Soviet spy ‘in U.S.’

Press, 14 October 1985, Page 6

Soviet spy ‘in U.S.’

NZPA-AFP Washington The American State Department has confirmed that a Soviet diplomat alleged to be a senior official of the K.G.B. Intelligence service had been in the United States since August. Late last month news reports said that the diplomat, Vitali Yurchenko — officially aSoviet Foreign Ministry adviser and allegedly a veteran K.G.B. man — was in the United States after having disappeared in August during a visit in Italy and had been questioned by the Central Intelligence Agency for several weeks.

A State Department spokesman said that Yurchenko had gone to America of his own free will but had asked that his presence not be made public. He allegedly was the number two man in the North American office of the K.G.B.’s Ist Chief Directorate — which handles spying in foreign countries. — and was in charge of K.G.B. Intelligence operations in the United States and Canada, said the State Department.

During an allegedly long career in the K.G.B. Yurchenko had held many different jobs, including head of counter-espionage and a stint at the Soviet Embassy in Washington from 1975 to 1980.

The State Department spokesman refused to comment on whether he would be granted political asylum.