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- [00:00]
Raza Jaffrey
Wondery plus subscribers can binge full seasons of the Spy who early and ad free on Apple podcasts or The Wondery app. August 30, 1971. 3:30am Curzon Street, London. A car screeches to a halt outside MI5's headquarters. An assistant director, Peter Wright, rushes out. There's a look of panic etched onto his face. Wright hurries inside where Oleg Len's bearded case officer, Tony Brooks, is waiting for him. Tony, what on earth is going on? What's the emergency? It's Lelon. The bloody fool's gone and got himself arrested for drunk driving. He's being held at Tottenham Court Road police station. Christ. Do the Russians know? You don't think they could get to him inside, do you? We've got Special Branch on guard, but who knows what the KGB could try? We don't know where they might have people or what they're capable of. Wright, you'd better come with me. They enter Wright's office and shut the door behind them. Wright kneels down, unlocks his safe and removes a small bag resembling a builder's toolkit. Okay, these are the antidotes to every known poison used by the kgb. At least the ones for which antidotes exist. This is for a nerve agent like sarin. And this is for thallium. You'll need to know how to spot the symptoms. You can talk me through on the way to the police station. Good thinking. Let's move. The two men rush out of the office. They are now in a race with the KGB to reach Lelen first. And it's a race they can't afford to lose. For if they fail, MI5 could find itself with a dead double agent and its push to kick the Soviet spies out of Britain in ruins.
- [02:06]
Ethan Cross
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- [02:56]
Hellman's
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- [03:45]
Raza Jaffrey
From Wondery. I'm Raza Jaffrey, and this is the spy who on the last episode, Oleg Lelen battled to maintain his double life as a KGB office officer secretly working as a British agent. MI5 finally persuaded the government to approve Operation Foot, a mass expulsion of Soviet spies from British soil. And after discovering he'd been unfaithful, Leland's wife went back to Moscow. But now Leland's arrest for drunk driving has left MI5 scrambling to save its carefully laid plans to strike back against the Soviets. You're listening to the spy who saved MI5. Episode 3 no Return August 30, 1971. Eight hours after Leland's arrest. Marlborough Magistrates Court, London Oleg Leland is led towards the court. His eyes are bleary and his head pounds from the previous night's drinking. But cutting through the hangover is the fear. Leland knows that by now the KGB will have heard about his arrest. They might even consider him a defection risk, which could mean imprisonment or even death. But maybe, just maybe, there's a way he might turn this situation to his own advantage. The court calls Oleg Lyolin. Len is led to the defendant's bench. His eyes dart around the courtroom, scanning for the KGB officers who must surely be there. He sees the board magistrate, the police officers who arrested him last night, and a lone journalist with his notebook in his hand. Then he sees them. Two black suited Russians, unmistakably kgb. He glances back towards the cells. In the corridor, he sees the Special Branch officers from Scotland Yard who are waiting to whisk him away the moment this hearing ends. You are Oleg Leolin of 32 Highgate, West Hill. It's Lelyn. Yes. The charge is under the Road Safety act of 1967. Failure to provide a special specimen. The case will be heard on September 30. Bail is set at £50. Len is led back towards the cells as the court prepares for its next case. He glances over his shoulder to see the KGB officers approaching the clerk of the court to arrange his bail. But the moment he is out of sight, the two burly Special Branch officers waiting in the wings approach his escort and flash their warrant cards. We'll take the prisoner from here, Mr. Lenin. This way, please. The officers rush Leland through the corridors, out the back of the court building and bundle him into a waiting police car, which speeds off into the gray. London Morning, August 30th MI5 safe house London Lens MI5 handler Tony Brooks stares at Len in disbelief. You've got to be joking, Oleg. You can't go back to the Soviets now. It's too dangerous. Len leans forward. No, I was thinking it through in the courtroom. This is actually an opportunity. An opportunity to wind up dead. It's over, Oleg. It's time to defect. No, it's not. I can make this work. I tell them this was a deliberate British provocation, that MI5 were trying to frame me in the KGB. This is considered a great honor. It would actually improve my position there. So I could be even more useful to you. Lenin checks his watch, then fixes Brooks with a steely gaze. I've already been gone for 30 minutes. If I don't show at the trade delegation soon, they will know something's wrong. You need to let me go. What if you're wrong? What if they don't buy your story and send you back to Moscow? Leland shrugs. Even better. Then I work for you. From there, that's where I can be really useful. Brooks frowns. He doubts Leland will last a month in Moscow playing double agent for MI6. No, you're not going to Moscow. We need you here. Here. Take this card. If they decide to send you home, you call this number. If they suspect me, I won't have time for phone calls. Then we'll grab you at Heathrow before you board your flight. But either way, you stay in Britain. Does this mean you agree that I should go back now? Brooks hesitates and then nods. Leland smiles and grabs his coat. Highgate, London Oleg Lelen strides into the offices of the Soviet trade delegation. On the outside, he seems loose and cool, but inside, his mind is racing as he calculates the odds of conning his KGB bosses and the danger if he fails. All eyes in the room turn to him. He pauses for a moment, then a colleague rushes over. Comrade Len. Are you all right? We heard you were arrested. Completely fine. It was just the usual British provocations. The police were right there waiting for me. They just wanted to let us know they're watching. Nothing we haven't seen before. Thank you for inquiring though. Bl the bastards. No. Solidarity, comrade. Thank you, comrade. Oleg enters his own office, closes the door and exhales. Irina Tepliakova enters. Comrade Lelon, do you have a moment to go over your schedule for the week? Yes. Please come in. Close the door. The moment the door is closed, their formal demeanor vanishes. The two lovers rush together and embrace. Oleg, what happened? Are you alright? I am absolutely fine. This is nothing I can't handle. What are people saying here? Everyone is saying that it was a British provocation. I think they are really angry about it. Leland feels relief. His lie seems to be holding up. But he knows that he and Tepliakova must be careful about what they say here. The KGB is probably listening in. Okay. That's very good, Oleg. You won't be in trouble, will you? Will you be okay? Erushka, don't worry. This will blow over. Everything will be fine. I promise. Lelon tenderly smooths Tebrukova's hair. They kiss. Two days later the Soviet Embassy, Kensington Palace Gardens. Leland sits across from the KGB's chief or resident in London. He smooths his tie and smiles. After two days, he is now confident that his arrest has been accepted by the KGB as a British provocation and that this meeting with the Resident may even bring good news. Comrade Resident, this arrest, it was an MI5 setup. You know what the British are like. They will try anything. Oleg, this isn't about the arrest. That we can explain. This is something much more serious, something more delicate. The Resident slides an envelope across the desk. It is addressed to Len with a Moscow Post stamp. But Lelin can clearly see that it has already been opened. The letter is from one of your friends in Moscow. It was delivered to another officer by mistake and brought to my attention. Len opens the letter and begins to read. Comrade Len, I write with unfortunate and disturbing news. Since your wife returned to Moscow, she has been telling people that you were unfaithful to her in England and with many different women. She says that she will divorce you and that you yourself are disillusioned with your high priority work. Leland stops reading, his heart sinking in his chest. He may have spun his arrest to his advantage, but this letter is dynamite. The KGB will not tolerate an open scandal. And his wife's claim that he's disillusioned with the KGB could Have serious, even deadly consequences. He lowers the letter, moves to speak, but the resident cuts him off. Oleg, we have no choice. You were to go straight to the trade delegation offices and gather your belongings. You await there to be collected. You fly back to Moscow tonight. Lelon knows that there is no talking his way out of this. His career in the KGB is over. He also knows that returning to Moscow in disgrace could end with his imprisonment. Or worse. He takes a deep breath. Then an absolute clarity settles over him. He knows exactly what his next move must be.
- [14:18]
Experian
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- [15:18]
Ring
With Ring cameras and doorbells, you can see and speak to who's there from anywhere. Here's what that means for me. When the pizza arrives and I'm in the backyard, no problem. I can let them know I'll be right there. And my dog? I can keep an eye on him even when he's being sneaky. Just pan over and. Yep, caught him with my shoe again. The best part, when someone's lurking in my driveway, I can speak to them directly. Hi. Can I help you with anything? It's amazing how quickly they leave when they realize they're being watched. With Ring, you can see, speak and protect. Explore cameras, doorbells, and more@ring.com September 2, 1971.
- [16:13]
Raza Jaffrey
Oleg Lellin hurries down the street instead of central London. He scans his surroundings, then reverses direction. He ducks in and out of Shops and doorways. Deploying all his counter surveillance training to ensure he isn't being followed. It's been 10 minutes since he was told he's going back to Moscow tonight, and he can't afford even the slightest error now. Reassured he's alone, Leland steps into a red London phone box. He pauses, steals himself, and then dials the number MI5 told him to call in an emergency. This is Lelon. I need extraction with a friend today. Immediately. Oleg memorizes the address dictated to him by the anonymous voice at the other end of the line. Understood. We'll be there. Lenin hangs up. He takes a breath. There is no going back now. For a moment, time seems to stand still. Then Oleg jumps in shock at the banging on the phone box door. He spins around to see a young man with shaggy shoulder length hair. Come on, mate. You're about done in there. Lenin turns his back to the man, lifts the receiver and inserts more coins into the slot. Oi. Get a move on. This time, Leland flips him the V sign. The man gets the message and drifts away. Leland pauses, then dials the number for Irina Tepliakova. Hello? Irina, it's me, Oleg. Listen to me. I have got to go now. Right now, today. This moment. I want you to come with me. What? No. Like, what are you talking about? Things have changed. I have information from Moscow. There's nothing for us back there. Erushka, this is our chance. A new life together. Don't Erushka me, Oleg. I can't. I have a son. I can't believe this is happening. Irina, listen to me. I know these people. I know how they operate. If we go back, there will always be a stain on our records. And not just our records. Your son Ivan will have this hanging over him as well. Permanently. If you come with me, he can still have his own life. This is the best thing for all of us. Even Ivan. I'm like, I can't. I need time to think. There is no time. This is happening right now. You have to trust me, Erushka. This is it. Our chance. There will never be another. This cannot be happening. I. Okay, okay, I'll come. But what do I do? How does this work? Urushka, this is the right choice. Bring nothing. Act completely natural. Make it as if you are going shopping. I will pick you up outside the trade delegation offices. Stay away from our people until then. And Erushka? Yes? Be careful. Oleg hangs up and leaves the phone box. There's no going back now. He's about to abandon everything he ever knew and become a KGB assassination target. And he knows nothing will ever be the same again. Highgate, London Irina Tapiakova paces the front room of her apartment within the Soviet Trade Delegation compound. She stops, grabs the phone, then puts it down again and resumes pacing. Gradually she slows down, takes a deep breath, smooths her hair, approaches the phone again and dials the number for her mother in Moscow. Mama, it's Irina. No, I'm fine. Mama, can you put Ivan on? Steels herself as her 8 year old son comes to the phone. Ivan, that is wonderful. Listen, Ivan, I. Listen, Ivan, you have to be a good boy, okay? Be a good boy and do what Baba tells you, okay? I love you. I have to go now. Be a good boy, Ivan. Irina hangs up and breaks down. She sits on the edge of her bed, sobbing. Eventually she quietens down, walks to the mirror and fixes her mascara. She takes a few deep breaths, then walks to the front door, opens it, steps over the threshold and shuts the door behind her. Oleg Lelen steps into the lobby of the Soviet Trade Delegation offices in Highgate. He strolls past the receptionist and heads down the corridor towards his office. He nods and smiles at his colleagues as if everything's normal. But his heart is pounding in his chest. He has no idea what any of the people passing him in the halls may or may not know about him being sent back to Moscow in disgrace. But Len cannot allow himself to get distracted by these questions. He has only one mission. He needs to get what he came for and get out. He heads straight into his office and locks the door behind him. The second he's inside the office, Lenin opens his briefcase. But instead of emptying his desk of personal possessions as ordered, he drops to his knees and urgently begins opening his safe. This safe contains Len's top secret documents. The records of all the surveillance and sabotage plans he's been developing as an Officer of the KGB's elite department V. The safe opens to reveal stacks of brown manila envelopes, maps and other documents. Leland starts moving the documents into his briefcase. Documents he can use to prove to MI5 that everything he told them about the KGB's sabotage plans is true. Documents that can ensure MI5 upholds its promise to protect him if he defects. He reaches for another stack of brown manila envelopes, but then hears footsteps outside. He freezes as a silhouette appears behind the panels of frosted glass mounted in the door to his office. The silhouette stops walking and then the person at the door knocks and tries the door handle. Comrade Len, are you There, Leland maintains absolute silence as the door handle rattles once more. The person outside moves on, and Leland gets back to stuffing KGB documents into his briefcase.
- [23:32]
Claude
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- [24:38]
Raza Jaffrey
To craft since 1905 September 3, 1971 Earl's Court, London In a safe house, MI5 officer Tony Brooks and Oleg Lelen sit opposite each other at the kitchen table. Spread on the table between them are a mass of maps and documents. These are the top secret KGB files that Lelen smuggled after the Soviet trade delegation. Files that expose the KGB's covert operations in the UK. It's 24 hours since Lelin carried out his high risk heist of KGB intel and fled the Soviet trade delegation with Irina Taplyakova in tow. But now that they've defected, the Soviets will start covering their tracks. And that means Brooks and MI5 are in a race against time to make the most of the information Lelens brought them. Brooks points to a map of Heyburn Wyke in Yorkshire covered with arrows and handwritten notes scrawled in the margins in Russian. Okay, explain this map here. I told you if a war was starting, we would land Spetsnaz troops here. This was my job, to find the landing spots and plot their route to the nuclear attack warning station at Filingdales. When I told you all this before, I could tell you didn't believe me. Do you believe me now? Brooks doesn't Comment? LEN continues TALKING the evidence is all here and I have much more, I can tell. But I need your assurance that Irina and I will be taken care of. We want to live in comfort and have full protection. New identities, everything. You have our assurance on that. What is this document? That. That's Holly Lock in Scotland, where the Americans have their submarine base. We have modified civilian planes that will pretend to go off course. Then they drop their mines into the estuary and trap the submarines in the loch. Lelen opens the next folder. Inside are maps of London Underground routes through the city. This one here is in the early stages, but it's one of my favorites. The plan is to flood the London Underground. It's a priority to disable your transport networks and make all British trains run late. Late trains? We have those already. I don't think we need help from the KGB for that. Yeah, but Moscow doesn't understand that. To be honest, they overestimate British capabilities in most things. Here's something for you, though. Want to know why your surveillance vehicles can never properly track or follow our agents? Go on, then. Then talk to this chapter. Siraj Abdul Kadir. He works at the Greater London Council Vehicle Registration Unit, but he's also been an agent for us for four years. He checks the registrations of vehicles we suspect are MI5 or Special Branch. That's why we see your cars coming from a mile away. Bloody hell. And this is just the beginning. The Botman V is not just in the uk. We have people in Paris, Washington, Lagos, Mexico City, Tokyo. I can tell you what I know about the operations in these cities, too. Like how there are plans to poison the water supply in Washington. But first I'd like to see Irina. Brooks eyes Leland suspiciously. Everything he said so far has checked out. But Brooks still can't help wondering whether Lelen's inflating his claims ahead of asking for more money. You'll see her when we're finished here. And I understand every single detail of these plans. Brooks and Lelin eye each other once again across the table. Lelin sighs, exhausted, but reaches again for another of the manila envelopes. It's a few days later, and in a West London hotel room, Irina Tepliakova crouches by the TV set and changes the channel. Oh, no. Crossroads. She switches off the tv, lies down on the bed and stares at the ceiling. She's been here a week now. In the adjoining room, armed Special Branch officers are on guard and there's nothing to do but pace the room and stare at the TV. All she knows is MI5 won't let her see Leland until he's been fully debriefed. The door to the adjoining room opens and one of the Special Branch officers wheels in yet another room service meal. Good dinner, Mom. Thank you. Do you have any idea how much longer I'll have to stay here? Couldn't say, Mom. Not much longer, I should think. Do you know something? Today is my 10th wedding anniversary. Yeah, right, Mom. Congratulations. I'll be next door if you need anything else. Thank you. Officer Tabliakova lifts the lid of the dinner tray, but can't face another of the hotel's meals. She places the lid back on the tray, collapses back down on the bed and stares blankly at the ceiling. One week later 1971 Greater London Council offices in the Motor Vehicle Registration Department, Siraj Abdul Khadir sits at his desk, working his way through a pile of license applications. He freezes as two police officers enter and stride swiftly towards him. Mr. Siraj Abdul Khadiya? Yes. I'm DCI Gordon Fryer of Special Branch. We have a warrant to search your desk and your person. Please stand up. What? You can't do that. This is bloody outrageous. Abdul Qadir stands from his chair and puffs out his chest in indignation. DCI Friar's fellow officer moves in and puts a strong grip on Abdul Khadir's shoulder. Best just comply, sunshine. All right. The two officers search Abdul Khadi's pockets. They open his wallet. Inside there's a card with the contact details for Oleg Lelon, along with a list of vehicle license plates. DCI Friar picks up a list of vehicle registrations. Care to explain this, Mr. Abdul Kadir? That? Oh, it's. I collect registrations. It's just my hobby. I haven't done anything wrong. DCI Friar puts down the list and then picks up Leland's card. And who's card is this? Oh, he's a. He's a friend of mine. Mr. Abdul Qadir. We know whose card this is. And we know about your work for the kgb. It would really be best if you just come clean. Oh, I. Look, I've been a fool. Those. Those Russian swine, they blackmailed me. I never meant any harm. It was just a bit of fun. Abdul Qadir looks at the floor and ruse. The day he ever met Lelon. September 21, 1971. Number 10 Downing street in the cabinet Room, Prime Minister Ted Heath settles into his leather backed chair. He nods at the six government ministers sitting around the room's long green bays. Covered Table MI5's long campaign to expel Soviet intelligence officers from Britain has come down to this top secret meeting. And there's just one item on the agenda. Operation Foot. The Foreign Office planned to expel 105 Soviet officials suspected of spying. Heath looks at his Foreign Secretary, Sir Alec Douglas Hume. Alec, is there anything we should know in addition to what's in the briefing papers? Only the need to move with haste. The recent defective from the Soviet trade delegation increases the risk of the Soviets anticipating our action now. My vibe's advice is that the longer we wait, the more time the Soviets will have to withdraw and redistribute their intelligence effort. Heath nods but looks unsure. Understood. But have we thought through the consequences of Operation Foot fully? Well, Ted, we've spent a lot of time on this. Honestly, it's unpredictable. Poke the bear and it might bite back. But I do feel we have thought through all eventualities. But what about the Americans and our other NATO allies? We're not telling them what we're about to do. The White House wants de escalation. They're not going to like it. True, but we have exhausted all diplomatic options with the Soviets. But thanks to our recent defector, we know that they are actively plotting against us. Our choice is to either say that we accept that or to make a stand and remove their intelligence officers. Heath nods. Indeed. And what's the Foreign Office read on the response we can expect from the Russians themselves? There's a number of ways it could play out. At the very least, we can expect them to expel some of our diplomats in Moscow and there will be plenty of diplomatic posturing. But the reality is, no government has ever expelled so many spies at once. There's simply no telling how the Soviets will respond. But Alec, you know the Soviets. How do you assess the risk here? Sir Alec thinks for a moment and then replies, Ted, there comes a moment to draw a line in the sand, to cast the dice and face the storm, come what may. This is one of those times. And I would add that by now the Soviets will know about our defector and they will be moving to clean house as we speak. If this is to be done, it must be done right now. Heath pauses and sips his whiskey. He knows his decision could alter the course of the Cold War. Maybe for better, maybe for worse. A line in the sand. Yes, you're right. Operation Foot must happen. Let's give the bear's cage a bloody good rattle. The decision is made. Britain is about to stand up to the might of the Soviet Union and face the consequences. And it's a huge risk, one that could heat up Cold War tensions and drag the world closer to the abyss of nuclear war. Wondery plus subscribers can binge full seasons of the Spy who early and ad free on Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app from Wondery this is the third episode in our series the Spy who Saved MI5. A quick note about our dialogue we can't know everything that was said or done behind closed doors, particularly far back in history, but our scenes are written using the best available sources, so even if a scene or conversation has been recreated for dramatic effect, it's still based on biographical research. The Spy who is hosted by me, Raza Jaffrey. Our show is produced by Vespucci with writing and story editing by Yellow Ant for Wandering For Yellow Ant, this episode was written by J.S. raffaelli and researched by Marina Watson. Karen Lowe is our story editor and our managing producer is Jay Priest. For Vespucci, our senior producer is Thomas Currie and our sound designer is Iver Manley. Matt Willis is the supervising producer. Music supervisor is Scott Velasquez for Frison Sink. Executive producers for Vespucci are Johnny Galvin and Daniel Turkan. Executive producer for Yellow Ant is Tristram Donovan. Our managing producer for Wondery is Rachel Sibley. Executive producers for Wondery are Estelle Doyle, Jessica Radburn and Marshall Louie.