I Will Die For Britain: The Persistence and Perseverance of Oleg Gordievsky

What makes a Londoner, a Londoner?  What constitutes identity? These are two of the many essential questions that we continue to explore in this harrowing conclusion to our story about Oleg Gordievsky, a KGB colonel turned MI6 agent, the second episode in a three-part arc exploring espionage in and around Great Britain. We’ll question what motivates Gordievsky to continue to spy for England rather than defect to London when his life is at stake, and examine how his choices greatly affected both his personal life and the world at-large.We will study:Gordievsky as a double agent working for MI6 within the Soviet Rezidentura, first in Copenhagen, then in London his contributions to Western securityhis purely ideological motivation MI6 and their plan to protect and exfiltrate their prized spy, if necessary the impact and aftermath of Oleg’s decisions on his personal life and that of his familythe complicated relationships between allied intelligence agencies the despicable traitor who sacrificed Gordievsky for his own personal gainWhy does a man who has already given another country everything he has keep going when he knows his life is in mortal peril? You won’t want to miss this incredible story of dedication, heroism, and ultimate betrayal. NOTE OF APOLOGY: While editing, Jen discovered a regrettable mistake of tongue, and she deeply regrets unintentionally referring to Ukraine as “The Ukraine” twice in this episode. This unfortunate error was the result of an old habit learned during Cold War era grade school social studies classes, and she is dedicated to removing that phrasing from her vernacular. She absolutely recognizes Ukraine as an independent nation and not as a region within Russia. As such, she would like to extend  a sincere apology for the error. YLT firmly supports Ukraine and its people! 🇺🇦 ✊🏼🇺🇦Additional notes, links, and photos can be found in our show notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/112nA9KZFWQHe4gF7Hc4MQxZfOuyCYYBO9w2hWI64ULM/editDo you like what you hear?  Please help us find our audience by spreading some good cheer with a 5 star rating and review on Apple Podcasts!Our website  https://yltpodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Follow us on:Twitter @YLT_PodFacebook @Yesterday’s London Times PodcastInstagram @Yesterday’s London Times Podcast