The Spy and the Traitor

samu

Feb. 22, 2022

The Spy and the Traitor - 11

Summary no. 11.
This is a real story.

It finally came the break Oleg had long been waiting for. A post in the KGB station of Copenhagen had opened up. He would be officialy posted there as a Soviet diplomat, but in reality, Oleg would run KGB illegals*. In January 1966, Oleg and his wife landed at Copenhagen airport. Oleg gradually fell in love with the astounding Danish capital and its people. It is hard to depict Oleg’s feelings towards this rich, marvellous, modern and progressive city. It was overwhelmingly different to the dim, communist Moscow. As one MI6 officer remarked, “if you had to choose one city to show the advantages of Western democracy over Communism, you could hardly do better than Copenhagen.” The Danish progressive thinking was far beyond** even for European standards. At the same time, Oleg didn’t think much of the KGB Copenhagen station. Many of the KGB agents made up their reports to conceal their laziness, pocketed their wages and enjoyed what Denmark had to offer. It wasn’t long before Oleg started to stand out from his colleagues. A big part of his job was to look out for and get secretly through to the illegals. This was nerve-shredding and time-consuming. Not only did he cope with that, he also went beyond his duties, breaking new ground. A year into Oleg’s posting, a new station head arrived—the Ukrainian Mikhail Lyubimov. Oleg and Mikhail took to one another immediately. They shared the same tastes for music, literature and arts, but the Western ones.

*An “illegal”, in intelligence parlance, was a spy who worked under no formal cover, posing as an ordinary citizen. Hence I didn't write, "the KGB illegals". Is it right?

**By “beyond” I meant sort of that Danish people were far more progressive than other “progressive“ Europeans.

en 1

Correct

Corrections

LuvX_Sunflowers

It finally came; the break Oleg had long been waiting for.

A post in the KGB station of Copenhagen had opened up.

He would be officialy posted there as a Soviet diplomat, but in reality, Oleg would run KGB illegals*.

In January 1966, Oleg and his wife landed at Copenhagen airport.

Oleg gradually fell in love with the astounding Danish capital and its people.

It is hard to depict Oleg’s feelings towards this rich, marvellous, modern and progressive city.

It was overwhelmingly different to the dim, communist Moscow.

As one MI6 officer remarked, “if you had to choose one city to show the advantages of Western democracy over Communism, you could hardly do better than Copenhagen.” The Danish progressive way of thinking was far beyond** established progressive thought of the time even for European standards.

At the same time, Oleg didn’t think much of the KGB Copenhagen station.

Many of the KGB agents made up their reports to conceal their laziness, pocketed their wages and enjoyed what Denmark had to offer.

It wasn’t long before Oleg started to stand out from his colleagues.

A big part of his job was to look out for and get secretly through to the illegals.

This was nerve-shredding and time-consuming.

Not only did he cope with that, he also went beyond his duties, breaking new ground.

A year into Oleg’s posting, a new station head arrived—the Ukrainian Mikhail Lyubimov.

Oleg and Mikhail took to one another immediately.

They shared the same tastes for music, literature and arts, ~~but~~except for the Western ones.

*An “illegal”, in intelligence parlance, was a spy who worked under no formal cover, posing as an ordinary citizen.

Feedback

Excellent! I enjoyed your story and you write so well. Please keep at it!

samu

Feb. 23, 2022

Many thanks

samu

Feb. 23, 2022

They shared the same tastes for music, literature and arts, ~~but~~except for the Western ones.

I meant the opposite. They liked Western music, Western literature and Western art. I simply didn't know how to avoid repeating "Western" three times. Would it do just one at the beginning?

LuvX_Sunflowers

Feb. 23, 2022

You can say: "They liked Western music, literature and art." You don't have to put Western etc, Western etc. If you want to specify you like like Western music, but literature and art in general, then you can say: "They liked literature, art, and Western music."

samu

Feb. 25, 2022

Thanks

The Spy and the Traitor - 11

Summary no.

11.

This is a real story.

It finally came the break Oleg had long been waiting for.

It finally came; the break Oleg had long been waiting for.

A post in the KGB station of Copenhagen had opened up.