Here is a rather interesting picture taken in the 54th year at Sydney Airport (Australia). Two strong, stern men are leading a sobbing woman somewhere under their arms. The fragile lady is dressed very elegantly. On one leg she does not have a shoe, most likely she lost it during resistance. Judging by the faces of the men, the journalists took them by surprise. They obviously did not expect a photographer, but the woman was probably very happy about the appearance of witnesses and most likely asked for help.
The surnames of the men are Karpinsky and Zharkov. The name of the woman is Evdokia Petrova. Together with her husband Vladimir, she worked at the Soviet embassy in Australia. Evdokia worked as a cryptographer, and her husband worked as a third secretary. In reality, both spouses were KGB officers and spied for the USSR.
Vladimir Petrov had close ties with L.P. Beria. After the death of Stalin, Beria lost in the struggle for power and was soon shot. Vladimir Petrov was afraid for his life, as the hunt began for the people of Beria. He surrendered to Australian intelligence agencies and asked for asylum in exchange for classified information. At that time, Evdokia was in another city. The husband did not even warn her about his act, perhaps he did not plan to save his wife. The Petrovs did not have children, they say they did not have the warmest relationship.
After Petrov's betrayal, the Soviet secret services tried to forcibly take his wife to the USSR. Evdokia did not really understand what was happening. Diplomatic couriers, who were most likely KGB officers, forcibly brought her to the Canberra airport. In the presence of many witnesses, they dragged the woman onto the plane. The Australians tried to interfere with the Russians and pushed the ladder away from the plane during landing, but nothing came of it. According to eyewitnesses, Evdokia screamed and resisted. She knew that nothing good awaited her at home. On board the plane, the woman managed to talk to the flight attendant.
“I don’t know what to do,” said Evdokia. “I haven’t slept for two weeks, I’m being interrogated all the time. I want to see my husband. I'm scared. My escorts are armed and there is nothing I can do.”
At Darwin airport, the plane landed for refueling. By order of the government, the Australian police intervened and the woman was released. After that, she was allowed to contact her husband and she asked for political asylum.
History had unpleasant consequences for the USSR. Petrov handed over to Australian intelligence valuable data and documents revealing the work of the Soviet special services. Thanks to this information, several hundred Soviet agents around the world were uncovered. Because of the Petrov case, relations between Australia and the USSR deteriorated greatly.
After lengthy interrogations in 1956, the couple received Australian citizenship. They lived the rest of their lives in Melbourne under the names of Sven and Maria Anna Ellison.
Vladimir Petrov was afraid of retribution from the USSR until the end of his life. In the 70s, he suffered several strokes and spent the remaining 17 years in a wheelchair. The wife did not take care of Vladimir and handed him over to a nursing home. He died in 1991 at the age of 84. Evdokia survived her husband by 11 years, she died in 2002 when she was 88 years old.
The surnames of the men are Karpinsky and Zharkov. The name of the woman is Evdokia Petrova. Together with her husband Vladimir, she worked at the Soviet embassy in Australia. Evdokia worked as a cryptographer, and her husband worked as a third secretary. In reality, both spouses were KGB officers and spied for the USSR.
Vladimir Petrov had close ties with L.P. Beria. After the death of Stalin, Beria lost in the struggle for power and was soon shot. Vladimir Petrov was afraid for his life, as the hunt began for the people of Beria. He surrendered to Australian intelligence agencies and asked for asylum in exchange for classified information. At that time, Evdokia was in another city. The husband did not even warn her about his act, perhaps he did not plan to save his wife. The Petrovs did not have children, they say they did not have the warmest relationship.
After Petrov's betrayal, the Soviet secret services tried to forcibly take his wife to the USSR. Evdokia did not really understand what was happening. Diplomatic couriers, who were most likely KGB officers, forcibly brought her to the Canberra airport. In the presence of many witnesses, they dragged the woman onto the plane. The Australians tried to interfere with the Russians and pushed the ladder away from the plane during landing, but nothing came of it. According to eyewitnesses, Evdokia screamed and resisted. She knew that nothing good awaited her at home. On board the plane, the woman managed to talk to the flight attendant.
“I don’t know what to do,” said Evdokia. “I haven’t slept for two weeks, I’m being interrogated all the time. I want to see my husband. I'm scared. My escorts are armed and there is nothing I can do.”
At Darwin airport, the plane landed for refueling. By order of the government, the Australian police intervened and the woman was released. After that, she was allowed to contact her husband and she asked for political asylum.
History had unpleasant consequences for the USSR. Petrov handed over to Australian intelligence valuable data and documents revealing the work of the Soviet special services. Thanks to this information, several hundred Soviet agents around the world were uncovered. Because of the Petrov case, relations between Australia and the USSR deteriorated greatly.
After lengthy interrogations in 1956, the couple received Australian citizenship. They lived the rest of their lives in Melbourne under the names of Sven and Maria Anna Ellison.
Vladimir Petrov was afraid of retribution from the USSR until the end of his life. In the 70s, he suffered several strokes and spent the remaining 17 years in a wheelchair. The wife did not take care of Vladimir and handed him over to a nursing home. He died in 1991 at the age of 84. Evdokia survived her husband by 11 years, she died in 2002 when she was 88 years old.
