“Cases of Refusal Have Become More Frequent...”: A Grassroots Network of Secret KGB Employees of the Ukrainian SSR in the Context of the Systemic Crisis of 1985-1991
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15407/uhj2024.06.192Keywords:
secret agents, KGB Ukrainian SSR, recruitment, KGB officers, national movementsAbstract
The purpose of this article is to analyze the activities and attitudes of KGB agents in the Ukrainian SSR in the period 1985—1991. The tasks of the work are focused on the following questions: how the KGB recruited secret agents, what was the number of agents and the dynamics of their number, how they were used, how and why the attitudes of agents changed during this period, how KGB officers reacted to changes in agent behavior.
The methodological basis of the analysis is the efficiency of agency.
The scientific novelty. The agents are considered not as technological parts of the political control system but as individuals who were capable of both obedience and resistance to the KGB in the conditions when this resistance became possible.
The main results. In 1985—1991, the KGB of the Ukrainian SSR continued to create a circle of people who, for various reasons, provided the KGB with information about their environment, “signaled” about anti-state sentiments of certain individuals, agreed to carry out provocations, collected compromising materials, etc. While in 1986—1987, secret agents dutifully performed their functions, in the following years, they began to show anxiety about their activities and later refused to cooperate at all. During the two years 1987—1989, the number of agents in the KGB of the Ukrainian SSR decreased by almost ten thousand people. The main reason for the agents’ refusal to continue cooperation was the fear of losing their reputation in the eyes of their inner circle. Agents insisted that such cooperation was immoral and inappropriate in the context of the policy of “Glasnost”. Looking for a solution to preserve agents, the KGB officers of the Ukrainian SSR agreed on the readiness to put cooperation on a contractual, monetary basis and destroy all agent files and other documents that could harm the reputation of secret agents.
References
Kul’chyts’kyj, S. (2000). 10-richchia “ukrains'koi khvyli”. Istoriia Ukrainy. 4: 8-9. [in Ukrainian].
Archer, M. S. (2000). Being human: the problem of agency. Cambridge. doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511488733
Callinicos, A. (1988). Making history: Agency, structure and change in social theory. New York.
Emirbayer, M., Mische, A. (1998). What is agency? American Journal of Sociology. 103 (4): 962-1023. doi: https://doi.org/10.1086/231294
Bobkov, F. D. (Ed.) (1988). Edinyj slovar’ chekistskoj terminologii. Chast’ 2. Kontrrazvedka. Moscow. [in Russian].
Voronin, N. F., Kurdakov, V. G. (1987). Iz istorii stanovleniya instituta agenturi sovetskoj kontrrazvedki. Trudy Vysshej shkoly KGB. 41-42: 376-392. [in Russian].
"(2018). Yak pratsiuvaty z dokumentamy ChK-KHB: ahenturni spravy. Metodychni materialy. Tsentr vyzvol’noho rukhu. L’viv. [in Ukrainian].
"Sereda C. (2018). Ynterv'iu z Volodymyrom Birchakom “Vony sered nas. Arkhivy KDB vidkryti, ale imena ahentiv dosi ne vstanovleni”. Radio Svoboda. [in Ukrainian].
Tolz,V. (1992). Access to KGB and CPSU Archives in Russia. RFE/RL Research Report. 1: 1-17.
Bilokin’, S. (2012). Seksoty iak element mekhanizmu derzhavnoho upravlinnia v SRSR (1917-1941 rr.). Ukraina XX stolittia: kul’tura, ideolohiia, polityka. 17: 40-48. [in Ukrainian].
Dziak, J. J. (1988). Chekisty: a history of the KGB. Lanham.
Andrew, Ch., Gordievskij, O. (1997). KGB. Warsaw.
Andrew, Ch., Mitrokhin, V. (1999). The Sword And The Shield. The Mitrokhin Archive And The Secret History Of The KGB. New York.
Fedor, J. (2011). Russia and the Cult of State Security. The Chekist Tradition, from Lenin to Putin. London; New York.
Knight, A. W. (2021). The KGB: police and politics in the Soviet Union. Rev. ed. Routledge. doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003104759
Albats, Ye., Fitzpatrick, C. A. (1999). The State Within a State: The KGB and its Hold on Russia. Past, Present, and Future. New York.
de Jong, B. (2005). The KGB in Eastern Europe during the Cold War: on agents and confidential contacts. The Journal of Intelligence History. 5 (1): 85-103. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/16161262.2005.10555111
Streikus, A. (2006). Lithuanian Catholic Clergy and the KGB Religion. State and Society. 34 (1): 63-70. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09637490500460006
Kaňak P., Koura J. (2023). In the Shadow of the KGB: Legacy of Czechoslovak Intelligence (1948-1989). International Journal of Intelligence and Counter Intelligence. 37 (2): 450-481. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/08850607.2023.2204995
Zhuk, S. I. (2022). KGB Operations against the USA and Canada in Soviet Ukraine, 1953-1991. London and New York. doi: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003212522
Yurkova, O. (2018). “Akademichni Yanusy”: ukrains’ki istoryky — sekretni spivrobitnyky DPU-NKVS (1920-1930-i rr.). Masavyja rjeprjesii w SSSR u gistarychnyh dasledavannjah i kalektywnaj pamjaci: Navukovy zbornik. Pad rjed. A. Smalenchuka, O. Kondratjuk. Minsk. 150-168. [in Ukrainian].
Shapoval, Yu. (2022). Neproschenyj. Oleksandr Dovzhenko i komunistychni spetssluzhby. Warsaw; Kyiv; Kharkiv. [in Ukrainian].
Paska, B. (2022). Taiemni ahenty KDB u borot’bi proty ukrains’koho natsional’noho rukhu v 1970-kh rr. Vcheni zapysky TNU imeni V. I. Vernads’koho. Seriia: Istorychni nauky. 33 (72), 4: 101-106. [in Ukrainian].
Andruschenko, E. (2023). Arkhivy KDB. Nevyhadani istorii. Kharkiv. [in Ukrainian].
Bazhan, O. H. (2010). KDB URSR ta neformal’ni ob’iednannia v period “horbachovs’koi perebudovy”. Naukovi zapysky NaUKMA. Istorychni nauky. 104: 68-77. [in Ukrainian].
Bazhan, O. (2010). Sproby protydii KDB URSR stanovlenniu ta funktsionuvanniu Narodnoho rukhu Ukrainy za perebudovu. Ukrains’kyj istorychnyj zhurnal. 1: 35-41. [in Ukrainian].
Jakovlev, A. (Ed.). (2003). Lubjanka. Organy VChK-OGPU-NKVD-NKGB-MGB-MVD-KGB. 1917-1991. Moscow. [in Russian].
Ushenko, V. (2014). Ochyma rajonnoho hebista. Kyiv. [in Ukrainian].
Legan, I., Dinaev V., Shmatko V. (1989). Iskat’ novye podhody. K voprosu o doverennyh licah organov KGB. Sbornik KGB SSSR. Moscow. 135: 15-17. [in Russian].
Zdanovich, A. (1990). V interesah ljudej vseh nacional’nostej. Sbornik KGB SSSR. Moscow. 144 (53): 35-44. [in Russian].
Plokhy, S. (2016). The Man with the Poison Gun. A Cold War Spy Story. New York.
Lucenko, L. (1988). Nekotoryj opyt roboty organov KGB SSSR, uchastvovavshih v likvidacii avarii na Chernobyl’skoj AES. Trudy Vysshej shkoly KGB. 43: 241-232. [in Russian].
Smolij, V. (Ed.). (2019). Chornobyl’s’ke dos’ie KGB. Suspil’ni nastroi. ChAES u postavarijnyj period: zbirnyk dokumentiv pro katastrofu na Chornobyl’s’kij AES. Kyiv. [in Russian].
Samojlenko, I., Litvin, V. (1989). Ukrainskie nacionalisty menjajut taktiku. Sbornik KGB SSSR. Moscow. 134 (44): 31-34. [in Russian].
Podgajnyj, P., Zolototrubov, V. (1989). Priobretaem opyt. Sbornik KGB SSSR. Moscow. 139 (49):16-23. [in Russian].
Shama, N. (1989). Chto pokazala zabastovka shahterov. Sbornik KGB SSSR. Moscow. 137 (47): 25-30. [in Russian].
"Makarevich, Je. (2015). Filipp Bobkov i pjatoe Upravlenie KGB. Sled v istorii. [in Russian].
Danylenko, V. M. (2018). Ukraina v 1985-1991 rr.: ostannia hlava radians’koi istorii. Kyiv. [in Ukrainian].
(1986). Vdumchivee vypolnjat’ Prikaz N 0029 1975 goda. Po povodu poruchenij apparatam KGB, dejstvujushhim v kurortnyh rajonah. Sbornik KGB SSSR. Moscow. 112: 52-55. [in Russian].
Odinec, M., Poltoranin, M. (1987). Za poslednej chertoj. Pravda. 4 janvarja. N 4 (24991). [in Russian].
(1987). Za narushenie socialisticheskoj zakonnosti — k otvetu. Sbornik KGB SSSR. Moscow. 116: 50-52. [in Russian].
"Shypotilova, O. (2013). Hromads’ko-politychna diial’nist’ Narodnoho Rukhu Ukrainy na terytorii Mykolaivschyny (1989-1996 rr.): dys. ... kand. ist. nauk. Mykolaiv. [in Ukrainian].
Gricaenko, A. V. (1988). Nekotorye voprosy organizacii agenturnogo proniknovenija v zarubezhnye centry ideologicheskoj diversii v sovremennyh uslovijah. Trudy Vysshej shkoly KGB. 43: 170-187. [in Russian].
Bychkov, Ju., Zadorin, M. (1989). Rabotu s agenturoj — na uroven’ sovremennyh trebovanij. Sbornik KGB SSSR. 133: 37-41. [in Russian].
Kurilo, I. (1989). Otkrovennyj razgovor ob agenutre. Sbornik KGB SSSR. 134: 40-45. [in Russian].
(1989). Postanovlenie CK KPSS “O merah po rasshireniju glasnosti v dejatel’nosti organov KGB”. Izvestija CK KPSS. [in Russian].
Golovkov, A. (1990). Predvaritel’nyj diagnoz. Ogonjok. 8: 28. [in Russian].
Kalugin, O. D. (1990). Vid s Lubjanki. Moscow. [in Russian].
"Shchekochihin, Ju. (1991). Ja — stukach. Moj psevdonim — Korchagin. Literaturnaja gazeta. 20 fevralja. [in Russian].
Lisova, V. (2021). Komunikatsii z hromads’kistiu KDB URSR v umovakh polityky hlasnosti (1987-1989 rr.). Naukovi zapysky NaUKMA. Istorychni nauky. 4 (Hruden’): 56-64. [in Ukrainian]. doi: https://doi.org/10.18523/2617-3417.2021.4.56-64
"Lisova, V. (2022). “Navedennia rum’ian na vel’my pozhukhle oblychchia staroi stalins’kobrezhnievs’koi shkoly”: informatsijno-propahandysts’ka diial’nist’ KDB URSR u 1990-1991 rr. Z arkhiviv VUChK-HPU-NKVD-KHB. 2 (58):136-176. [in Ukrainian].
Bocharnikov, V. (1990). O reorganizacii raboty s neglasnym apparatom. Sbornik KGB SSSR. 145: 36-41. [in Russian].
"Kul’chyns’kyj, M. (2023). Yak vidbuvalysia pershi antykomunistychni mitynhy v SRSR ta iak komunisty probuvaly spriamuvaty oburennia u vyhidne ruslo. Uryvky zi spohadiv. Teksty. [in Ukrainian].
