Category: Historical reprints
Source: The Toronto Sun, March 7, 1978

What Secret Report Says

Peter Worthington

Mr. Trudeau said last week that while the KGB is “an enemy of Canada,” the Soviet government isn’t and he wants friendly relations maintained. Does he truly think the Soviet government can be viewed separately from its Intelligence and Espionage forces? Surely he knows the policies of the former necessitate the activities of the latter.

Mr. Trudeau should ask to look at the “Top Secret — for Canadian Eyes Only” document prepared by the RCMP and approved on March 24, 1976, pertaining to “Canadian-Related Activities of the Russian Intelligence Service.”

It is a virtual catalogue of Soviet crimes, or attempted crimes, against Canada and Canadians in business, academic, journalistic, military, political areas. Among the revelations which should give Mr. Trudeau pause, are:

In the summer of 1974 two KGB officers attached to the Soviet embassy in Ottawa, Vladimir Vetrov and Anatoly Davidenko, offered a Canadian $100 for every manual or catalogue on Hewlett-Packard Corp., and for material dealing with National Research Council and Atomic Energy of Canada. It was an attempt to entrap a Canadian into working for Soviet Intelligence.

The Soviet Union acquired a deep-water submersible with a classified, pressure-resistant steel hull which was forbidden to be sold to Soviet-bloc countries. The Soviets signed a contract with a Vancouver company to have component parts shipped to Switzerland and re-routed to the USSR. This “Swiss connection” is repeatedly tried. [sic]

In 1975 Vitaly Shimchik of GRU (Military Intelligence) negotiated to give a Montreal businessman the franchise for the sale of Soviet YAK-40 aircraft. In return for the “partnership” the Montreal man was offered $50,000 commission if he’d quietly buy a Hughes 500 helicopter for re-sale to the USSR. A similar deal was negotiated for the YAK-40 franchise in Calgary. The Soviets wanted a variety of classified electronic and new “side-looking” radar, plus transistors and turbo engines and missile guidance systems developed by Canadian and American firms, such as Marconi, Hughes, Motorola, United Aircraft.

GRU officer Alexander Kovalev was kicked out of Canada after trying to get a post-graduate student at the University of Ottawa to obtain classified technical reports.

Military attache Capt. Yevgency Smirnov, GRU, persuaded a Carleton University Professor to provide all scholarly papers presented at academic conferences, some of which were classified and gave the Soviets a big advantage.

In 1975 GRU officer Dimitri Ivanov tried to bribe an Agricultural department scientist to give secrets of a new rust-resistant wheat, in return for an all-expense-paid visit to the USSR.

In 1971 a Canadian scientist went to the USSR as a guest of the Soviet Academy of Sciences and was seduced by his Intourist guide, Galina Nousinova, wife of a KGB officer. The scientist returned to Canada and met GRU officer Yuri Usaty who persuaded him to smuggle a highly classified new laser from the National Research Council to the USSR. The scientist said he did the deed for love, and in order to show goodwill and strengthen relations between Canada and Russia.

Since 1970 five Canadian corporations have become partners of the Soviets in selling and servicing Soviet goods. Canadians serve a figurehead role and often unwittingly aid Soviet aims.

Novosti news agency correspondent Alexander Palladin cultivated two special assistants of a cabinet minister (who are not subject to normal screening procedures and who have access to much confidential material). With assistance from Yevgeny Smirnov, Yuri Usaty and Gennady Zolotov (all of Soviet Intelligence), Palladin tried to establish “agents of influence” inside the Canadian political system.

Third Secretary Mikhail Khvatov (KGB) was involved in “running” illegals in the Ottawa area, as was Yuri Serpokrilov before him. Lydia Dubinskay of Intourist and Yuri Zheleznayko (KGB) worked with “front groups” in Montreal and Toronto and supported “illegals”.

Vadim Borishpolets and his wife Natalia, both KGB (and expelled in the recent RCMP penetration case) were involved in getting fake documentation and phony Canadian identities for Soviet spies “targetted” at other countries.

Oleg Kudinov of KGB (since gone) supported illegals in Montreal with Soviet members of the International Civil Aviation Organization, many of whom are known KGB.

An armed forces NCO stationed in Moscow was co-opted by Soviet Intelligence and he planted electronic bugs throughout the Canadian embassy and “sold-out” other Canadians.

In 1975 another NCO was offered “female companionship” and money from the blackmarket to work for the KGB. A military attache at the Canadian embassy was also approached.

The RCMP report says Pravda’s man in Ottawa, Konstantin Geivandov, was expelled from Canada after persuading a Canadian journalist to act on behalf of Soviet interests when reporting Canadian political events.

Aware that relations with Canada are threatened when espionage is found out, the Soviets have “handed off” many intelligence functions to Warsaw Pact allies. In 1975 Cuban Intelligence was made responsible for all “revolutionary activities” in the Western hemisphere.

There is more, but even this brief outline is irrefutable evidence that the Soviet government’s policies towards Canada are not those of a friendly country, seeking goodwill and co-operation.

Mr. Trudeau might be better advised to look at the contents of “top secret” RCMP reports — as well as discovering how they reach the public. Adequate knowledge by citizens as to the risks and dangers involved in dealing with Soviets, can only enhance our security, not endanger it. …

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