Overview

Agents of Influence reveals the secret history of an intelligence agency gone out of control, accountable to no one but itself and intent on subverting Western politics on a near-inconceivable scale. In 1985, 1,300 KGB officers were stationed in the USA. The FBI only had 350 counter-intelligence officers. Since the early days of the Cold War, the KGB seduced parliamentarians and diplomats, infiltrated the highest echelons of the Civil Service, and planted fake news in papers across the world. More disturbingly, it never stopped. Putin is a KGB man through and through. Journalist Mark Hollingworth reveals how disinformation, kompromat and secret surveillance continue to play key roles in Russia’s war with Ukraine. It’s frighteningly easy to threaten Western democracy – but we can, and must, defend it.

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9780861542161

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Reviews

'A gripping story filled with remarkable revelations.' -- Tom Bower, author of Revenge

'A gripping story filled with remarkable revelations.' -- Tom Bower, author of Revenge 'From honey traps to hit jobs, the plot twists like The Third Man in post-war Vienna. Mark Hollingsworth ably traces the history of active measures from Lenin's Chekists to the present day. Deeply researched, fluently written and insightful, this book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the threat Putin's Russia poses to us here in Britain.' -- Edward Lucas, author of Deception 'A valuable account of an important and highly topical subject - Russian intelligence operations against the West... A must-read for anyone wishing to understand the origins of the malign mindset and obsession of Vladmir Putin and his acolytes.' -- Christopher Steele, former MI6 officer in Russia, 1990-93

'A gripping story filled with remarkable revelations.' -- Tom Bower, author of Revenge 'A valuable account of an important and highly topical subject - Russian intelligence operations against the West... A must-read for anyone wishing to understand the origins of the malign mindset and obsession of Vladmir Putin and his acolytes.' -- Christopher Steele, former MI6 officer in Russia

'A racy and readable account of a range of Soviet intelligence operations carried out during the Cold War.' -- Telegraph 'Entertaining.' -- Tablet 'A gripping story filled with remarkable revelations.' -- Tom Bower, author of Revenge 'From honey traps to hit jobs, the plot twists like The Third Man in post-war Vienna. Mark Hollingsworth ably traces the history of active measures from Lenin's Chekists to the present day. Deeply researched, fluently written and insightful, this book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the threat Putin's Russia poses to us here in Britain.' -- Edward Lucas, author of Deception 'A valuable account of an important and highly topical subject - Russian intelligence operations against the West... A must-read for anyone wishing to understand the origins of the malign mindset and obsession of Vladmir Putin and his acolytes.' -- Christopher Steele, former MI6 officer in Russia, 1990-93

'A racy and readable account of a range of Soviet intelligence operations carried out during the Cold War.' -- Telegraph ‘An enjoyable read’ -- The Times 'Entertaining.' -- Tablet 'A gripping story filled with remarkable revelations.' -- Tom Bower, author of Revenge 'From honey traps to hit jobs, the plot twists like The Third Man in post-war Vienna.  Mark Hollingsworth ably traces the history of active measures from Lenin’s Chekists to the present day. Deeply researched, fluently written and insightful, this book is essential reading for anyone trying to understand the threat Putin’s Russia poses to us here in Britain.' -- Edward Lucas, author of Deception 'A valuable account of an important and highly topical subject – Russian intelligence operations against the West… A must-read for anyone wishing to understand the origins of the malign mindset and obsession of Vladmir Putin and his acolytes.' -- Christopher Steele, former MI6 officer in Russia, 1990-93

Author Information

Mark Hollingsworth regularly contributes to The Times, the Financial Times, Observer, Sunday Times and the Guardian. He is the author of nine previous books, including Londongrad: The Inside Story of the Oligarchs (Fourth Estate, 2010).

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