Former KGB Spy Rates 9 Russian Spy Scenes In Movies | How Real Is It? | Insider

Jack Barsky is a former sleeper agent of the KGB who spied on the US from 1978 to 1988. After being exposed, he turned FBI informant and has since stayed in the United States, becoming a published author of "Deep Undercover" and an expert on espionage and Russian intelligence. He was recruited into the KGB after being approached by a member of the East German secret police at the University of Jena in 1969.
Barsky rates the realism of Russian spying tactics such as message interception, surveillance, and sleeper cells in "The Fourth Protocol" (1987), "Anna" (2019), "Bridge of Spies" (2015), "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" (2011), and the popular TV show "The Americans" (2013-2018).
He also breaks down physical training and spies' backgrounds in "Red Sparrow" (2018), "Salt" (2010), and Black Widow's first on-screen appearance in "Iron Man 2" (2010). He also discusses the Bond movie franchise and its depiction of Russian spies in "From Russia With Love" (1963).
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Former KGB Spy Rates 9 Russian Spy Scenes In Movies | How Real Is It?

[@yafouz]

Wired: Former CIA Insider: Former KGB So cold war still continues

[@o5-574]

Yup

[@Zonatewalter7]

But now it's in retirement home.

[@Davothy]

Cold War: Battle of The Thermostat

[@sukamaldash3599]

I just watched the wired one, right before it.

[@jery1203]

From the description above, that means he retired or get caught and givin an information for exchange of his life? Which one the truth comrade?

[@magpie_vii]

A publicly retired KGB agent is the perfect cover for a KGB agent 👀

[@dylannnnnnnnn]

🥚

[@Alf763]

I mean sure if the KGB still existed

[@MyWeedIsVeryGood]

KGB doesn't exist anymore

[@magpie_vii]

@@farmdude2020 no, YOU'RE the KGB agent! *Spiderman-pointing-at-spiderman meme*

[@magpie_vii]

@@MyWeedIsVeryGood a publicly dissolved communist intelligence agency is the PERFECT COVER FOR A COMMUNIST INTELLIGENCE AGENCY STAY WOKE COMRADES

[@Uatemydoodle]

"I made the mistake of aceing my entire university course" is something I'll never be able to say.

[@Mario_N64]

Not to be a douche, but I did, and even if you're not a spy, it's a mistake. It makes you a target. For jealousy. For mediocre teachers. People will try to sabotage you. It best to keep a low profile.

[@AtomicPunkBR]

@@Mario_N64 bs. If you're really good to a point to ace the entire program, you'll get over adversities.

[@bigbeech]

@@Mario_N64 That's true. My University math teacher told everybody that I was a cheater. I beat him in fast algorithm complexity calculation in front of students, and he hated me. But girls started to like me) I think it's best to keep an average profile.

[@Mario_N64]

@@bigbeech Yeah, I once made an architectural model that was pretty good,if I do say so myself. This mediocre teacher was not pleased. At all. He hated it. Said I "got the assignment wrong". Even my classmates were surprised.

[@noone3272]

@@Mario_N64 what course?

[@crazehcakes]

I'm reminded of the Game of Thrones quote: "If you're a famous smuggler, you're doing it wrong." and I feel like that quote applies to spies and agents as well.

[@abiolakolawole1753]

So Eli Cohen is not a good spy?

[@Team_GreenII]

Except he’s not a spy or agent anymore

[@druidarreynolds4303]

James Bond leaves chat

[@callefalk4457]

FY FAAN!!!

[@Prince_Luci]

Someone should tell Han Solo. And Jack Sparrow for that matter.

[@btonasse]

KGB spy: goes to college in the US and aces the entire program. US counter-intelligence: This guy can't be a normal American

[@irinushka_j]

Ahahahahahahahahaha best comment ever 😂😂😂

[@blackearl7891]

Lmfao

[@neilsumanda1538]

there is actually... he was raised as American until they found that he is a sleeper...

[@onetwo-gt2tr]

😂😂😂

[@bobbelcher678]

Haha, acing the entire program and is not an Asian? SUS ACTIVITY

[@Psiberzerker]

Espionage is boring. If it gets exciting, it's gone horribly wrong.

[@matthewballister5684]

On baby

[@driftingdruid]

like with Abel?

[@modernnorseman3615]

That's The exciting part. If it goes wrong

[@pixiniarts]

Unless its a honeytrap... If that is boring, things have gone horribly wrong. Last thing you want is a target pulling out his asset.

[@Psiberzerker]

@@pixiniarts Okay, yeah. The Honey Trap is an exception. Good point.

[@vickyrobinson6429]

he had me at "I made a big mistake, I went to college" and lost me at "and aced the whole program"

[@alfisyahr]

His mistake is his best

[@satwikbardhan3245]

a thing that I could not ever get to say.........

[@Traumatised311]

@@satwikbardhan3245 ,🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@callefalk4457]

DUNDER I BRALLAN!!!!

[@SeanKL107]

"The KGB had a very murderous history." Well yeah, but in fairness it's not like the CIA was squeaky clean either.

[@carl4243]

Kgb was more brutal though, even he said that.

[@anonym58063]

CIA are angles compared to KGB. Trust me on this

[@juliaj7939]

The KGB literally commited genocide against my people. How can you be so ignorant to compare them to the CIA? This is a video about the KGB, not the CIA, so stop being so obsessive.

[@CZuskia]

@@juliaj7939 What people? I've heard about murders, but not genocide... Am I mis-informed.

[@ayushkumar-bg1xf]

cia even got indian prime minister killed in 1984 , those days india was neutral country

[@willmiller9981]

“Russian spies don’t wear leather jackets” well there goes pretty much every movie ever made.

[@futurestoryteller]

Now that he's put that out there the Russian spies living here have to wear leather jackets.

[@chucklebutt4470]

@@futurestoryteller You're not, not wrong 😂

[@ruffianeo3418]

Every child knows, they wear "007" or "I Spy" or "From Russia with Love" T-shirts ;)

[@truthwarrior6796]

Russian gangsters wore leather jackets

[@thegrayyernaut]

@@truthwarrior6796 Wait, I thought they wear Adidas track suits? xD

[@PatMaddox]

Plot twist: this is actually the CIA Chief of Disguise again

[@Nocturnal2010]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Peter_Cordes]

Nope, that would be contradicting her rule: don't try to change your voice. So we can rule it out on that basis (but only that basis :P)

[@lunaa_2664]

LMAOOOOO

[@gio9789]

@@Peter_Cordes what if she said that only to put you off guard

[@lukewhite9237]

@@Peter_Cordes maybe she wanted us to think that

[@felixhenson9926]

"The Americans won't torture you" Thanks guy who switched sides. I definitely believe you.

[@nonnaurbisness3013]

How does literally no one understand what he said? Lol yall have the attention span of a goldfish. Thats not what he said.

[@theapexfighter8741]

@@nonnaurbisness3013 this is sarcasm you fool

[@lordbendtner7021]

Yuri Nosenko begs to differ. :)

[@KT-om1il]

He was sarcastic.

[@ragglefraggle9111]

@@KT-om1il No, he wasn't. Prior to the war on terror torture wasn't a thing in first world intelligence agencies

[@jrock5830]

I love how he admits the fact that there were very different areas of the KGB (or any agency) so there was a tonne of stuff he didn’t know.

[@Floareintherain]

“That looks unprofessional, why are you running?”

[@Aristocratic_Arietta]

Somebody needs to make this a meme!

[@estebanbaker7673]

If you think you can graduate from this school without kissing my kok, hehe, you're dead wrong

[@robyyc4960]

That made me laugh

[@GetIsekaid]

@Amirul Asyraf From Which movie?

[@Jemppu]

Tom Cruise: :'(

[@19billdong96]

KGB agent disliked a movie for not portraying the professionalism of the FBI

[@robbob9636]

He's a FORMER KGB *Spy* he's not part of the KGB

[@waynedas873]

A former KGB agent who is now American

[@therac197]

@@robbob9636 Well the russian/soviet KGB isn't even a thing anymore for almost 30 years They are now the FSO (state protection) FSB (defensive secret service) SRV (offensive secret service) The only KGB now is the belarusian.

[@HippopotamusPencil]

Well, they did catch him.

[@fedorustimenko3057]

Cause professionals have standarts

[@FloralAndFire]

I've watched 9 of these 'professional spy critiques movies' in a row. I'm a spy now.

[@FBI-vc2wf]

Really...👁️👁️

[@THEBIGGAME683]

Same, now I'm paranoid

[@sodiumhydroxide4]

You can clearly see him taking a few seconds to think about what he’s gonna say because he knows “I say one thing I shouldn’t I ain’t gonna wake up next Thursday”

[@MsPhilippaB]

"That's the way my house was searched" - so deadpan.

[@futurestoryteller]

Just the reality of his life, guess he sees no reason to treat it like it's not normal.

[@Fatcat-ss6nh]

I was like how do you say that so nonchalantly lol

[@lfior]

I laughed a lot

[@callefalk4457]

SE PÅ FAAN!!!!

[@bobobsen]

"They will not torture you" Nah, they will only use "enhanced interrogation"

[@dukebanerjee4710]

Enhanced interrogation is "civilized" torture. The stuff the NKVD and early KGB were doing was medieval in comparison.

[@JuanMercado91]

@@dukebanerjee4710 put the kool-aid down

[@gamerslatestnews819]

They did not hurt you usa is not like that

[@McSymm_Mcsymm]

@@gamerslatestnews819 , yeah, they build Guantanamo for nothing. Uh-uh.

[@Steven-cf1ty]

​@@gamerslatestnews819 the US admitted to using torture against state enemies during the Obama administration, what are you talking about

[@johanperss1086]

The godfather of his child is the FBI agent next door, pretty wild, recommend reading his wiki. Great clip.

[@arb1384]

"There is no such thing as a former KGB agent. " -President Vladimir Putin

[@MassacrisM]

Only if intimidation tactics can still be used. This guy seems to have all ties severed with the KGB. Still prob under surveillance tho.

[@factbeaglesarebest]

Of course there is... do you know how many defected even before the Soviet collapse?

[@jakeramos9775]

How about Putin himself!?

[@juliangriffiths9583]

I like how he is it himself

[@pattipelayo2893]

They "defect" to become double agents !!!....the oldest trick in the book !!.... stoopid

[@oels9507]

"The Americans are very civilized, they'll not torture you" Thanks, secret agent who's now american.

[@Vietcong01]

They only torture brown people. That's something entirely different.

[@Bossanova.]

@Hornburger The CIA tortured Russians in the Cold War.

[@marcoconti1197]

@Lucifer that comment is a little disgusting...

[@skyhawk_4526]

Torture is a subjective term.

[@theCuchuoi1]

LOL they will if they have to

[@annb8296]

This was so interesting. I loved the way he laughed at the unrealistic movies. I laughed when he was looking at Pierce Brosnan playing the spy and he said he was too good looking to be a russian agent 😂 🤣. I also laughed when he rated one of the movies a double zero 🤣🤣🤣. He gave alot of good info such as the importance of not bringing attention to yourself but instead to act how you normally would. I highly recommend watching this as it was very informative and he has a great sense of humor 🕵️👀.

[@brianlanning836]

"There's no such thing as a Russian born in Russia, raised in Russia who can speak English without an accent." The girl who handled our Russian adoption spoke English with no accent. She was around 24 at the time. And had recently graduated from a university where she studied English and German. I could have met her in the US and would have no idea Russian was her native language. My daughter took Spanish in high school in the US. Then she went to medical school in South America. People from Uruguay and Argentina now have no idea she's American. Some people are just really good with languages.

[@yeoldeguard]

Accents is not "language" skill. It fully relies on musical ear. Some people can emulate accents without even speaking the language.

[@baronvonbeandip]

@@yeoldeguard It kinda is musical but stress, tone, and prosody all play a part. Accent also lies in word use, which begets stress and affects prosody. It's the difference between a contemporary author and Tolkien or Shakespeare. It's all intimately interconnected

[@maxpulido4268]

@@yeoldeguard I know "musical ear" is probably a euphemism, but the closest thing to a polyglot I know doesn't play any instruments, and has fairly modest appreciation of music.

[@yeoldeguard]

@@maxpulido4268 we are talking accents here, not the actual language skills.

[@Ceares]

@@yeoldeguard Exactly. There are plenty of native English speakers who speak English with accents so thick that it's difficult to understand. Accent and language skill are definitely two different things.

[@TOAOM123]

"It does a great disservice to the professionalism of the FBI" Blink twice if theyre holding you hostage

[@FBI-vc2wf]

👁️👁️

[@solitaryflower]

he's such an idealist, right? it's kind of sweet, in a bit of a doomed way.

[@Deadbeatcow]

@@solitaryflower yes, random civilian, tell the spy how much more you know about his world

[@solitaryflower]

@@Deadbeatcow what do you mean?

[@deaj8450]

They might be scummy and do some questionable or awful things but I'd still describe them as professional. They're very good at what they do, even if it's not always moral.

[@lindseysquire8417]

You mean they don't all look like Scarlett Johansson?

[@hugyourrosaries]

yes i think that's pretty much what they're trying to say🤣

[@darkfury3020]

maybe asian agents do 🤣

[@matts5247]

No silly they have to either look like pierce brosnan or Sean Connery and the women are all hot an easy to seduce

[@asherif3893]

Google anna chapman, and maria butina

[@listofromantics]

I'm sure the KGB / FSB "honeypots" do.

[@zerg9523]

Ex KGB Agent : _”worst USA do is slap you”_ Obama : _”we tortured some folks”_

[@dukebanerjee4710]

He's talking about what he was told the CIA or FBI would have done if they captured him. Not like what was done to the captured agents in "The Americans". The funny part is that he said the captured agents wouldn't have talked like that either.

[@demorik6794]

Lol right. The Torture Report was a Mandela Effect. Never happened.

[@ragglefraggle9111]

That was decades after

[@MrBendylaw]

To be fair, there was a pretty big outcry over waterboarding, and Abu Ghraib...my understanding is that SOP for captured assets in Russia is quite a bit worse. Quite a bit.

[@chicago618]

One minor correction. 6:04 that scene was not that of Americans roughly interrogating the Soviet spies. It was other Soviet spies doing the interrogation. The couple were suspected of betraying or disloyalty if I recall and so their case officer or supervisor has them taken in and roughed up to see what the case was. I remember this episode very clearly.

[@JavierAlbinarrate]

Correct, it was a loyalty check ordered from above.

[@acquinquibral4185]

Next Idea: A Car Rates The Cars Movie

[@joshuamorehead6124]

Genius 🤣

[@myview9923]

Actors rarely pay fair

[@gussy508]

Perfect, this is peak. I hope they do it

[@viper_7712]

42069/10 idea

[@hebl47]

KITT would be perfect for that role!

[@HappyTofu2424]

please get a crossover episode with this guy and the CIA chief of disguise lady!!!

[@VengefulQuietOne]

I would love to see that

[@thehonorabletom508]

Please please please!

[@thehonorabletom508]

@Deep Blue Still sounds interesting!

[@tconlon251]

Plot twist: He IS the CIA lady.

[@zeevd5768]

Update. She is alive. Her husband passed away and this was the first thing I saw on wiki. Sorry for that.

[@scottmead854]

You know he's a former spy when he chuckles, he sounds both adorable and menacing at the same time 😅

[@Notimp0rtant523]

The amount of respect he gives to his adversaries. A true professional.

[@tobiadeyefa410]

Next idea: Politicians rate scenes from house of cards.

[@Chlo-ee]

Disclaimer: they lie about everything 😆

[@FrancoDFernando]

I read somewhere that the most accurate political show/movie was VEEP haha

[@williamballangarry2995]

Zoe C. “That’s certainly not an accurate scene, we don’t always lie.” *nervously looks down*

[@MatthiasPowerbomb]

Hillary rates the scene where Underwood pushes the girl onto the subway tracks. "Nah, I give that a zero. We just use a gun and extort the coroner to call it suicide. OH! I mean we don't do that! That's illegal!"

[@williamballangarry2995]

Matthias Powerbomb 😂😂😂

[@ayush2001]

He’s such a cool person. The FBI was literally living next door and keeping an eye on him.

[@casekocsk]

I wonder if FBI also watching this video...

[@titocristobal5573]

He is living the FBI meme. Lol

[@praba5742]

The FBI agent is Joe Riley .now they are friends

[@xJuliaGrimesx]

There is a really good biography on him, he‘s lived such a crazy life

[@shelr8139]

@@praba5742 that’s so cool haha

[@jojomorgan]

I've been watching a couple of The Real Life Genuine Professionals' rating movies, I learned 2 things. 1st : Oky says "never leave the message for police, it'll become personal." 2nd : former KGB agent says "you threaten somebody with a gun, if they get out of it, they'll hate you forever." in other words, they took it personally. These are not our life related knowledge but it's still interesting.

[@AsDeadAsDillinger]

@14:38 _"Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy."_ was written by a well known British author (who went by the pen name of 'John Le Carre') who had previously worked for the British Intellegence services for quite a long time. So the 'duty officer covering the night desk' scene is probably more accurate than we might expect. _In fact, it was one of the many ways that Philby got hold of so much info he was not suposed to have access to._

[@bobbulat1393]

"That's the whole point of being a spy. You don't wanna look like one"

[@Jack-bs6zb]

I don’t look like a spy. Would i make a good spy then? Should i advertise myself?

[@sergiocorral6753]

Next: “Real aliens rate alien movies”.

[@perfectoid8376]

Aliens in the movie:- "we come in peace" Also aliens rating the movie:-"□□•\

[@chinemeremudoh3732]

Lol

[@VilksLV]

i wanted to make this coment! :D

[@bodhitree33]

Alien: Ok, so straight up, this movie is racist.

[@b3j8]

I'd watch that one. Especially if the Alien had a sense of humor!😂

[@dahyunssmile3972]

I went to university in Russia and he is isn’t lying when he says that their approach is soft and not as tough and rough as the movies show ,there were insane scholarships to school in Moscow from bright students one of my classmate got one never really heard from her after a while

[@SergioArellano-yd7ik]

Then why did she disappear if your comrades were such saints?

[@Someone-lr6gu]

​@@SergioArellano-yd7ikThey did not say she disappeared, they said they did not hear from her for a while. Those are different things.

[@kittyjones8703]

Pleasure to see you here sir! Thankyou for your service, and nice video!

[@MsErtwer]

The most disturbing thing is that a spy isn't a trained killer, it's your next door neighbor you go for a barbecue every friday with your wife and kids.

[@J_Kwan]

Well frankly if I got to choose between a spy that would barbecue with me and one that knew fifteen ways to kill me over the grill, I’d go with the former. That way I’d have a bit more of a chance if push came to shove, and also I feel like a normal person who has been strong-armed into spying would usually be a little easier to catch than someone with formal training on deception, manipulation and information gathering.

[@felipedaiber2991]

There are diferent positions and ways of spying, he was a long lasting spy and dedicated to contacting and finding assets but there are people who are trained to kill, a lot just take pictures of military bases, others serve as bridge contact among spies, others are moles or double spies born in the country being spied and so on

[@MsErtwer]

@@felipedaiber2991 You mean assassins, they're the ones that kill, spies are infiltrators.

[@felipedaiber2991]

@@MsErtwer they also are part of inteligence

[@conradbielicki774]

@@J_Kwan which is exactly why the guy at a barbecue with you makes a better spy

[@DaVeganZombie]

This guy is proof that Liam Neeson is the perfect fit for all of his roles.

[@avrahamvidal4255]

LOL 😂, VERY TRUE DUDE

[@mumbereausbel6044]

@John Doe lol

[@justkidding3040]

You mean they don't all look like Scarlett Johansson?

[@jamiehoward9401]

please get a crossover episode with this guy and the CIA chief of disguise lady!!!

[@kkandsims4612]

Yea except I can picture it mor Liam playing a Russian with that thick Irish accent .

[@markog1999]

"The americans will not torture you" Guantanamo Bay: *Exists*

[@teraphIl1000]

The interrogators in the second scene from *_The Americans_* were actually KGB, they were testing the Jennings.

[@markc6714]

Yeh this guy has clearly never watched any of the shows he's commenting on. He has no context.

[@iruns1246]

His scoring makes sense when you realize the sequence is actually a secret message.

[@SinkEmQuicker]

Apart from the -1

[@oriion1]

@@SinkEmQuicker well we don't know what Cypher they are using, so the -1 could have a predetermined value. Like "all negative values are zero", or "ignore all dashes", etc.

[@bradengoertzen4259]

What does it say

[@jid3558]

What’s it mean

[@djsonicc]

@@jid3558 "For motherland"

[@ty_teynium]

KGB Spy: *watches Anna recruitment scene.* KGB spy: That reminds me of when I was recruited ... Anyways, I give this a Zero 😄

[@JorgeMP53]

Pretty much what I said. A straight 0 after a soft and calm explanation of his experience 🤣.

[@newvisx]

Because he is not a FORMER KGB

[@acethebig1560]

@@newvisx Wtf...they even showed images.

[@newvisx]

@@acethebig1560 What I was trying to say is he is not a Former KGB. He still is

[@user-fi2fk2ei7o]

@@newvisx KGB is dead

[@DecemberNames]

Thank you for another great video mate. I enjoyed every second. Please keep it coming.

[@wreaksou]

It's realistic, because Russian talk to another Russian in English with Russian accent

[@LadanBeton]

Hey, I'll take the cheesy Russian-accented English over the buchered Russian any day of the week.

[@cheeto_chief_]

@@LadanBeton Oh Man, you would hate me then, I speak butchered Russian everyday since I live in Moscow lmao

[@LadanBeton]

@@cheeto_chief_ we both do our best, it's not the easiest language. But learning it has made it a bit more difficult to enjoy Amerikanski movies.

[@lindseywagner641]

🤣🤣🤣🤣😋😋🤣

[@Q_QQ_Q]

@@LadanBeton are you russian ?

[@seandaily6344]

I get the feeling that he tiptoes around some of the responses because of how sensitive they are in reference

[@reallynow5974]

If he you watch his body language he’s looking up while thinking of what he can say and not say

[@craigrichardson1196]

@@reallynow5974 I watched one of these videos where they had an FBI body language expert and he said that's not really an accurate way of telling if they're lying. Watch it if you got time, it's really interesting

[@unusualbydefault]

@@craigrichardson1196 he didn't say he was lying, he said he's carefully thinking about what to say ;)

[@craigrichardson1196]

@@unusualbydefault Ohhh, yeah. Must've been late when I read that :)

[@exstock]

I just read Jack Barsky's autobiography, Deep Undercover, and wow! I highly endorse it. Great book, with of lots of details of his recruitment and training, as well as details of what he actually did as an agent. There's a very happy ending--and an afterword from the FBI agent who caught him, and who became his friend and helped him become a US citizen.

[@cliftonsargent1572]

Dam I didn’t think I would be spending my x mas day watching 4 hours of this channel. Never heard of you guys but this is super entertaining, you gotta have more of the casino guys and the art theft guys on

[@thedrunkenelf]

You can tell this guy is KGB by how funny he thought “live targets” was lol

[@TheTiznone]

good ol' days

[@hiimryan2388]

Hol up

[@erishah447]

can you explain please?

[@Hassan-zw9tb]

@@erishah447 its funny because the movie says the KGB is so ruteless they even kill people just for practice. Its a funny hyperbole

[@oscarm94]

FYI: He wrote an autobiography and it’s definitely worth the read. He’s an interesting guy with a hell of a life. Check it out. Highly recommend it! Cheers.

[@jencc5711]

What's it called?

[@miu__m]

@@jencc5711 it's called Deep Undercover: My Secret Life and Tangled Allegiances as a KGB Spy in America by Jack Barsky

[@MrChipMC]

Some guys here in the comments arguing what was so special about the fact "he aced the University program in US". How that became a problem for him? Can you explain, please, sense you've read his biography

[@magpie_vii]

Sure, I haven't read any good fantasy books in a while, I'll check it out

[@soniadowney7427]

@@miu__m what a frightening job ..always looking over your shoulder

[@japanonlysays]

"thats the point of being a spy, you dont wanna look lke one" i love him

[@DaferrFN]

This was very interesting. The gentleman explains very well and it is not boring at all. Nice video

[@camilam3975]

"I made a big mistake, I went back to college in the US and I aced the entire program" -- the flex on this one 17:57

[@TheRisskee]

I'm guessing he aced the class because he'd already taken it in Germany. So, not so much of a flex if he'd already been through it before.

[@camilam3975]

@@TheRisskee sure we can all make-up reasons why he might have aced it, but maybe the simplest explanation is he's smart, which i would expect from a spy

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

He didn’t go to school in the U.S.

[@TheRisskee]

@@empnadajhhh9469 ummm... I just made a comment. Don't know why you're so salty! 🤷‍♀️ Like I said "I'm guessing". "I'm guessing" doesn't denote that I'm stating something as fact. It literally means I'm guessing. Calm down there, mate.

[@kuroinokitsune]

you guys are funny, you all seem to think that education back then was anything like today but it wasn't. You could have a doctorate in one country and be uneducated lowlife in other at the same time. Nowadays things with this better: you don't have to take entirety of pretty same university course again to be able to work in your field in another country. I don't know how you all apparantly manage to miss on that since that arrangement about ex-Soviet migrants made it into quite a number of US TV series.

[@jmantooth]

I appreciated hearing a perspective on the narrative we don't often hear in the states. I thought it was really interesting to hear many modern portrayals of spies and tactics are actually rather antiquated ideas of what we think KGB spies would be like. Thanks to Mr. Barsky for taking the time and providing thoughtful commentary. Great video!

[@effexon]

hearing that makes me think gitmo, 2000s terrorist stuff was handled by amateurs.

[@johnalexander651]

@@effexon It was. The CIA had their budget and staff doubled in the span of a month. Most of those who they hired were undergrads with not real experience in the middle east.

[@effexon]

@@johnalexander651 That explains it... was that iraq prison scandal similar case , poorly managed recruits? That whole Blackwater private military stuff in Iraq sounded like bad mess, among many other things.

[@TheBashar327]

@@effexon , the Iraq prison scandal was probably an unfortunate human reaction of when you see a people who act in such uncivilized and barbaric ways, it makes it easier to think of them as less than human, so makes it easier to treat them inhumanly. Most of the detainees were real low lifes:.keep in mind murder, terror, rape were common tools of the Iraq Army in Saddam's time. While this is not meant as nor should be a justification of the prisoners treatment (2 wrongs never make a right), that and the immense pressure and lack of training given the prison staff created an environment ripe for abuse.

[@effexon]

@@TheBashar327 I agree those people were animals. Most probably occupation was good just for that reason, as we can see for post soviet countries, some still struggle with similar porblems 30 yhears later with only little social progress and change. Some successful countries like Poland and Czech were never really broken countries. Armenia, Georgia etc are more like Iraq, that they were used just for resources and after collapse got left with nothing. Tho those people , common citizens are not barbaric, it still takes decades to build systems in societal level from scratch. It's not justification, but coz inadequate training was there, scandal was legitimate failure. (it was perfect example of what happens when untrained people are put to demanding job roles, which prison guard there was one of). If I were put in same role without any training, I could behave same, as prisoners in normal jail are also not the nicest bunch. Wartime also makes it trickier, all social rules somehow change operating in that kind of area.

[@slangoftheregions]

Can we bring him back. I would like his thoughts on the Black Widow movie

[@KelticTim]

Damn, this dudes accent is barely there. He must have worked on it for years. He almost sounds polish, or NY Jew. Very well done. I barely hear the German.

[@RC-ic1co]

Uhm ... are you sure? German here, English is my second language. I'm really not good with detecting accents, but I would immediately recognise his (East-) German accent. I would think, that his German accent would rather stick out to a native speaker even more ... ?

[@gavinjenkins899]

sounds pretty german to me. That being said he's also not trying to sound like anything else for years now, so who knows

[@aymodaslacker8852]

He didn't even deny if putting someone into the bag is realistic or not...

[@AntonAdelson]

Why not? Bags seems plausible

[@g_g...]

@@AntonAdelson the joke is that the fact that he didn't deny it makes it seem like he has done it or seen it... lol

[@priscilaassis5704]

Right?! He pretty much just said “they doing too much!”

[@norasyikinali6283]

Deaths where the bodies were stuffed in bags have happened, spywork or no. Where I'm from there were a few such cases - most of it a quick disposal job by the murderers. What he meant is that for a spy embedded into a normal neighborhood they won't do/get involved in this sort of thing, they would easily get recognized by the neighbors. And he's right, getting involved in body disposal beats the purpose of attaching a spy to live in a normal neighborhood.

[@experimentaldougie1915]

Pretty much exactly that happened in the UK a few years ago and if I remember right it was publicly stated as some sort of gay sex thing gone wrong....

[@tomasmestreacosta6155]

I’m still waiting for a corrupt politician to rate scenes.

[@snowycrystalz101]

😂

[@janethebluemouse]

Just grab any politician

[@acesn8s89]

I would not be at all surprised if Trump actually did that episode..

[@acesn8s89]

@will.i.am. pro tip: any time your opinion contains the sentiment “they’re all the same” it’s time to legitimately test that belief.

[@satwikbardhan3245]

😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@JK-ww8dn]

12:54 see the way he clenches his teeth after seeing that scene must bring back some memories.

[@historiareiss6354]

This video is really good material for writing research... thanks sir!

[@soylentgreen2065]

"We use live targets" ...KGB guy laughs nostalgically

[@erishah447]

can you explain pls?

[@maddoxdavidson1403]

@@erishah447 it's kinda hard to explain how to grow a 🧠

[@callefalk4457]

TA PÅ DEN !!!

[@RSTBKT]

@@erishah447 the movie was over the top

[@grail68]

I respect that he's just rating whether or not he likes the movie.

[@Bllue]

I ruined the 69 likes on this comment. F

[@sockaccount8116]

@@alhafitd But what if... th upvotes in this thread are a code?

[@callefalk4457]

FYFAAN!!!!

[@aliciawestfall6810]

The Americans is an amazing show that is extremely underrated. Great for binge watching too.

[@uriel7203]

6:30 I'm no expert but from a different video where they interviewed a former CIA officer, you could tell that they were indeed more sophisticated. He was able to catch a KGB spy by how he held his flowers.

[@dirtyout]

What video was that?

[@velislavastoyanova1117]

"I was a KGB spy for 10 years from 1978 to 1988 and then.. in 2014.." Now hold just a second here! You're not telling us everything!

[@andreacab1312]

he said and in 2014 i became a US citizen

[@BijinMCMXC]

Go research him.

[@johnlloyddy7016]

He probably got turned and started to work for the U.S. as a double agent up until the Soviet Union ceased to exist in 1991, maybe even beyond that though he is not allowed to talk about it. I'm guessing he probably decided to seek asylum in the U.S. after that.

[@shenanigans4177]

@@johnlloyddy7016 Yup, that's what might have happened. Most of the captured spies actually become double agents and the funny thing is both sides know who the double agent is, but still continue to employ them. Actually double agents are needed in espionage to feed the other side wrong information.

[@MackenzieBrunson]

Imagine being in the interview for a job when they ask, "there seems to be a large gap of time where you were unemployed. Can you explain this?"

[@Nightstick24]

I love how every spy movie is super exciting and high tension and has you on the edge of your seat; meanwhile *real* spy work is mundane and boring, as it's intended to be. If it's exciting something has gone horribly wrong! Spy work is about blending in and being forgettable, about being just another face in the crowd like any other ordinary joe, if you're standing out you're doing it wrong!

[@thecloneguyz]

Because a real spy is worried about being caught 24/7 365 and you can't Express that in a 2 hour movie

[@lancelotdulac6076]

remembering James Bond here: his Astons Martins, Omega watches and dapper tuxedos...

[@Meesterlijker]

Recommended watch: The Conversation (1974). Underrated masterpiece by Francis Ford Coppola.

[@lexhdz5803]

guys! we found the spy

[@callefalk4457]

SE DÄR!!!!

[@robertschlesinger1342]

Very interesting, informative and worthwhile video.

[@garfieldfarkle]

The hollow nickel is what led us to Wilhelm Fischer, aka Rudolf Abel. He accidentally paid a kid for a newspaper with a hollow nickel that contained a code book. The kid dropped the nickel and it broke open. He took it to the local police and they eventually caught up to Fischer.

[@Mickeal101]

Black Widow was not meant to be a spy, she was meant to be an assassin for the Red Room.

[@kielanwade5096]

She's actually both, the Red Room Assassin's were trained as Spy's, which is why she goes on to spy for SHIELD

[@mikhailsporyshev9772]

And jiujitsu is the best way to kill somebody

[@Anubis1993KZ]

Red room? Did you mean a Яedяum? I'm so punny today, please don't kill me.

[@suchismitamondal1566]

@@Anubis1993KZ murder by redrum

[@valkyrie6691]

@@Anubis1993KZ yaedyaeum

[@onebadmoto5081]

The us never tortures, except for when they do.

[@johnhuffman9212]

That is not true. Very not true.

[@yousefalthagafi3028]

@@johnhuffman9212 homan square and the house of screams 🤨 and these are the ones we know about

[@williamkinna4169]

Well, to be fair he was talking about in espionage. I’m sure we torture in the military

[@yousefalthagafi3028]

@@williamkinna4169 I know he's talking about espionage but my point is that they probably use it in the CIA to and btw that wasn't the US military they were Chicago pd buildings

[@onebadmoto5081]

william kinna we have black sites all throughout the world

[@nessa6375]

"my training in self-defense was S i g n i f i c a n t l y less aggressive" omggggggg im cryin

[@harisraja2931]

Next up: high school kid rates high school scenes in movies

[@ronienrikey1712]

I would proudly and willingly volunteer

[@Ikxi]

"not enough depression" "that bully didn't even hit that hard" "all our teachers are old hags and not supermodels"

[@qzza9863]

Insider is like that cool substitute teacher

[@rynr20]

Indeed! I enjoy every effing video with experts talking. It's just amazing!

[@jeshkam]

The most perfect American accent by a German native I suppose.

[@bohdanrohachenko7650]

You know KGB is a Russian service, right?

[@jeshkam]

@@bohdanrohachenko7650 He is German. He was born in East Germany. Read his bio before posting ignorant comments.

[@MasKARJ0]

thanks for the clue 4:10

[@connorcraigsellars6576]

@@bohdanrohachenko7650 hahahahaha. Ignorance is bliss they say.

[@matts5247]

Well do you think they would let him assume his new identity if he had an Eastern European accent still lol

[@waliahmed6]

I just learnt about this dude and omg what a legend he got so involved in American culture he didn't care about the KGB i recommend you check out his story

[@michaellee8815]

There’s a REALLY good podcast episode on Jordan Harbinger’s show with this guy. I believe a two-parted. Extremely interesting

[@kurtw531]

If this guy was driving a garbage truck, nobody would suspect a thing.

[@rbr1170]

See how his thumb is pointing up? Yes that is him sending the message that he is good and waiting for instruction.

[@mayaamis]

2:39 this film "Anna" was unexpectedly amazing

[@henryviii6341]

one of then best of these. could listen to this KGB agent all night.

[@ericbrown1101]

I thought his point about the torture techniques seen in Red Sparrow was excellent. Those brutal methods were used by the KGB up until the early 1960s. Nowadays, Russian intelligence uses psychological torture methods very much like the CIA. Sleep deprivation, threats to family and friends, intimidation, misdirection, and thought manipulation. This was actually portrayed very well in an episode of the TV show Covert Affairs, where the protagonist was captured by the FSB and subjected to all of the above. In one scene, they came in and took her mattress off her bed in her cell, leaving only the metal frame. That is absolutely something the Russians (and the CIA) would do. And they wouldn't just leave you without it, they'd give it to you, then come and take it away for added psychological effect.

[@haikalhadzik7744]

Wow a spymaster in a youtube comment

[@reh3884]

Sure, cuz you're an expert in what the KGB did.

[@reh3884]

@@haikalhadzik7744 No, just another "internet expert."

[@monolith94]

@N Fels if the fsb wanted navalny dead he’d be dead. That whole operation reeks of a frame up

[@lexiarie6545]

The Red Sparrow movie is supposed to take place in the 60's, something you and the critic missed. Sounds like the movie is accurate then.

[@notrayane]

He would have some great stories to tell to his grandsons...

[@inthedeadhours]

Not sure about how that would go if he had to say "redacted" every few words.

[@puggleski6097]

@@inthedeadhours "We use live grandsons as targets" .. and that's how it's passed on.

[@rahoolsaxenaa]

They don't talk about it even after they retire. Ita gone with them to their grave!

[@SoundJudgment]

"The mark of a true Agent... is not measured in how good they are in discovering secrets... but how good they are at keeping them..."

[@cmatrix4761]

This was legitimately a lot of fun to watch.

[@artemax1]

"I made a big mistake... I went back to college and I aced the entire program." lol

[@factbeaglesarebest]

I still hear his German accent squeaking through but he sounds quite American regardless

[@jR-kr2fs]

You mean Russian

[@nigeh5326]

I’m a Brit and to me his accent is clearly a mix of US English (East Coast?) and German

[@43tunafish]

He was a sleeper agent so he had to be able to have a american accent to blend in

[@timeslowingdown]

@@nigeh5326 Yeah he sounds like someone who is a native German speaker but has lived in New York or near it for 20+ years and became very integrated

[@nejlahinkel9634]

It‘s a german accent. He studied in Jena, which in his time was eastern germany but now you would say it‘s more in middle East germany

[@valmarsiglia]

In the "Tinker, Tailor" scene, the guy is at the Paris MI6 station waiting on a message, that's why he was there as it was coming through.

[@johnecoapollo7]

A KGB agent congratulating the FBI's professionalism is sort of sportsman-like. I kinda like it

[@justinholtman]

I wanna hear his stories. He does a good job on the breakdowns.

[@tiagopessotti4875]

Justin Holtman He has a book called Deep Undercover

[@kcegr]

Who cares about the movies!? Only hearing at this mans life is amazing

[@trentsteele8320]

Its like listening to ex mafia talk about their lives. Fascinating.

[@ageldenb]

Absolutely awesome video

[@Mister__Jey]

1:51 Rudolf Iwanowitsch Abel, alias Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, William Genrikowitsch Fisher, Emil Robert Goldfus, Frank, Marc, Andrew Kayotis, Martin Collins... WOW

[@mexdonough]

“That’s not how Americans would treat you” yeah right, say that to enhanced interrogation techniques in Iraq

[@scowler92]

Which largely didn't work. Simple police-type stuff like sleep deprivation, envrionmental tics (cold temp, flickering lights, wobbly chairs) and light starvation (eating and drinking in front of captive) are more effective.

[@neelpatel097]

Watch The Report. During the initial days, the FBI never used such techniques until some ex-military guys fucked up with CIA

[@skyhawkslcb18]

yeah, in iraq, not on american soil.

[@SwayPromo]

Travis Wilkins mmmm better do some research. A lot of It happened on American soil and on American bases.

[@93abc123]

The Report is about CIA torturing practices, he is talking about the FBI and how they do not treat suspects harshly, just slap you a few times.

[@oels9507]

"And I aced the entire program" Hold up I wanna hear THAT story!

[@Aspett0]

18:16 Everything about this sentence, from the wording to the way he says it SCREAMS "I'm German". I love it !!

[@zimtkind2255]

I wish they'd picked another scene of TTSS. The point is that Ricky Tarr is kind of a bad spy. He shouldn't have sent that message. He gave everything away by his showboating. Also, that typewriter was in an office that is technically always monitored, but the office is also pretty inept. The theme of the incompetent spy comes up a lot in Le Carré's work. Anyway, great expert and video, but still this scene was a little out of context.😅

[@chrisskit_8934]

I can't believe they didn't let him react to The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

[@bremcaeruleum3546]

Right

[@theresa332]

Imagine seeing random trash in a park and throwing it away properly not knowing it contains information. What do spies do then?

[@Juri2711]

That's why we hate to work in Germany.

[@georgina-a]

I litter pick my local park... They must hate me! 😂