The Foreign intelligence section of the Estonian KGB was handed the usual assignment by its headquarters in Moscow - to access and retrieve political and economic information from abroad, by concentrating most of this effort in countries with a significant Estonian diaspora community. However more vital than this were orders from the KGB HQ’s department 19 - targeting the diaspora community took precedence over other operations.

One operational sector not handed to the foreign intelligence of the KGB in Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius etc., was the placement of illegal operatives in foreign countries, KGB-affiliated individuals who would have no diplomatic immunity and therefore vulnerable to arrest and prosecution abroad.

Some Estonians who fulfilled tasks originating from KGB headquarters and weren’t accredited diplomats: Raivo Ojasaar (aka Markus Larsson), Tass’ correspondent in Helsinki, 1981-1986; Enn Anupõld, Soviet Central TV and Moscow Radio representative in Helsinki, 1972-1974 and 1986-1990; Vladimir Illjasevits, aka Vladimir Ivlev, (as mentioned before, a career KGB officer), the Soviet Union’s APN correspondent in the Scandinavian countries.

Even individuals well known to the public…

(Pikemalt saab lugeda Eesti Elu 14. mai 2021 paber- ja PDF/Digilehest)

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