Victor Cherkashin

Victor Cherkashin
Born (1932-02-22) February 22, 1932
Krasnoe, Soviet Union
Nationality Russian
Occupation KGB counter-intelligence officer

Victor Ivanovich Cherkashin (Russian: Виктор Иванович Черкашин) (born 22 February 1932) was a counter-intelligence officer of the KGB. He was the case officer for both Aldrich Ames, a CIA counter-intelligence officer, and Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent.

Career

He joined the KGB in 1952 and retired in 1991. He was the case officer for both Aldrich Ames, a CIA counter-intelligence officer, and Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent, when they spied for the Soviet Union. Cherkashin served for many years in the KGB's First Chief Directorate, the department dedicated to foreign counter-intelligence. His career included tours in Lebanon, India, Australia, West Germany and Washington, DC.

Cherkashin was awarded the Order of Lenin in August 1986 for recruiting Aldrich Ames.[1]

In 2004 he presented the book Spy Handler at the Washington, DC Spy Museum.[1]

Personal life

Cherkashin was the son of a NKVD officer. He received a diploma of a railway engineer.[2][1]

Cherkashin married KGB cipher clerk Elena, with whom he has two children; Alyosha and Alyona. After his retirement from the KGB he established his own private security company in Moscow, where he now lives with Elena.

Victor and his wife Elena made an appearance on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations on the Travel channel.[3] He discussed a little about life as a spy and handler but also showed him helping Anthony pick wild mushrooms and then having his wife cook them and share stories while snacking. The show took place at his dacha, country house in a community with other retired KGB officers.

Cheraskhin was played by Goran Kostic in the 2014 miniseries The Assets.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Черкашин,_Виктор_Иванович
  2. ↑ Victor Cherkashin and Gregory Feifer, (2004), Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer - The True Story of the Man Who Recruited Robert Hanssen and Aldrich Ames.
  3. ↑ Bourdain, Anthony (26 July 2008). "Politics and the Dinner Table". Travel Channel. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "The Assets (2014)" Internet Movie Database

Bibliography

  • Cherkashin, Victor. (2004). Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer. The True Story of The Man Who Recruited Robert Hanssen & Aldrich Ames Basic. ISBN 0-465-00968-9.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.