RUSSIA: The Case of Aleksandr Poteyev
Aleksandr Poteyev’s story is one of the most intriguing in the world of espionage. As a former Russian intelligence officer, his decision to defect to the United States and expose a major Russian spy network in America sent shockwaves through the intelligence community. Poteyev's actions not only brought a covert operation to light but also sparked intense debate about loyalty, betrayal, and the complexities of espionage. In this post, we’ll delve into his life and the remarkable events that defined his career. Aleksandr Poteyev in Kabul, date unknown. A BACKGROUND IN INTELLIGENCE Aleksandr Poteyev was born on March 7, 1952, in Brest, Belarus. His father, Nikolai Pavlovich, was a Hero of the USSR in the Second World War, having destroyed nine German tanks. One could say that the military was in Poteyev's blood. During the 1970s, Aleksandr met his wife, Marina. Both were natives of Brest, and she was a year older than him. In 1979, they had their first child, a daughter named