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In-Person
Seminar

The Illegals - Moscow's Deep Cover Spies

RSVP Required Harvard Faculty, Fellows, Staff, and Students

More than a century ago, the Soviet Union began sending its citizens abroad as deep-cover spies, on missions that could last for decades. These spies became known as "The Illegals". In this Intelligence Project seminar, John Ehrman, a retired CIA officer and author, will discuss the history of this program, the successes and failure, and why Russia keep using it. This session is open to Harvard ID holders. Registration is required. Light refreshments will be served.

RSVP
Date: Time: - Location: Belfer Building - Bell Hall, 5th Floor
Group of Russian spies graphic illustration

Join the Intelligence Project on Wednesday, November 18th, to hear about Russia's century-long mission to infiltrate the West from John Ehrman. While many intelligence agencies use undercover operatives, the KGB was the only one to go to such lengths, training their spies for years and sending them on missions that could last decades. These spies were known as "illegals." In this seminar, Ehrman will walk through the history of Russia's most secretive and ambitious spy program, it's various successes and failure, and why Russia keeps using it.

This session is open to Harvard ID holders. Registration is required. Light refreshments will be served.

John Ehrman served in the CIA from 1983 until his retirement in 2025, first as a military analyst and then, from 2000 onward, as a counterintelligence officer focusing primarily on Russia. John holds a BA in history and political science from Tufts University, a masters in international affairs from Columbia University's School of International Affairs, and a PhD in American history from George Washington University. He is the author of three books on Reagan-era foreign policy and domestic politics, as well as numerous articles and reviews on counterintelligence history and theory.

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