The Secret KGB Papers for Recruiting Spies That Are Still Used Now

The document is from the Cold War, but it is used by Putin's clandestine cadres.

The Secret KGB Document For Recruiting Spies That's Still Used Today
Russian President Vladimir Putin walks along the Cathedral Square of the Kremlin before a holiday reception marking 'Russia Day' in Moscow. (Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Getty)

The Daily Beast is publishing never-before-published training manuals for the KGB, the Soviet intelligence that Vladimir Putin served as an operative. KGB veterans still make an important part of now-President Putin’s power base, and all were trained in the same “dark arts,” writes The Daily Beast, and understanding their training is essential to understanding how they think and operate. Earlier this month, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told CNN that Putin is “a great case officer,” and suggested that he “knows how to handle an asset,” which is maybe how he is thinking about his interactions with President Donald Trump. The first installment (of three) of the Daily Beast series deals with Putin and Russia’s involvement in the Trump campaign, and how they targeted individuals and organizations. The KGB training manual is classified in Russia still and is nearly 30 years old.

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