This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-50580937
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Goar Vartanyan: Russian spy who 'changed history' dies at 93 | Goar Vartanyan: Russian spy who 'changed history' dies at 93 |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Russia has paid tribute to a former Soviet intelligence officer it credits with uncovering a Nazi plot to kill the Allied leaders Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt during World War Two. | Russia has paid tribute to a former Soviet intelligence officer it credits with uncovering a Nazi plot to kill the Allied leaders Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt during World War Two. |
Goar Vartanyan died on Monday at the age of 93. She was married to Soviet spy Gevork Vartanian, who died in 2012. | Goar Vartanyan died on Monday at the age of 93. She was married to Soviet spy Gevork Vartanian, who died in 2012. |
Without the pair "the history of our world could have been different", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. | Without the pair "the history of our world could have been different", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. |
"These are people who left their mark on the history of mankind." | "These are people who left their mark on the history of mankind." |
Born in what was then Soviet Armenia in 1926, Vartanyan moved to Iran in the 1930s. At 16 she joined an anti-fascist group led by her future husband, who was already working as a spy. They allegedly exposed hundreds of Nazi agents in the country. | Born in what was then Soviet Armenia in 1926, Vartanyan moved to Iran in the 1930s. At 16 she joined an anti-fascist group led by her future husband, who was already working as a spy. They allegedly exposed hundreds of Nazi agents in the country. |
The group was given responsibility for securing a 1943 conference in the Iranian capital, Tehran, where the British, Soviet and American leaders met to discuss their strategy for fighting the war. | The group was given responsibility for securing a 1943 conference in the Iranian capital, Tehran, where the British, Soviet and American leaders met to discuss their strategy for fighting the war. |
The group are said to have uncovered a plot - known as Operation Long Jump - to kill the "Big Three" Allied leaders and arrested the would-be Nazi assassins. | The group are said to have uncovered a plot - known as Operation Long Jump - to kill the "Big Three" Allied leaders and arrested the would-be Nazi assassins. |
The plot was allegedly commanded by the infamous Austrian-born Nazi commando Otto Skorzeny but was foiled after transmissions were intercepted by Soviet operatives. | |
However, Skorzeny later wrote in his memoirs that the plot never existed. | |
Goar and Gevork Vartanyan moved to the Soviet Union in 1951 and later worked together as spies posted overseas under deep cover - as part of the so-called "illegals" programme - from 1956 to 1986, Russia's SVR foreign intelligence agency said. Her code name was Anita and his Anri. | |
Mr Peskov, spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, said Russia's leader - a former intelligence agent - knew the pair well. | Mr Peskov, spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, said Russia's leader - a former intelligence agent - knew the pair well. |
"He is a Hero of the Soviet Union! She is the heroine of all his achievements! He passed away first. She passed away today," the SVR said in a statement. | "He is a Hero of the Soviet Union! She is the heroine of all his achievements! He passed away first. She passed away today," the SVR said in a statement. |
Previous version
1
Next version