Defection from Soviet Intelligence: The Case of Victor Sheymov

Name: Defection from Soviet Intelligence: The Case of Victor Sheymov
Start: 2026-03-11T13:30:00-0400
End: 2026-03-11T14:45:00-0400

RSVP Required Harvard Faculty, Fellows, Staff, and Students

In this Intelligence Project seminar, Glenn Corn, former senior CIA operations officer and Russia expert, will provide a historical case study of Victor Sheymov, a high-ranking KGB major and cryptographer who defected to the United States in 1980 during the Cold War. This session is open to Harvard ID holders. Registration is required.

RSVP

Date: Wed, Mar 11, 2026 Time: 01:30pm - 02:45pm Location: Littauer Building - Fainsod Room, 324

Join the Intelligence Project on Wednesday, March 11th, for a seminar with Glenn Corn, a former senior CIA operations officer and Russia expert. Glenn will examine the case of Victor Sheymov, who was a high-ranking KGB major and cryptographer that defected to the United States with the help of the CIA in during the Cold War in 1980. Victor was a specialist in cipher communications and security, and after his defection, he provided the CIA with valuable intelligence, including in-depth knowledge of KGB systems and activities.

This session is open to Harvard ID holders and will be held under the Chatham House rules. Registration is required. Light refreshments will be served.

Glenn Corn is a former Senior Executive in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) who worked for 34 years in the U.S. Intelligence, Defense, and Foreign Affairs communities. During his career with CIA, Glenn served as a Chief of Station in Four overseas critical assignments and held key senior leadership roles at CIA HQS. Glenn is the CEO of Great South Bay and is an adjunct Professor at the Institute of World Politics in Washington D.C.