If you’ve ever watched the hit television show The Americans, you’ve probably been simultaneously terrified and mesmerized by the concept that a hostile foreign government could successfully plant undercover spies into your friends, your neighbors, your family. Well, it doesn't just make great fiction, it's proven fact.
Jack Barsky is a former KGB spy from the "Soviet illegals" program. Under orders and training from the most clandestine division of Russian intelligence, Jack left East Germany in his 20s to successfully infiltrate the United States with the intent to bring about our end. Jack lived, worked, and created an entirely false identity of family and friends during a decade long period in which he secretly took orders from the KGB.
(Interview Begins at 11:20)
If you've ever wondered about the realities of international espionage, this is an interview you do not want to miss. Jack's life is not only fantastic and thrilling, but inspirational. Over time he came to understand the horrors of communism, defect from the USSR for love of his daughter and his life in America, and eventually not only found a spiritual faith, but became an advocate of United States' democracy.
In this fascinating interview Jack gives insight into his extremely interesting life, but also uses his incredibly unique experience of living in both systems of communism and democracy to provide thoughts on where modern America is possibly going wrong. This interview covers everything from undercover spy work, to the Putin invasion of Ukraine, to American politics, cancel culture, and God.
So give it a listen, and then pick up a copy of Jack's autobiography "Deep Undercover" to learn more about his life, or listen to the excellent podcast series "The Agent."
And also, please remember to subscribe to this show so you don't miss any of our terrific upcoming interviews, and follow the Independent Riot on the www.callin.com app to be notified of our upcoming live, call in, episodes.
Thanks for listening, and keep thinking for yourself!