Chapter 8

"Comrades, we haven't been this united all year!" The head of the Secret Police, Aleksey, said in a drawn-out voice, "Can't you leave a good impression on us, little Yury?"

It made sense, but it felt strange to hear such a tirade from the head of the KGB's secret police. If there were differences in reputation within the KGB, the Secret Police undoubtedly ranked at the top. Some people even equated the Secret Police with the entire KGB, though in reality, it was just one of over twenty departments.

Just as Yury was about to retort, a door slam interrupted him. Two people entered one after the other. The first had a prominent forehead, his distinctive hair marking him as the current Chairman of the State Security Committee, Alexander Nikolaevich Shelepin. Following him was the head of the First Directorate, which ranked first internally, Lieutenant General Sakhatorvsky.

Though the meeting room was not small, the air was thick with smoke from over twenty people. Shelepin, however, paid no attention to this, casually pulling out a cigarette and demonstrating the power of a role model in front of his subordinates. With such a chairman, the heads of the various departments naturally felt more at ease.

"Today, we will meet to discuss the problems we have encountered over the past year!" Shelepin cleared his throat and swallowed with difficulty, a consequence of excessive smoking, but he didn't care. "Everyone knows our work, which involves not only preventing internal and external enemies from infiltrating and subverting us but also protecting the country's economic development. Now, let the head of the First Directorate, Comrade Sakhatorvsky, speak!"

Since the establishment of the Soviet Union, it has faced challenges from powerful enemies. The First Directorate, responsible for foreign intelligence, naturally ranked first. Apart from the domestic counter-espionage department, Shelepin and others had no objections, showing respect for the First Directorate's work.

"I'll give a brief overview!" Sakhatorvsky, the Lieutenant General, glanced around and said calmly, "We use Egypt as a base to project our influence in all directions. Currently, we have established very good relations with local forces in Sudan, Syria, Iraq, and Algeria. The French African and Middle East departments have worked hard, and our presence in Egypt is the most stable. Sudan and Iraq can be prioritized for development!"

"Comrades, if you have any thoughts on the work of the First Directorate, speak up now! Tomorrow is the general meeting, and it's best not to leave any questions on the table!" Shelepin listened to the report and frequently gestured to his subordinates.

After some discussion, Yury twirled his pen and said, "Comrade Sakhatorvsky, the two factions in Iraq seem on the verge of war. Personally, I suggest provoking a war. Only in a state of war can the people's consciousness be stimulated, and our communists can demonstrate their organizational capabilities. Therefore, I recommend strongly supporting the Iraqi Communist Party!"

Iraq was already in a state of quasi-civil war, and a minor conflict could quickly escalate into a full-scale battle. Iraqi political forces included parties and religious groups, Arab nationalists, and Western bourgeois forces. The Soviet Union should officially support the current government but could secretly support the Iraqi Communist Party.

"I have decided to set up a training camp in Azerbaijan. As for the specifics, I will discuss them with the Military Administration and Border Guard departments after the New Year!" Sakhatorvsky spoke confidently, clearly preparing for a major operation in Iraq.

After Sakhatorvsky finished, the heads of various departments, starting with the domestic counter-espionage department, reported on their achievements and issues for the year, including the Military Administration's purge of Bonapartists, the specific duties of the Transportation Management Department, and the organizational issues of the Secret Police's garrison forces.

Shelepin, sitting to the side, didn't finish listening to each issue. If he felt it was important, he would have the secretary note it down to mention to Khrushchev later.

"Our Fourth Directorate is newly established, and many domestic networks are still blind spots! However, we still need to work with the Red Navy to map global shipping routes and underwater hydrographic features! This makes our work very difficult!" Lieutenant General Kikinov, the head of the Transportation Management Department, said with some embarrassment, "Mapping the road networks of various cities and the domestic railway network already requires a significant amount of manpower, which can be solved. But mapping the hydrographic features of global waters is very challenging, especially given that our Red Navy is at a disadvantage compared to Western navies..."

"Comrade Kikinov, don't complain about the difficulties of the work. Every department's work is very difficult!" Shelepin said with a moderate tone, then turned to the other department heads and asked, "Although the work is divided by department, I believe you have some valuable experiences to share..."

Knock, knock... Yury thought for a moment and said, "I believe Comrade Kikinov has the energy to solve domestic issues. I want to talk about the collection of global maritime and hydrographic data!"

"Please, Comrade Yury, share your thoughts!" Kikinov, the Lieutenant General, could not underestimate this younger colleague, as Yury, though young, had made greater contributions to the KGB than any other department head.

"Just a suggestion!" Yury humbly said, then continued, "My suggestion is for the Transportation Management Department to collaborate with the Maritime Department. Through acquisitions and purchases, or by building our own, we should aim to establish a long-distance fleet within three years. Under the guise of long-distance fishing, we can explore the global seas, using sonar and other technologies to map the areas we fish. After returning, we can make adjustments. This way, we can complete the survey of global waters and provide our people with delicious seafood. After all, we are a cold country, and our people need to enjoy the diverse flavors of the world..."

Yury's suggestion was not entirely original, as it was a method the Soviet Union began using in the 1960s. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union's long-distance fishing fleet was a dominant force in global oceans, often frustrating the U.S. Navy. Even the U.S. Navy found it difficult to deal with the Soviet fishing fleet, let alone other countries.

"Good, Yury's suggestion is excellent! We will immediately establish a long-distance fleet. We can work with the German Democratic Republic to acquire and build ships, and also contact Greece and Italy! Use multiple channels to complete this task!" Shelepin immediately approved Yury's suggestion.

[Thank you all for your support!]

Page break for ads

Page break for ads end