Just finished watching this series which was on TV in Australia years ago. It is about the activities of a Russian born British spy in Russia, Sidney Riley, who was a real person, in the period from 1904 to 1930. It does seem to accurately reflects Russian history andt there is a very interesting piece in the last few episodes in relation to Russian Counter Intelligence operations.
According to the series, Felix Dzerzhinsky, the head of the Cheka Secret police, with Lenin's approval set up an organisation called the Trust. The Trust purported to be the premier organisation opposed to the Bolsheviks, both inside and outside of Russia, supposedly with a brief to see their government overthrown. The Trust became so successful that it was funded by British, US and other European governments who were completely take in by it, and devoted millions of dollars to it, effectively funding the Russian international intelligence service. It was however completely controlled by the Cheka and was the cover from which they controlled hundreds of spies and intelligence operatives throughout the west. There were many many people (useful fools) in the organisation who were truly dedicated to the overthrow of the government but of course all and any plans made to create mischief in Russia were immediately known about by the Checka and easily foiled.
This would seem to be one of the earlier examples of cointel in action.
According to the series, Felix Dzerzhinsky, the head of the Cheka Secret police, with Lenin's approval set up an organisation called the Trust. The Trust purported to be the premier organisation opposed to the Bolsheviks, both inside and outside of Russia, supposedly with a brief to see their government overthrown. The Trust became so successful that it was funded by British, US and other European governments who were completely take in by it, and devoted millions of dollars to it, effectively funding the Russian international intelligence service. It was however completely controlled by the Cheka and was the cover from which they controlled hundreds of spies and intelligence operatives throughout the west. There were many many people (useful fools) in the organisation who were truly dedicated to the overthrow of the government but of course all and any plans made to create mischief in Russia were immediately known about by the Checka and easily foiled.
This would seem to be one of the earlier examples of cointel in action.