Existing comment:
Oleg Penkovsky:
The Spy Who Saved the World?
He was "the single most valuable agent in CIA history," declared a 1976 Agency paper. Oleg Penkovsky, a disillusioned Soviet military intel officer, volunteered to spy for the US and UK in the 1960s, passing military secrets that shed light on Soviet intentions and weapons capabilities.
These proved critical during the Cuban Missile Crisis, telling the CIA if the Soviet missiles were operational and key technical capabilities. Those details may have given Kennedy the edge in avoiding a nuclear confrontation. |