• Spies Among Us: How to Be a Spy Without Getting Run Over by the KGB or CIA or Traffic

  • Jan 13 2025
  • Length: 18 mins
  • Podcast

Spies Among Us: How to Be a Spy Without Getting Run Over by the KGB or CIA or Traffic

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    The "Moscow Rules" are a set of survival guidelines created during the Cold War to help spies operate covertly in Moscow, a city under constant surveillance. These rules emphasized that everyone, even seemingly ordinary people, could be a potential spy. Spies faced relentless monitoring by the KGB, and any deviation from normal behavior could raise suspicion. To avoid detection, spies were instructed to maintain a low profile, avoiding provocative actions like running across streets or jaywalking. They were also advised to be cautious about speaking freely at home or work, as both locations were likely bugged.

    Additional guidelines included avoiding routine deviations, using one-way radios for communication, employing tradecraft techniques like chalk marks, microdots, and dead drops, and always assuming that enemies were watching. These rules were taught to CIA operatives like Tony Mendez in a secure room at the U.S. Embassy, known as the "Cone of Silence." Though initially developed for Cold War operations, the Moscow Rules have evolved and continue to inform espionage tactics in today’s world. Spying, though modernized, remains a dangerous and high-stakes endeavor.

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