“The Billion Dollar Spy” is a fascinating book on the world of human spying during the Cold War and is largely centred around the experiences with Adolf Tolkachev, arguably America’s most valuable asset. He provided significant information on various important developments in Russia’s defence and offensive plans between 1977 and 1985 that were relevant for even decades after that and helped America widen its military capabilities significantly over its rival. And with the changing dynamics once again between America and Putin’s Russia, despite the technological advances in spying (superbly described in Nicole Perlroth’s “This is How They Tell Me the World Ends”), this topic takes on a contemporary hue once again.
Tolkachev was a senior engineer in a top-secret design laboratory and a specialist in airborne radar. He proactively approached the Americans to pass on critical information, largely motivated by significant disillusionment with the Soviet system and its failure to provide its people with a better life. He was not averse to material compensation either, including both significant amounts of money and small personal things for his family, especially for his son, that were impossible to obtain in Russia at that point of time. The money, however, seems more to have fulfilled his desire of being seen important given that it would have been very difficult for him to spend such large amounts of money. And for eight years, he was a passionate and conscientious spy, taking enormous amounts of risks.
Importantly, the Tolkachev operation, codenamed CKSPHERE first and CKVANQUISH later, not only provided America with invaluable information but also changed its previously timid approach towards Cold War operations in Moscow. He is estimated to have saved almost two billion dollars in R&D costs for the Americans … and hence the title of the book.
Hoffman captures multiples nuances of spying extremely well — the actual tension during the exchanges (making parts of the book page-turners) and the fears of being caught, the small details including the types of equipment used and the process to exchange information and most importantly, the personal motivations driving Tolkachev and his various American “case officers”. Tolkachev’s struggles with the Soviet system, his need for constant reassurances and his fear for his life (and his constant requests for a poison pill in case he was to be captured) and the Americans’ dilemma between maximising the information that could be received from Tolkachev and their desire to protect him from unnecessary risks are well captured without slowing the pace of the book. Some of the details are amusing and almost unbelievable such as the use of pop-up dummies in car seats so that the case officer could slip away without being noticed by the KGB or the usage of lights in Tolkachev’s residence to signal his readiness for a “dead drop”.
The book, however, is inconsistent about the tricky ethical and integrity issues associated with spying. It conveniently paints Tolkachev as a hero of sorts, even though he did his own country great disservice and partly for monetary remuneration while it presents an American who spied similarly for Russia as a treacherous villain. And that’s jarring for a non-American reader such as me. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting insight into the world of spying and a quick read at that.
Pros: Fascinating insights into cold-war spying, interesting short read, personal nuances captured well
Cons: Inconsistent about the ethical aspects
