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Dan Snow's History Hit · September 14, 2026 · 41m 29s

The KGB Double Agent Who Stopped Armageddon with Ben Macintyre

Ben Macintyre
Show Notes

Dan Snow interviews historian and author Ben Macintyre about his new book 'Redwood,' detailing the story of Vladimir Kouzichkin, a KGB officer codenamed Agent Redwood. Stationed in revolutionary Iran in 1981, Kouzichkin collaborated with British intelligence to reveal Soviet operations in Iran at a time when Washington feared a Soviet takeover could trigger military intervention and nuclear war. His motivation for becoming a double agent was not ideological but deeply personal: he sought treatment for a private medical problem. The episode explores the unlikely friendship between spies on opposite sides and how one man's personal vulnerability may have shaped Cold War history.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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Soviet Threat in 1981 Iran and the Risk of Nuclear War00:00:00
In 1981, Washington feared that a Soviet takeover of Iran could trigger military intervention by the US and potentially escalate into nuclear war.
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Personal Motive for Espionage00:00:00
Agent Redwood became a double agent not for ideological reasons, but to get treatment for a very private medical problem.
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Unlikely Friendship Between Spies on Opposite Sides00:00:00
The operation involved an unlikely friendship forming between spies who were ostensibly enemies.
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References

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Redwood: The Most Extraordinary Spy of the Cold War — Ben Macintyre
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