The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

Afghanistan. Valery attempted to explain to his boss that nothing that he had disclosed reflectedhis views or interpretation of events, and that he had added nothing to what the agent, whom IvanIvanovich had known personally since he had been a KGB operative in Kabul many years ago, hadtold him yesterday.“Then your agent is a traitor!” exclaimed Ershov hysterically.“He is not my agent. This is a KGB Foreign Intelligence agent. I didn’t recruit him. You werethe one who ordered me to work with him,” responded Starostin.“Never mind. Soon you will not have to work with these people.”Having said that, Ershov quickly walked towards the entrance of the embassy. In order tocool down, Valery took a walk around the embassy compound. He looked at the fresh grass, at theblooming bushes and flowerbeds. After that he went to see Orlov-Morozov. Orlov-Morozov wasnot alone in his office. He and Khotyaev seemed to be working on some document. Starostinshared the information that he had received at the previous day’s meeting with Khost with them.He also mentioned Ivan Ivanovich’s reaction to the briefing. Khotyaev became emotional. Orlov-Morozov asked, “Do you know, Valery, what is the purpose of Ivan Ivanovich’s mission to Kabul?”“I think he came to replace Osadchiy, to be our boss.”“No, he came to conduct negotiations about the establishment of the KGB RepresentativeOffice in Afghanistan. So, with that in mind, do you think he needs your information about theintensifying contradictions within the leadership of the country? Now he has a differentperspective on what’s happening, and different goals.”“So are you telling me that we will not be reporting this information to Moscow? This issuch an important signal!” Khotyaev said with agitation.“It’s Ivan Ivanovich, now, who has the right to sign off on your cables. He now is the senior149