Anatoly Trofimov
Encyclopedia
Anatoly Vasilyevich Trofimov was a head of the Soviet KGB
investigation department. He personally supervised all Soviet dissident cases including Sergei Kovalyov, Gleb Yakunin
, Alexei Smirnov, and Yuri Orlov. He was later a deputy director of the Russian Federal Security Service
and became a mentor and supervisor of Alexander Litvinenko
. He was assassinated
in April 2005 by unidentified gunmen in Moscow
.
investigation department, Trofimov supervised all cases of dissidents including Sergei Kovalyov, Gleb Yakunin
, Alexei Smirnov, and Yuri Orlov.
. He arrested the leaders of the Russian parliamentary putsch of 1993. He was later FSB deputy director and head of service for the Moscow region until February 1997 when he was fired.
was killed by the Russian secret services, and Putin will have to cover this up, according to Trofimov. According to Marina Litvinenko, he said to Alexander Litvinenko: "Don't you see? They killed Rokhlin; surely that was a Kontora job. Now the guy who came in [Putin] will have to cover that up. He cannot afford to solve the case. It is like an insurance policy" .
, the Italian centre-left leader, former Prime Minister of Italy
and former President of the European Commission
. The information about Prodi was provided by Soviet defector Vasili Mitrokhin
. Litvinenko claims he was given this information by Trofimov, whom allegedly described Prodi as "our man in Italy". The EU Reporter, a Brussels-based organisation, on 3 April 2006, claimed that "another high-level source, a former KGB operative in London, has confirmed the story". A report by the Conflict Studies Research Centre
of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom from May 2007 noted that Trofimov was never the head of the FSB, which did not oversee intelligence operations, had never worked in the intelligence directorate of the KGB
or its successor the SVR
, nor had he worked in the counterintelligence department of the intelligence services, nor had he ever worked in Italy, making it difficult to understand how Trofimov would have had knowledge about such a recruitment. Henry Plater-Zyberk
, the co-author of the report suggested that Trofimov was "conveniently dead", so "could neither confirm nor deny the story", and noted Litvinenko's history of making accusations without evidence to back them up.
Litvinenko, who knew Trofimov personally, told the media that he believed Trofimov's killing was a political assassination, and that Trofimov had opposed both the Second Chechen War
and the earlier appointment of Vladimir Putin
as FSB chief.
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
investigation department. He personally supervised all Soviet dissident cases including Sergei Kovalyov, Gleb Yakunin
Gleb Yakunin
Gleb Pavlovich Yakunin is Russian priest and dissident who fought for the freedom of conscience in the Soviet Union. He was member of Moscow Helsinki Group, and he was elected to Russian Parliaments from 1990 to 1999.-Life:...
, Alexei Smirnov, and Yuri Orlov. He was later a deputy director of the Russian Federal Security Service
FSB (Russia)
The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation is the main domestic security agency of the Russian Federation and the main successor agency of the Soviet Committee of State Security . Its main responsibilities are counter-intelligence, internal and border security, counter-terrorism, and...
and became a mentor and supervisor of Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Valterovich Litvinenko was an officer who served in the Soviet KGB and its Russian successor, the Federal Security Service ....
. He was assassinated
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
in April 2005 by unidentified gunmen in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
Soviet Union
As a deputy head of the Soviet KGBKGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
investigation department, Trofimov supervised all cases of dissidents including Sergei Kovalyov, Gleb Yakunin
Gleb Yakunin
Gleb Pavlovich Yakunin is Russian priest and dissident who fought for the freedom of conscience in the Soviet Union. He was member of Moscow Helsinki Group, and he was elected to Russian Parliaments from 1990 to 1999.-Life:...
, Alexei Smirnov, and Yuri Orlov.
Russia
Trofimov was regarded as an incorruptible serviceman loyal to Boris YeltsinBoris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
. He arrested the leaders of the Russian parliamentary putsch of 1993. He was later FSB deputy director and head of service for the Moscow region until February 1997 when he was fired.
His comments
A retired army general and a leader of Communist parliamentary opposition Lev RokhlinLev Rokhlin
Lev Yakovlevich Rokhlin was a Lieutenant-General in the Soviet and Russian armies.Rokhlin have reached the top of the Russian military, quickly rose through the ranks during and after the Soviet war in Afghanistan...
was killed by the Russian secret services, and Putin will have to cover this up, according to Trofimov. According to Marina Litvinenko, he said to Alexander Litvinenko: "Don't you see? They killed Rokhlin; surely that was a Kontora job. Now the guy who came in [Putin] will have to cover that up. He cannot afford to solve the case. It is like an insurance policy" .
Romano Prodi
In October 1999 a scandal broke out in Italy about the alleged KGB connection of Romano ProdiRomano Prodi
Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...
, the Italian centre-left leader, former Prime Minister of Italy
Prime minister of Italy
The Prime Minister of Italy is the head of government of the Italian Republic...
and former President of the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
. The information about Prodi was provided by Soviet defector Vasili Mitrokhin
Vasili Mitrokhin
Vasili Nikitich Mitrokhin was a Major and senior archivist for the Soviet Union's foreign intelligence service, the First Chief Directorate of the KGB, and co-author with Christopher Andrew of The Mitrokhin Archive: The KGB in Europe and the West, a massive account of Soviet intelligence...
. Litvinenko claims he was given this information by Trofimov, whom allegedly described Prodi as "our man in Italy". The EU Reporter, a Brussels-based organisation, on 3 April 2006, claimed that "another high-level source, a former KGB operative in London, has confirmed the story". A report by the Conflict Studies Research Centre
Conflict Studies Research Centre
The Conflict Studies Research Centre, or CSRC, was a component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, based at Shrivenham. It specialised in potential causes of conflict in a wide area ranging from the Baltics to Central Asia....
of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom from May 2007 noted that Trofimov was never the head of the FSB, which did not oversee intelligence operations, had never worked in the intelligence directorate of the KGB
KGB
The KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
or its successor the SVR
Foreign Intelligence Service (Russia)
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service is Russia's primary external intelligence agency. The SVR is the successor of the First Chief Directorate of the KGB since December 1991...
, nor had he worked in the counterintelligence department of the intelligence services, nor had he ever worked in Italy, making it difficult to understand how Trofimov would have had knowledge about such a recruitment. Henry Plater-Zyberk
Henry Plater-Zyberk
Henry Plater-Zyberk is senior analyst of the Conflict Studies Research Centre at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Sovietologist and a specialist in Russia and Central Asia. He has also served as an analyst of the British Foreign Office...
, the co-author of the report suggested that Trofimov was "conveniently dead", so "could neither confirm nor deny the story", and noted Litvinenko's history of making accusations without evidence to back them up.
Assassination
On April 10, 2005, Trofimov was gunned down in Moscow while driving a car, together with his wife . His four-year-old daughter survived the assassination.Litvinenko, who knew Trofimov personally, told the media that he believed Trofimov's killing was a political assassination, and that Trofimov had opposed both the Second Chechen War
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
and the earlier appointment of Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
as FSB chief.
External links
- Slain Russian officer's wife dies - BBC News
- Alexander Stille, "The secret life of Mario Scaramella" - Slate.com, Dec. 11, 2006. Alexander Stille is the author of The Sack of Rome: How a Beautiful European Country with a Fabled History and a Storied Culture Was Taken Over by a Man Named Silvio Berlusconi, Penguin Books, 2006.