In 2010, two decades after the Cold War had ended, ten Russian spies were arrested in America, having hidden their true identities from their friends, neighbours and even their children. They were part of a spy programme that had begun nearly a century earlier. These deep-cover missions - some remarkable feats of espionage, others high-profile failures - could last for decades.
Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews, and newly-discovered archival material, The Illegals is a page-turning tour de force, that shines new light on the long arc of the Soviet experiment and its messy aftermath - and on how that hidden history shaped Russia and the West.
| ISBN: | 9781788167789 |
| Publication date: | 9th April 2026 |
| Author: | Shaun Walker |
| Publisher: | Profile Books an imprint of Profile |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 448 pages |
| Primary Genre | History |
| Other Genres: |
In 2010, two decades after the Cold War had ended, ten Russian spies were arrested in America, having hidden their true identities from their friends, neighbours and even their children. They were part of a spy programme that had begun nearly a century earlier. These deep-cover missions - some remarkable feats of espionage, others high-profile failures - could last for decades.
Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews, and newly-discovered archival material, The Illegals is a page-turning tour de force, that shines new light on the long arc of the Soviet experiment and its messy aftermath - and on how that hidden history shaped Russia and the West.
The Illegals features in the following genres: Biographies & Autobiographies, History, Cold wars and proxy conflicts, Espionage and secret services
The Illegals is available in Paperback, Hardback
The Illegals was written by Shaun Walker and published by Profile Books an imprint of Profile
The Illegals has 448 pages
£10.79
