Pyotr Fedotov
Encyclopedia
Pyotr Vasileevich Fedotov (1900–1963) was long time Soviet security and intelligence officer, head of counterintelligence in NKVD
/NKGB and head of foreign intelligence as the deputy chairman of the Committee of Information.
Fedotov was born in Saint Petersburg
, in family of conductors. From 1915 to 1919 he worked for the local newspaper. After the outbreak of the Russian Civil War
he served in the 8th Army.
Fedotov joined the new Soviet security organization, the Cheka
, in 1921. He first served in the local Cheka/GPU/OGPU offices. In 1937 he was moved to the NKVD
Moscow Headquarters known as Lubyanka
and put in charge of one of the Secret Political Department Sections in the Main Directorate of State Security of the NKVD. Between 1939 and 1941 he was the head of the GUGB 2nd Department (SPO). In 1940 he took part in the killing of Polish prisoners of war – the Katyn massacre
. In 1941, after the creation of the People's Commissariat for State Security (NKGB) he became the head of the 2nd Directorate, responsible for counterintelligence. Then in 1946 after the People's Commissariat for State Security was renamed the Ministry for State Security (Ministerstvo Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti) or MGB, Fedotov become the head of its 1st Directorate, responsible for foreign intelligence. When the Committee of Information was established in 1947 he was put in charge of foreign intelligence as the deputy chairman under Vyacheslav Molotov
and then under Andrey Vyshinsky
. In March 1953 he was moved to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) and took over its 1st Chief Directorate (counterintelligence). He took over the same position in the newly-created KGB
but as the head of the 2nd Chief Directorate (counterintelligence), of which he was in charge until 1956. In May 1956 he started working at the KGB school as deputy head of one of the departments.
Fedotov was retired from the KGB in 1959. He died in 1963 at the age of 63.
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
/NKGB and head of foreign intelligence as the deputy chairman of the Committee of Information.
Fedotov was born in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, in family of conductors. From 1915 to 1919 he worked for the local newspaper. After the outbreak of the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
he served in the 8th Army.
Fedotov joined the new Soviet security organization, the Cheka
Cheka
Cheka was the first of a succession of Soviet state security organizations. It was created by a decree issued on December 20, 1917, by Vladimir Lenin and subsequently led by aristocrat-turned-communist Felix Dzerzhinsky...
, in 1921. He first served in the local Cheka/GPU/OGPU offices. In 1937 he was moved to the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
Moscow Headquarters known as Lubyanka
Lubyanka (KGB)
The Lubyanka is the popular name for the headquarters of the KGB and affiliated prison on Lubyanka Square in Moscow. It is a large building with a facade of yellow brick, designed by Alexander V...
and put in charge of one of the Secret Political Department Sections in the Main Directorate of State Security of the NKVD. Between 1939 and 1941 he was the head of the GUGB 2nd Department (SPO). In 1940 he took part in the killing of Polish prisoners of war – the Katyn massacre
Katyn massacre
The Katyn massacre, also known as the Katyn Forest massacre , was a mass execution of Polish nationals carried out by the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs , the Soviet secret police, in April and May 1940. The massacre was prompted by Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all members of...
. In 1941, after the creation of the People's Commissariat for State Security (NKGB) he became the head of the 2nd Directorate, responsible for counterintelligence. Then in 1946 after the People's Commissariat for State Security was renamed the Ministry for State Security (Ministerstvo Gosudarstvennoi Bezopasnosti) or MGB, Fedotov become the head of its 1st Directorate, responsible for foreign intelligence. When the Committee of Information was established in 1947 he was put in charge of foreign intelligence as the deputy chairman under Vyacheslav Molotov
Vyacheslav Molotov
Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov was a Soviet politician and diplomat, an Old Bolshevik and a leading figure in the Soviet government from the 1920s, when he rose to power as a protégé of Joseph Stalin, to 1957, when he was dismissed from the Presidium of the Central Committee by Nikita Khrushchev...
and then under Andrey Vyshinsky
Andrey Vyshinsky
Andrey Januaryevich Vyshinsky – 22 November 1954) was a Soviet politician, jurist and diplomat.He is known as a state prosecutor of Joseph Stalin's Moscow trials and in the Nuremberg trials. He was the Soviet Foreign Minister from 1949 to 1953, after having served as Deputy Foreign...
. In March 1953 he was moved to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) and took over its 1st Chief Directorate (counterintelligence). He took over the same position in the newly-created 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...
but as the head of the 2nd Chief Directorate (counterintelligence), of which he was in charge until 1956. In May 1956 he started working at the KGB school as deputy head of one of the departments.
Fedotov was retired from the KGB in 1959. He died in 1963 at the age of 63.