Jack Barsky

Yeah, right.

I was also asked to operate as a spotter.

You know, when the KGB had a methodology how to recruit people, first you got a spotter who looks for talent.

So are you looking for people to flip Americans who might work for the KGB?

So at the time, the Soviet Union has this kind of research process called Operation Ryan.

Just for the listener, Operation Ryan was this kind of insane thing where spies all over the world were asked to just give the Soviet Union confirmation that America was going to start a nuclear war, basically.

You are the first and only interviewer who knows exactly what that was.

I didn't know at the time.

I wasn't told there was an operation, but I was told to periodically take a look at the Navy weapons station at the shore of New Jersey.

to just go look at it or what?

See if I see signs of preparation for war.

I was also trained to recognize based on the silhouette, what kind of ships are out there.

Oh, wow.

And I had no idea I was part of that program.

But you're reporting back on sort of what you're seeing as possible war preparations.

I never saw anything out of the ordinary.

In fact, there was no preparation for war.

But the fellow who was in charge of the KGB at that time, Andropov, was absolutely certain that Ronald Reagan will push the button.

OK, that's fascinating because there's controversy over whether Andropov actually believed Reagan wanted to start a nuclear war or if they just wanted us to think they believed that.

No, I believe...