Vasili Mitrokhin, a Russian historian celebrated for his unparalleled insight into Soviet espionage, was born in 1922 in Yurasovo, Central Russia. As a skilled, meticulously oriented archivist for the KGB, Mitrokhin's career saw him collect invaluable information on Soviet spy operations right at the heart of the Cold War.
The biggest turning point in Mitrokhin's life came in 1992 after the Soviet Union's dissolution. Leveraging his information, he defected to the United Kingdom. His compiled work, later known as the ‘Mitrokhin Archive,’ exposed crucial clandestine operations, significantly impacting the world's understanding of the conflict between the East and West.
Author of the critically acclaimed books "The Sword and the Shield" and "The World Was Going Our Way," Mitrokhin passed away in 2004, leaving a legacy that transformed global reading of the Cold War's clandestine affairs. His work continues to resonate in intelligence and national security circles across the globe.