‘Giving the Russians a Bloody Nose’:1

 [1] Walden, Lucky George, 148.

Operation Foot and Soviet Espionage in the United Kingdom, 1964–71

Abstract

On 24 September 1971 the British government expelled 105 Soviet diplomats and trade delegation officials resident in the UK. This was a response to the expansion of Soviet espionage in Britain during the 1960s, and to Moscow's refusal to respond to London's protests on this issue. This article examines the impact of the espionage problem on Anglo-Soviet relations during this period, and analyzes the reasons behind the expulsions (known as Operation Foot). Foot was implemented not only for reasons of national security, but also because of British resentment at the USSR's frequent abuses of diplomatic privileges.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the staff of the National Archives (TNA) at Kew, London, for assisting my research on this article. Professor Saki Dockrill, of King's College, read and commented on an earlier draft. Mr Keith Adams, formerly of the British Library's Newspaper Repository at Colindale, London, helped me find contemporary newspaper reports on Operation Foot. The analysis, opinions and conclusions expressed or implied in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the JSCSC, the UK MoD or any other government agency.

Notes

 [1] Walden, Lucky George, 148.

 [2] FCO to Sir J. Killick (Moscow), 24 September 1971, DBPO, 388–91.

 [3] Vincent Ryder, “Britain to Expel 105 Russians,” The Daily Telegraph, 25 September 1971; Frank Dawes and Robert Traini, “Big Victory for MI5 as ‘Ivan’ unmasks the Second Red Army,” The Sun, 25 September 1971.

 [4] Wright, Spycatcher, 345; Smith, Spying Game, 111.

 [5] Walden, Lucky George, 148.

 [6] David Bonavia, “Russia threatens retaliation unless Britain retracts expulsion orders,” The Times, 27 September 1971; Gromyko, Memories, 158.

 [7] Hamilton, Last Cold Warriors.

 [8] Andrew and Dilks, Missing Dimension, 1.

 [9] Andrew and Mitrokhin, Archive, 715–18. From 1918 to 1991 the Soviet security police/foreign intelligence service changed its name several times (VChK, GPU, OGPU, NKVD, MGB, NKGB, KGB). For convenience's sake, I will refer to it throughout this article as the KGB.

[10] Bower, Perfect English Spy, 307, 330–33; Aldrich, Hidden Hand, 429–30.

[11] Andrew and Gordievsky, KGB, 431–2.

[12] FO371/188497(TNA), N1075/10, C. Parrott (HM Embassy, Prague) to M. Stewart (Foreign Secretary), 2 April 1966; Frolik, Frolik Defection, 110, 121–3.

[13] Zubok, “KGB vs. CIA,” 22–33; Garthoff and Knight, “Soviet Intelligence,” 211–17; Andrew and Mitrokhin, Archives, 539–41.

[14] FO371/177821(TNA), PLA13/2, SC(64)1, Policy towards the East European Satellites, 27 January 1964; FO371/177405(TNA), N1015/31, minutes of Conference of HM Ambassadors from Eastern Europe, 21–23 April 1964.

[15] Pimlott, Wilson, 307–8.

[16] Service, Russia, 376–9; Pimlott, Wilson, 365.

[17] See, for example, Renee Short's comments in the House of Commons on 9 February 1965 in Parliamentary Debates, Hansard, 5th Series, 706 (H.C.Deb.5s, 706). HMSO, 1965, 194–6, and Ian Mikardo on 20 November 1967 in H.C.Deb5s, 754, HMSO, 1967, 921–2; Benn, Diaries, 17–18.

[18] FO371/188510(TNA), N1152/55, minutes of Conference of Ambassadors, 27 April–2 May 1966; CAB134/2799(TNA), ESC(O)(67)13, International Strategic Embargo – Review of Policy, 2 March 1967.

[19] Dorril and Ramsay, Smear!, 65–9; Crossman, Diaries, 7 May 1970, 913.

[20] FO371/189001(TNA), Brimelow to A. A. Russell (Consular Dept), 26 March 1966; PREM13/483(TNA), T. Bridges (FO) to M. Reid (No.10), 18 June 1965; and conversation between Cdr. A. Courtney, MP, and Wilson, 29 June 1965; Andrew and Mitrokhin, Archive, 531.

[21] Andrew and Mitrokhin, Archive, 538–9; Rimington, Open Secret, 139–40.

[22] Wright, Spycatcher, 125; Walden, Lucky George, 144.

[23] DBPO III, I, 7; FO371/188929(TNA), NS1052/23, conversation between Wilson and M. Smirnovsky (Soviet ambassador) at 10 Downing St, 18 April 1966.

[24] CAB128/44(TNA), CC(69)30th conclusions, 26 June 1969; Greenhill, More by Accident, 128–9.

[25] PREM13/1840(TNA), Visit of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR A. N. Kosygin to Great Britain, 6–13 February, Communiqué.

[26] FCO28/399(TNA), P. Gore-Booth to P. Hayman, 8 January 1968; G. Harrison (Moscow) to H. Smith (Northern Department – ND), 17 January 1968, in DBPO, 5–8; PREM13/2402(TNA), Harrison to Hayman, 6 February 1968; FCO28/402(TNA), Harrison to Brown, 31 January 1968.

[27] FCO28/372(TNA), P. Maxey (Moscow) to C. Giffard (ND), 24 January 1968; FCO28/372(TNA). H. Smith (ND) to Hayman, 30 January 1968, FCO28/380(TNA).

[28] FCO28/402(TNA), D. Greenhill to Gore-Booth, 29 January 1968; and Gore-Booth to Brown, 31 January 1968. FO371/188510(TNA), Conference of Ambassadors, 27 April 1966–2 May 1966.

[29] FCO28/372(TNA), D. Maitland (FO) to Gore-Booth, 12 February 1968; DBPO, 28; Urban, UK Eyes Alpha, 100.

[30] Hayman to Harrison, 27 February 1968, DBPO, 25–8; FCO28/372(TNA), minute by Maitland, 23 February 1968.

[31] FCO28/372(TNA), Harrison to Hayman, 6 March 1968; Smith to Hayman, 1 April 1968.

[32] CAB148/37(TNA), Overseas Policy and Defence (OPD) Committee Memorandum, OPD(68)45, Relations with the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, 17 June 1968.

[33] PREM13/2009(TNA), Stewart to Wilson, 27 September 1968; memorandum to A. Halls (No.10), 16 October 1968; Palliser to Day, 21 October 1968.

[34] FCO28/1108(TNA), Stewart to D. Wilson (Moscow), 11 November 1968; C. Giffard (East European and Soviet Department – EESD) to D. Bendall (Assistant Under-Secretary), 8 June 1970; Memorandum by Douglas-Home and Maudling to Heath, 30 July 1971, DPBO, 359–62.

[35] D. Wilson to Stewart, 4 November 1968 and 9 December 1968, DBPO, 87–9, 91–3, 100–110; FCO28/918(TNA), Conference of HM Representatives in Eastern Europe 4–8 May 1970, 1st and 2nd meetings, 4 May 1970. See also Harrison's Times obituary, 14 April 1990.

[36] Stewart to D. Wilson, 7 January 1969, DBPO, 111–15; Hopkins, “British Embassy in Moscow,” 143–4; White, Détente, 125–6.

[37] Gore-Booth, With Great Truth, 412; CAB158/53(TNA), JIC(64)43, The Power Structure in the Soviet Union, 17 April 1964; Service, Russia, 385.

[38] FCO28/325(TNA), Harrison to Brown, 11 January 1968; Memorandum by Giffard, 22 February 1968; Smith to Harrison, 11 March 1968; Garthoff and Knight, “Soviet Intelligence.”

[39] Heath, My Life, 474–6.

[40] Hill and Lord, “Foreign Policy,” 309; Bark and Gress, West Germany, 172–89.

[41] FCO28/1563(TNA), Greenhill to Douglas-Home, 1 February 1971; and Greenhill to D. Wilson, 5 February 1971; Heath, My Life, 249, 468.

[42] Campbell, Heath, 175–83. Hennessy describes Douglas-Home's character in Muddling Through, 235–45.

[43] PREM15/194(TNA), M. Barrington (FCO) to C. Roberts (No.10), Brief for the Prime Minister's meeting with Mr Gromyko on 28 October, 23 October 1970.

[44] FCO28/1138(TNA), conversations between Douglas-Home and Gromyko at FCO, 27–28 October 1970; Heath, My Life, 474; Douglas-Home to Gromyko, 3 December 1970, DBPO, 267–8, 292–4.

[45] Thorpe, Douglas-Home, 415.

[46] Walden, Lucky George, 141–6. For Jackson, Miller and Nicholson's official roles, see the Diplomatic Service List, 1970 and 1971. London: HMSO, 1970 and 1971.

[47] Record of meeting at Greenhill's office, 25 May 1971, DPBO, 338–45.

[48] Dorril and Ramsay, Smear!, 205; Rowland Summerscales, “Wilson says Heath lied about spies,” Telegraph, 13 October 1971.

[49] Staff reporter, “Lyalin Misses Court Case,” Telegraph, 1 October 1971; Walden, Lucky George, 145.

[50] Hennessy, Secret State, 118–19.

[51] Hennessy, Secret State, 120; Andrew and Gordievsky, KGB, 435–7; Aldrich, Hidden Hand, 626. Spetsnaz is an abbreviation of the Russian words spetsialnovo naznacheniya (“special designation”). See Burgess, Inside Spetsnaz.

[52] CAB186/11(TNA), JIC(A)(72)13, The Threat of Sabotage in the United Kingdom, 20 March 1972.

[53] Meeting at PUS's office, DPBO, 338–45.

[54] Memorandum to Heath, 30 July 1971, DPBO, 359–62, 359–362.

[55] D. Wilson to Douglas-Home, 5 July 1971; Greenhill to D. Wilson, 14 July 1971, FCO28/1564(TNA); J. Bullard (EESD) to T. Brimelow (Deputy Under-Secretary), 12 July 1971, FCO28/1567(TNA).

[56] Greenhill, More by Accident, 158; Maudling's Memoirs do not refer to Foot.

[57] On the Berlin negotiations, see Bark and Gress, West Germany, 190–201; Sarotte, Dealing with the Devil, 71–7, 113–23; Heath, My Life, 475–6.

[58] Brook-Shepherd, Storm Birds, 198–9; Wright, Spycatcher, 342–4. Lyalin was released on bail soon after his arrest.

[59] PREM15/1935(TNA), Douglas-Home to Maudling, 11 September 1971; P. Moon (No. 10) to Barrington, 15 September 1971.

[60] PREM15/1935(TNA), Moon to J. Graham (FCO), 21 September 1971; 22 September 1971; 23 September 1971; Douglas-Home to Heath, 23 September 1971, DBPO, 383–7. The Heath government admitted two weeks after Foot that Lyalin had been the source for the KGB's wartime sabotage plans. See the statement by Sir Peter Rawlinson, the Attorney General, dated 18 October 1971, in H.C.Deb5s, 825, Written Answers, 47–8.

[61] PREM15/1935(TNA), Moon to Heath, 21 September 1971; Walden, Lucky George, 148; Greenhill, More by Accident, 158; FCO to Killick, 24 September 1971, DPBO, 388–92. For Ippolitov's status, see Andrew and Mitrokhin, Archives, 499, 867.

[62] FCO28/1568(TNA), J. Dobbs (Moscow) to J. Bullard (EESD), 28 December 1971; and Killick to Bullard, 17 December 1971; Michael Lake, “Russia rejects 18 men and bars Sir Alec,” The Guardian, 9 October 1971.

[63] Sir C. Crowe (UK Mission to UN) to FCO, 28 September 1971, DBPO, 393–5; PREM15/1935(TNA), note for Cabinet, Expulsions of Soviet Officials, 28 September 1971.

[64] John Bulloch, “Philby's charges bring Arab wrath on Russians,” Telegraph, 6 October 1971; Andrew and Mitrokhin, Archives, 544–6; Barron, The KGB Today, 421.

[65] Andrew and Mitrokhin, Archives, 500, 543–4; Kalugin, Spymaster, 1994. 238; Plater-Zyberk, Special Forces, 3.

[66] Thorpe, Douglas-Home, 416–17, 434; CAB148/129(TNA), Defence and Overseas Policy (DOP) Committee, 9th meeting, 6 April 1973.

[67] Crockatt, Fifty Years War, 230–32; Garthoff, Détente and Confrontation, 95, 108–9, 135.

[68] Peter Schmitt, “Bonn fears London spy ‘clear out’ will harm Ostpolitik,” Telegraph, 27 September 1971; Bower, Perfect English Spy, 366; Hill and Lord, “Foreign Policy,” 309.

[69] PREM15/1935(TNA), note for Cabinet, 28 September 1971; C. Soames (Paris) to Greenhill, 30 September 1971; Heath to Pompidou, 11 October 1971.

[70] Staff Reporter, “Red Scare Worry,” Telegraph, 2 October 1971; Christopher Dobson, “Wilson and the spies who got away,” Evening Standard, 13 October 1971.

[71] Peter Harvey and Patrick Kealtey, “Britain expels 90 Russian diplomat spies,” Guardian, 25 September 1971; Editorial, “Russia's Wooden Horses,” Telegraph, 27 September 1971; Staff reporter, “Govt right to give Russians marching orders, says poll,” Standard, 8 October 1971.

[72] Robert Carvel, “Yes, Oleg was the super spy,” Standard, 30 September 1971; Staff reporter, “This is Oleg the so elegant spy,” Standard, 1 October 1971; Peter Hopkirk, “BBC film claims to show Soviet agent collecting scientist's message,” Times, 30 September 1971.

[73] Kuzichkin, Inside the KGB, 80–81.

[74] Andrew and Gordievsky, KGB, 501; Kalugin, Spymaster, 131–2; FCO73/135(TNA), Greenhill to Douglas-Home, 19 March 1973.

[75] Glees, Stasi Files, 4, 158; Maddrell and Glees, “Debate: The Stasi Files,” 553–69. The HVA was the foreign arm of the East German Ministerum fur Staatsicherheit (MfS), otherwise known as the Stasi.

[76] FCO28/1567(TNA), Bullard to Brimelow, 12 July 1971; White, Détente, 126–7.

[77] FCO28/1568(TNA), Dobbs to Bullard, 28 December 1971; Westad, “Soviet Intervention in Afghanistan,” 130–31; PREM13/2405(TNA), Trend to M. Palliser (Private Secretary to PM), 29 September 1968.

[78] PREM15/674(TNA), Moon to B. Norbury (Cabinet Office); 15 September 1971, 27 September 1971; PREM15/678(TNA), Moon to Graham, 16 March 1971; CAB148/129(TNA), DOP(73)9th meeting, 6 April 1973, CAB148/129(TNA).

[79] PREM15/1935(TNA), note for Cabinet, 28 September 1971; Greenwood, Britain and the Cold War, 175–9.

[80] Brimelow to Killick, 23 December 1971, DBPO, 428–30.

[81] Porch, French Secret Service, 447–8.

[82] Campbell, Heath, 346–7; Walden, Lucky George, 148; Greenhill, More by Accident, 159.