The Moscow‐Canberra cables: How soviet intelligence obtained British secrets through the back door

Abstract

The publication of decoded KGB cables between Australia and Moscow has settled several major controversies. First, that a small group of communists in the public service gave secret documents to a local KGB resident; second, that the testimony of two Soviet intelligence defectors, Vladimir and Evdokia Petrov, was largely accurate; third, that the highly‐political 1954 Royal Commission into Espionage was not a baseless frame‐up, as the Labor opposition leader, Dr Evatt, charged. The nature of the so‐called spy ring, however, was exaggerated, since it was largely an amateur group set up for domestic not espionage purposes. The authenticity and value to historians of the Venona cables released by the Natiional Security Agency is discussed.