Tolkachev, A Worthy Successor to Penkovsky
From Studies in Intelligence, Vol. 47, No. 3, 2003 - Unclassified Edition
Approx. 17,785 words.
elligence requirements and operational questions, as well as a payment of "good faith" money. He was impressed with Tolkachev's calm manner. He also noted that Tolkachev was probably one of the few sober Russians in Moscow on this major national holiday.
Impressive Production
The information that Tolkachev provided in his first meeting was quickly disseminated to a limited number of senior civilian and military customers. It had an immediate impact, as reflected in a March 1979 memorandum sent to the Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) by a high-ranking military recipient of the Tolkachev information. This memo stated that all the information provided by the "special source" had correlated fully with existing holdings from photo and communications intelligence collection. Regarding the new data reported, the memo concluded that the Soviets would judge it quite damaging to their interests for Washington to be in possession of this information.
The memo continued by stipulating that the pri