The Cold War had been over for two decades when in 2010 ten Russian agents were arrested in
the United States after a decade-long FBI operation. Among the spies were three couples who had
lived as Americans for years and one agent who had lived undercover for so long that he could
barely even speak Russian. They had hidden their true identities from their children
neighbours and even their partners. The Illegals captures the untold history of Russia's deep
cover spy programme following its evolution from the talented "great Illegals" of the 1920s
and '30s up to the 21st century when agents maintained their fake identities and loyalties
even after the fall of the Soviet Union. Through hundreds of interviews and access to
never-before-seen archives Shaun Walker exposes the colourful history of the KGB's most
secretive espionage project.
