The Road to Afghanistan - George Washington University

The “cook” Mikhail T. poisoned the Coca-Cola that was served to Amin at lunch inthe Ark Palace. Amin sensed no danger and eagerly consumed the Coca-Cola and devouredthe meal cooked by his Soviet “cook.” Certain that the poison had been consumed, the“cook” called the office of a Soviet economic adviser and uttered the code phrase: “Please,tell me the status of acquiring additional furniture for my apartment in Mikrorayon.” Thismeant that he had fulfilled his task and was prepared to retreat. The KGB operative whotook the phone used the code phrase signaling that Mikhail could leave and find shelter inthe Soviet embassy.It was assumed that the poison would work within five to six hours after itsconsumption. During that time, the Muslim Battalion, Zenit, two detachments ofparatroopers, and a unit of border guards that were appointed to conduct the operationwere to begin advancing towards the sites to be captured: Amin’s residence, the Ministry ofDefense, the Central Army Corps headquarters, the Ministry of the Interior, the TV andradio center, KAM headquarters, and the Puli-Charkhi Prison.Mikhail T. reached the embassy safely and reported to Bogdanov, who brought himto the apartment of one of his co-workers. “Stay here for now. In the evening we will sendyou to Bagram, and then back to Moscow.”Bogdanov himself rushed to his residence, where he planned to have dinner withAsadullah Amin, during which the head of the Afghan special services was to be poisoned. Itwas planned that Bogdanov and Asadullah Amin would be joined for dinner by Ivanov anda Soviet interpreter. However, Boris Semyonovich decided at the last minute that it wouldnot be appropriate for him, a general and a personal representative of Andropov, toparticipate in such a sensitive affair.688