middle ground. And you can find both of those examples in this.

Of course, there's a common Western way of looking at anything Russian. Very often, I think it's still the case, Russians are viewed in one of two ways. Either they are bumbling idiots or they are diabolically clever. No sort of middle ground. And you can find both of those examples in this.

Of course, there's a common Western way of looking at anything Russian. Very often, I think it's still the case, Russians are viewed in one of two ways. Either they are bumbling idiots or they are diabolically clever. No sort of middle ground. And you can find both of those examples in this.

So what I mean by that is that if you're looking at the modern SVR or FSB, which are just two different organizations that used to be part of the one big KGB, or the KGB or its predecessors, the Cheka, you're really going back to the late 19th century and the Imperial Russian Intelligence Security Service movement. generally known as the Okhrana or Okhranka.

So what I mean by that is that if you're looking at the modern SVR or FSB, which are just two different organizations that used to be part of the one big KGB, or the KGB or its predecessors, the Cheka, you're really going back to the late 19th century and the Imperial Russian Intelligence Security Service movement. generally known as the Okhrana or Okhranka.

So what I mean by that is that if you're looking at the modern SVR or FSB, which are just two different organizations that used to be part of the one big KGB, or the KGB or its predecessors, the Cheka, you're really going back to the late 19th century and the Imperial Russian Intelligence Security Service movement. generally known as the Okhrana or Okhranka.

It's really the department of police, the special corps of gendarmes. Their primary job was protecting the imperial regime and protecting it against imperial or other interior enemies, revolutionaries for the most part. And they got very, very good at that. by co-opting people within those movements, infiltrating and recruiting informers, agent provocateurs.

It's really the department of police, the special corps of gendarmes. Their primary job was protecting the imperial regime and protecting it against imperial or other interior enemies, revolutionaries for the most part. And they got very, very good at that. by co-opting people within those movements, infiltrating and recruiting informers, agent provocateurs.

It's really the department of police, the special corps of gendarmes. Their primary job was protecting the imperial regime and protecting it against imperial or other interior enemies, revolutionaries for the most part. And they got very, very good at that. by co-opting people within those movements, infiltrating and recruiting informers, agent provocateurs.

In fact, they excelled at the agent provocateur. Person you place inside an organization costs trouble. usually maneuver them into a position of leadership, and they provoke actions that can then allow you to crack down on them. That is to sort of lure or bring the target organization into any legal or open status that it can be more effectively suppressed. They were very good at that.

In fact, they excelled at the agent provocateur. Person you place inside an organization costs trouble. usually maneuver them into a position of leadership, and they provoke actions that can then allow you to crack down on them. That is to sort of lure or bring the target organization into any legal or open status that it can be more effectively suppressed. They were very good at that.

In fact, they excelled at the agent provocateur. Person you place inside an organization costs trouble. usually maneuver them into a position of leadership, and they provoke actions that can then allow you to crack down on them. That is to sort of lure or bring the target organization into any legal or open status that it can be more effectively suppressed. They were very good at that.

So good that by the early 20th century, in the years preceding the Russian Revolution in 1917, they had effectively infiltrated every radical party, Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, SRs, great and small, and placed people in positions of influence and leadership. to the point that arguably, that is, you can debate this, but I think in the whole, they could largely dictate what those parties did.

So good that by the early 20th century, in the years preceding the Russian Revolution in 1917, they had effectively infiltrated every radical party, Bolsheviks, Mensheviks, SRs, great and small, and placed people in positions of influence and leadership. to the point that arguably, that is, you can debate this, but I think in the whole, they could largely dictate what those parties did.