Inside Story

The investigative documentary series reveals the story of Russia's master spies - known as the "illegals" or "sleepers". "We take a standard Russian," explains one retired illegal, "and turn him into a standard Canadian. Then we infiltrate him into another country and let him burrow his way into the highest levels of government, army or establishment. This takes years, but we are patient." Despite the end of the Cold War, spies are still a vital ingredient of all governments in Russia - whether communist or would-be capitalist. But they are now denied the ease of operating from embassies under diplomatic cover, so Moscow's rulers are even more dependent upon the elite of Russia's intelligence officers whose activities have until now been shrouded in secrecy.
For the first time, the illegals talk about their success as master spies. And they reveal an unexpected sting to their story - when recalled, their own bosses in the KGB often suspect them of having been corrupted by the time they have spent in the west.