How a KGB spy's erectile dysfunction changed history
Summary
Ben McIntyre discusses his book *Redwood*, detailing how KGB major Vladimir Kozichkin defected to MI6 in 1981 Tehran primarily to cure his erectile dysfunction. The resulting intelligence exposed a Soviet plot to install a communist government in Iran, leading to the execution of thousands of Iranian communists and consolidating the Ayatollah’s power. McIntyre explores the human cost of this Cold War victory, noting that while it averted potential nuclear conflict, it also helped create a brutal regime. The story concludes with Kozichkin’s life in Britain, where he unknowingly treated actor…
Topics discussed
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Introduction to the story of KGB spy Kozichkin
Kozichkin's role and the Soviet coup plot in Iran
Iran under the Shah and the 1979 Revolution
Kozichkin's personal crisis and meeting MI6
MI6 agent Ian McCready and the bathroom meeting
How McCready was recruited to MI6
The risks of being a double agent and the name Redwood
Intelligence on KGB inefficiency and the Canadian mole
Handling sensitive intel and the Rockex encryption machine
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Redwood's mental breakdown and wife's refusal to flee
The escape plan and the decision to go alone
The tense escape across the Turkish border
Consequences: Informing Iran and the purge of communists
Reflections on the human element and Cold War stakes
Speculating on the impact if Viagra existed in 1981
Kozichkin's new life and connection to Alec Guinness
Closing remarks and book promotion
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