Codename Sunbeam - The story of MI6’s greatest Cold War spy (418)

Update: 2025-08-22

Description

He was a KGB colonel. A double agent. And the most valuable spy Britain ever had.

Born into a world of secrets & silence in Moscow Oleg Gordievsky’s journey takes us from the waning days of Stalin to his disillusionment with the Soviet system and his defection to MI6.

He lived a secret life at the heart of Soviet intelligence — all while feeding classified information to London.

From within the KGB’s London station, he exposed espionage operations, influenced diplomacy at the highest level, and warned of dangerous Soviet paranoia at the height of nuclear tensions.

When discovery loomed, Britain launched one of the most daring escapes in espionage history. This is the astonishing true story of betrayal, conscience, and survival in the darkest shadows of the Cold War.

Related episodes:

1983 – the year the Cold War almost turned hot https://coldwarconversations.com/episode316/

Episode extras ⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode418/⁠

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