Vetrov, Vladimir Ippolitovich

(1927–1984)

   An officer of Directorate T of the KGB’s First Chief Directorate, Vetrov volunteered to work for France in 1980 and was given the code name “Farewell.” Over a few years, Vetrov provided the French Security Service with information to frustrate the Soviet collection of scientific and technical intelligence. Paris used the information to expel more than 40 KGB officers in 1981 and alerted the United States about the scope of KGB scientific and technical intelligence activities. An official U.S. government report noted that Vetrov had alerted the West to Soviet theft of highly classified aircraft technology and prevented the loss of billions of dollars of critical scientific information. Vetrov’s downfall came out of an illicit love affair. In 1982 on his return to Paris, he was confronted by his mistress, who demanded he leave his wife and marry her. Vetrov panicked and stabbed her. She lived, but Vetrov was arrested and convicted of murder of one of his mistress’s other lovers. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Later in letters from his prison cell, he admitted his espionage to friends. He was tried and executed.