“Reflections on a Modern-Day Spy Story”

At ‘the sign’, the American and the Russian, wearing the unofficial raincoat and hat uniform of their respective spy agencies, began the long, tense walk between the respective Eastern and Western sectors, back to the safety of their colleagues and comrades who were awaiting them at the other side. All very tense. All very dramatic. All sublimely Hollywood.

The recent prisoner exchange we witnessed between the US and Russia, however, although full of drama in the run-up to the event itself, lacked those powerful images we had been used to seeing on the big screen. We cannot, however, underestimate the importance of this event as it was the biggest of its kind since the Cold War itself.

Reading about the individuals named in the ‘swap’ however, was something of a disappointment for lovers of a good espionage story, especially if you believe what was coming out of the White House. No master spies there. In fact, if the White House is to be believed, no spies at all!!  Everyone of these poor individuals just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, which is of course plausible, but as far as Moscow was concerned, not just unlikely, but untrue. The game was up for Gershkovich and Whelan, in particular. Interestingly, Whelan had said he was only in Russia for a friend’s wedding, but it was revealed that he was also an Irish, British and Canadian citizen! Im afraid that quite probably world raise a red flag in anybodys’ playbook.

On the other hand, arriving back in Moscow and greeted by none other than President Putin himself, it was a very different story according to Washington. Enter Vadim Krasikov. Former FSB Colonel, imprisoned in Germany for a ‘hit’ on a Chechen known enemy of Russia. Now that is more like it. Direct from a spy movie. Enter Vadim Konoschenok (Another Vadim – highly suspicious). Alleged ties to theFSB, and mastermind of an international financial sting on behalf of the Kremlin! (This is more like it), and add to this, Vladislav Klyushin, another financial wizard, and Roman Seleznev, a hacker supreme, then this looks more like a bad deal for Washington by the second, with Hollywood potential.

The best, however, was still to come. The Washington expose of the Dultsev family. This is like an episode from the successful hit American television series, ‘The Americans’, about a Russian sleeper family who were actually spies, deep undercover, posing as an all-American family whilst in fact spying for the Kremlin. The real life Dultsev family were exactly this, their two children not even being aware that they were actually even of Russian parentage! What a story.

We must, however, give a mention to other Kremlin spies, Mikhail Mikushin and Pavel Rubstov, who were caught in pursuit of their work – as spies.

As I mentioned above, however, Washington claimed that none of their returned prisoners were actually spies, but illegally jailed US citizens. On balance, one would have to have to subscribe to the opinion that Russia did the better from this historic swap, although from a purely humanitarian point of view, it is a good result for everyone that these individuals have been able to return ‘home’.“Many stories abound in the western media concerning the reasoning and/or timing of this event – from the benefits to be gained for the Democrats ahead of the US Elections, to a cunningly devised plan, both courtesy of President Putin, of course, to use basically inconsequential American prisoners, albeit accused of spying, to get back important Russian assets imprisoned by Washington or their allies.

Of course, it is wonderful to see people reunited with their loved ones, on both sides of the divide, but it is difficult to avoid the reality that has not escaped the world media, that President Putin has once again out manoeuvred his western counterparts in the political arena, planning his moves well ahead of this game of chess that is international politics. This event, though important in terms of recent political history, does not quite have the dark excitement of those old ‘60’s spy movies, but it is impossible not to wonder at the perceived pre-planning and setting up of the ‘sting’ operation by President Putin as he manages to bring home several important Russian assets in exchange for ‘loose change’, if indeed this is what we have witnessed. So, exactly what did we witness here? Fiendishly clever? Simply circumstances? When it comes to President Putin, i do not think there is much doubt as to the answer to this question”.