Dimanche 20 février 2022, alors que les tensions étaient à leur comble, le président français Emm... more Dimanche 20 février 2022, alors que les tensions étaient à leur comble, le président français Emmanuel Macron s'était entretenu par téléphone avec Vladimir Poutine. Les préparatifs en vue d'une invasion russe de l'Ukraine étaient une certitude pour le renseignement américain depuis l'automne, mais le président français, comme la majorité des décideurs européens, ukrainiens inclus, avait du mal à y croire. Pensant que la diplomatie pouvait encore permettre d'éviter le pire, il avait proposé au maître du Kremlin de servir de médiateur pour organiser un sommet Poutine/ Biden, à Genève, afin de discuter de l'« architecture de sécurité » en Europe. La discussion, âpre, avait duré près de neuf minutes, se terminant néanmoins sur une note optimiste, Poutine donnant son accord sur le principe d'une rencontre au sommet : « J'étais sur le point de partir jouer au hockey [sur glace], mais je vais appeler dès maintenant mes conseillers pour qu'ils élaborent un texte. » Et de clore, espiègle, en français : « Je vous remercie, Monsieur le Président. » Se montrant amusé par les talents linguistiques du président russe, Macron avait raccroché, persuadé que sa démarche avait une sérieuse chance d'aboutir (1). Le numéro de charme de Poutine était destiné à « endormir » ou, pour reprendre un terme propre au monde des services secrets, à « intoxiquer » son interlocuteur. Pour l'ancien officier du KGB, la * Historien, professeur des universités à l'Université de Lille. Auteur, entre autres publications, de : Brejnev, l'antihéros, Perrin, 2021, et des Services secrets russes des tsars à Poutine, 3 e éd., Tallandier, 2022.
Une chose qu'il aime par-dessus tout » : Brejnev et la chasse Résumé.-Brejnev, secrétaire général... more Une chose qu'il aime par-dessus tout » : Brejnev et la chasse Résumé.-Brejnev, secrétaire général du Parti communiste de l'URSS en 1964-1982, était un passionné de la chasse. La chasse était l'un des éléments essentiels de la culture politique que les élites soviétiques avaient reçus en héritage de leurs prédécesseurs tsaristes, comme le montrent les exemples de Lénine et de Khrouchtchev. Brejnev était cependant le dirigeant pour lequel elle a le plus compté. Plus qu'un simple moment de détente et d'évasion, elle était un rituel qui renforçait et entretenait ses réseaux, expliquant sa longévité politique. Elle a aussi joué un rôle dans sa politique de « détente » avec les dirigeants étrangers. L'évolution de ses parties de chasse illustre aussi sa distance croissante d'avec le Kremlin, et son déclin général vers la fin de sa vie. Mots clés.-Brejnev, chasse, URSS, Guerre froide « Let me tell you one thing he loves » : Leonid Brezhnev as a hunter Abstract.-Brezhnev, general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the years 1964-1982, had a passion for hunting. Hunting was one of the crucial elements of political culture the Soviet elites inherited from their tsarist predecessors, as the examples of Lenin and Khrushchev exemplify. Brezhnev was the Soviet leader who used hunting the most for political purposes. It was a ritual that helped him reinforce and maintain his elite networks outside of the traditional Kremlin background, and which explains his longevity in power. It also played a role in the politics of 'détente' with foreign leaders. The evolution of his hunting parties also illustrates his distancing from power and his decline in his late years, mirroring the decline of the Soviet system as a whole.
gnès Tachin dir., Le temps du voyage. Les déplacements internationaux des chefs d’État ou de gouvernement, Bruxelles : Peter Lang, 2022, 41-52 (Enjeux internationaux, 51), 2022
How singer Dean Reed and actor Chuck Connors were used by the Kremlin during Brezhnev's détente p... more How singer Dean Reed and actor Chuck Connors were used by the Kremlin during Brezhnev's détente period.
Film played an important role during the Cold War, but certain aspects of the “cinematic
Cold War” remain to be explored, especially on the Soviet side. This article shows
how, at the beginning of the seventies, during the so-called “détente” era, the Kremlin has
used two American actors, Dean Reed and Chuck Connors. Reed was a singer and an actor who has been a champion of the communist cause for several years, but his cinematic ambitions were shelved; whereas Connors, a conservative artist, became “Brezhnev’s friend”, helping him to get through the crisis of the Yom Kippur war.
This article on the myth of Soviet-American 'meeting at the Elbe' in April 1945. Intended for the... more This article on the myth of Soviet-American 'meeting at the Elbe' in April 1945. Intended for the 2nd volume of 'Sites of Russian memory', ed George Nivat. It was written long time ago and I thought it would never see the light of day. To be published in 2019, copyright FAYARD.
While studies of the Cuban missile crisis abound, the story “from below” of those fateful days of... more While studies of the Cuban missile crisis abound, the story “from below” of those fateful days of October, 1962 remains largely to be written. This is particularly true for the Soviet side. Little is known about the way the Soviet population, and particularly youth, the prime category for propaganda, perceived what is considered the most dangerous crisis of the Cold War. Youth were indeed the target of a massive mobilization campaign, but one that was ridden with many shortcomings, or, using the musical metaphor, dissonances. The propaganda machine (mainly the press, but also radio and film) was cultivating anti-Americanism and solidarity with the Cuban people for quite some time, but when the crisis suddenly arose, many “choir members” were unable to modulate their voice to the right key, if there ever was one. Secrecy and improvisation in the Kremlin, coupled with the trauma of World War II, bore the fruits of inertia, formalism, pacifism, and above all, embarassed silence, eventually contributing to an extreme and often ambivalent palette of reactions.
In 1958, a new travel agency, Sputnik, was created in the Soviet Union to deal
specifically with... more In 1958, a new travel agency, Sputnik, was created in the Soviet Union to deal
specifically with foreign youth. During the years of East/West competition in the
consumer sphere, the provision of food and drink played an important part in the
Soviet tourist industry. The two were symbolic, a reflection of the state of the economy
and therefore closely tied to Khrushchev’s desire ‘to catch and overtake America’.
Actually implementing this goal, however, was no easy task. When it came to feeding
tourists, Sputnik faced challenges in two areas: the acquisition of quality food and the
provision of service. If unsuccessful in either realm the implications for the group’s
propagandistic effectiveness could be profound. The agency hoped that young Western
tourists, if content with the service, would return home to dispel negative images of
Soviet Russia. During its formative years (1958–1964), Sputnik benefited from the
unprecedented nationwide campaign intended to improve the dining service and
prefabricated food industry, and the agency could claim some tangible results.
Nevertheless, a complete success was never achieved because of economic,
technological, and motivational issues, as well as the influence of Cold War tensions
on Sputnik’s negotiations with its Western partners.
Keywords: food and drink; visitors; youth; Soviet Union; Cold War; propaganda
La ligne politique soviétique en direction des États-Unis pendant la guerre fraîche (1975)(1976)(... more La ligne politique soviétique en direction des États-Unis pendant la guerre fraîche (1975)(1976)(1977)(1978)(1979)(1980)(1981)(1982)(1983)(1984)(1985).
Dimanche 20 février 2022, alors que les tensions étaient à leur comble, le président français Emm... more Dimanche 20 février 2022, alors que les tensions étaient à leur comble, le président français Emmanuel Macron s'était entretenu par téléphone avec Vladimir Poutine. Les préparatifs en vue d'une invasion russe de l'Ukraine étaient une certitude pour le renseignement américain depuis l'automne, mais le président français, comme la majorité des décideurs européens, ukrainiens inclus, avait du mal à y croire. Pensant que la diplomatie pouvait encore permettre d'éviter le pire, il avait proposé au maître du Kremlin de servir de médiateur pour organiser un sommet Poutine/ Biden, à Genève, afin de discuter de l'« architecture de sécurité » en Europe. La discussion, âpre, avait duré près de neuf minutes, se terminant néanmoins sur une note optimiste, Poutine donnant son accord sur le principe d'une rencontre au sommet : « J'étais sur le point de partir jouer au hockey [sur glace], mais je vais appeler dès maintenant mes conseillers pour qu'ils élaborent un texte. » Et de clore, espiègle, en français : « Je vous remercie, Monsieur le Président. » Se montrant amusé par les talents linguistiques du président russe, Macron avait raccroché, persuadé que sa démarche avait une sérieuse chance d'aboutir (1). Le numéro de charme de Poutine était destiné à « endormir » ou, pour reprendre un terme propre au monde des services secrets, à « intoxiquer » son interlocuteur. Pour l'ancien officier du KGB, la * Historien, professeur des universités à l'Université de Lille. Auteur, entre autres publications, de : Brejnev, l'antihéros, Perrin, 2021, et des Services secrets russes des tsars à Poutine, 3 e éd., Tallandier, 2022.
Une chose qu'il aime par-dessus tout » : Brejnev et la chasse Résumé.-Brejnev, secrétaire général... more Une chose qu'il aime par-dessus tout » : Brejnev et la chasse Résumé.-Brejnev, secrétaire général du Parti communiste de l'URSS en 1964-1982, était un passionné de la chasse. La chasse était l'un des éléments essentiels de la culture politique que les élites soviétiques avaient reçus en héritage de leurs prédécesseurs tsaristes, comme le montrent les exemples de Lénine et de Khrouchtchev. Brejnev était cependant le dirigeant pour lequel elle a le plus compté. Plus qu'un simple moment de détente et d'évasion, elle était un rituel qui renforçait et entretenait ses réseaux, expliquant sa longévité politique. Elle a aussi joué un rôle dans sa politique de « détente » avec les dirigeants étrangers. L'évolution de ses parties de chasse illustre aussi sa distance croissante d'avec le Kremlin, et son déclin général vers la fin de sa vie. Mots clés.-Brejnev, chasse, URSS, Guerre froide « Let me tell you one thing he loves » : Leonid Brezhnev as a hunter Abstract.-Brezhnev, general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in the years 1964-1982, had a passion for hunting. Hunting was one of the crucial elements of political culture the Soviet elites inherited from their tsarist predecessors, as the examples of Lenin and Khrushchev exemplify. Brezhnev was the Soviet leader who used hunting the most for political purposes. It was a ritual that helped him reinforce and maintain his elite networks outside of the traditional Kremlin background, and which explains his longevity in power. It also played a role in the politics of 'détente' with foreign leaders. The evolution of his hunting parties also illustrates his distancing from power and his decline in his late years, mirroring the decline of the Soviet system as a whole.
gnès Tachin dir., Le temps du voyage. Les déplacements internationaux des chefs d’État ou de gouvernement, Bruxelles : Peter Lang, 2022, 41-52 (Enjeux internationaux, 51), 2022
How singer Dean Reed and actor Chuck Connors were used by the Kremlin during Brezhnev's détente p... more How singer Dean Reed and actor Chuck Connors were used by the Kremlin during Brezhnev's détente period.
Film played an important role during the Cold War, but certain aspects of the “cinematic
Cold War” remain to be explored, especially on the Soviet side. This article shows
how, at the beginning of the seventies, during the so-called “détente” era, the Kremlin has
used two American actors, Dean Reed and Chuck Connors. Reed was a singer and an actor who has been a champion of the communist cause for several years, but his cinematic ambitions were shelved; whereas Connors, a conservative artist, became “Brezhnev’s friend”, helping him to get through the crisis of the Yom Kippur war.
This article on the myth of Soviet-American 'meeting at the Elbe' in April 1945. Intended for the... more This article on the myth of Soviet-American 'meeting at the Elbe' in April 1945. Intended for the 2nd volume of 'Sites of Russian memory', ed George Nivat. It was written long time ago and I thought it would never see the light of day. To be published in 2019, copyright FAYARD.
While studies of the Cuban missile crisis abound, the story “from below” of those fateful days of... more While studies of the Cuban missile crisis abound, the story “from below” of those fateful days of October, 1962 remains largely to be written. This is particularly true for the Soviet side. Little is known about the way the Soviet population, and particularly youth, the prime category for propaganda, perceived what is considered the most dangerous crisis of the Cold War. Youth were indeed the target of a massive mobilization campaign, but one that was ridden with many shortcomings, or, using the musical metaphor, dissonances. The propaganda machine (mainly the press, but also radio and film) was cultivating anti-Americanism and solidarity with the Cuban people for quite some time, but when the crisis suddenly arose, many “choir members” were unable to modulate their voice to the right key, if there ever was one. Secrecy and improvisation in the Kremlin, coupled with the trauma of World War II, bore the fruits of inertia, formalism, pacifism, and above all, embarassed silence, eventually contributing to an extreme and often ambivalent palette of reactions.
In 1958, a new travel agency, Sputnik, was created in the Soviet Union to deal
specifically with... more In 1958, a new travel agency, Sputnik, was created in the Soviet Union to deal
specifically with foreign youth. During the years of East/West competition in the
consumer sphere, the provision of food and drink played an important part in the
Soviet tourist industry. The two were symbolic, a reflection of the state of the economy
and therefore closely tied to Khrushchev’s desire ‘to catch and overtake America’.
Actually implementing this goal, however, was no easy task. When it came to feeding
tourists, Sputnik faced challenges in two areas: the acquisition of quality food and the
provision of service. If unsuccessful in either realm the implications for the group’s
propagandistic effectiveness could be profound. The agency hoped that young Western
tourists, if content with the service, would return home to dispel negative images of
Soviet Russia. During its formative years (1958–1964), Sputnik benefited from the
unprecedented nationwide campaign intended to improve the dining service and
prefabricated food industry, and the agency could claim some tangible results.
Nevertheless, a complete success was never achieved because of economic,
technological, and motivational issues, as well as the influence of Cold War tensions
on Sputnik’s negotiations with its Western partners.
Keywords: food and drink; visitors; youth; Soviet Union; Cold War; propaganda
La ligne politique soviétique en direction des États-Unis pendant la guerre fraîche (1975)(1976)(... more La ligne politique soviétique en direction des États-Unis pendant la guerre fraîche (1975)(1976)(1977)(1978)(1979)(1980)(1981)(1982)(1983)(1984)(1985).
Cover and backcover of the new edition of The Russian intelligence from the tsars to Putin. It wi... more Cover and backcover of the new edition of The Russian intelligence from the tsars to Putin. It will be in stores on February 6, 2020 ! I have worked hard to improve the first edition (2010), adding many new passages, correcting quite a few mistakes, and writing a whole new chapter on the years 2010-2019. Also, a new bibliography, etc.
This is the cover of my book published by Perrin in January 2017. This is a general history of th... more This is the cover of my book published by Perrin in January 2017. This is a general history of the 1953-2016 period, it also contains numerous documents, including ones I found in archives.
This is an updated version of my very first book, an adaptation of my Ph. D.
The main topic h... more This is an updated version of my very first book, an adaptation of my Ph. D.
The main topic here is "Soviet Cold War culture", as seen through the lens of "presences" of the U.S. in the Soviet Union during the years 1975-1985. So this is not only the story of anti-American propaganda machine, but of the manifestations of all things American in the public sphere. To put it in a nutshell, this is a story of a love-hate relationship of Russia with American which prepared the pro-American wave of the late 1980s.
This is an interview I conducted in 2016, published on the Politique Internationale website in Fe... more This is an interview I conducted in 2016, published on the Politique Internationale website in February 2017, for the 100 years of the Russian revolution. I can't find it online anymore – so here's the original version, in French and English.
Mémoire de maîtrise d'histoire réalisé en 1998-1999 sous la direction du professeur Georges-Henri... more Mémoire de maîtrise d'histoire réalisé en 1998-1999 sous la direction du professeur Georges-Henri Soutou à Paris IV, à partir des archives du Quai d'Orsay. Mon tout premier travail de recherche.
A short story about Khrushchev's favourite datcha at Pitsunda. Copyright Perrin. From an edited v... more A short story about Khrushchev's favourite datcha at Pitsunda. Copyright Perrin. From an edited volume called 'A day with'. First publication: 2016. Paperback: 2017.
This is an interview I did back in 2004, on Soviet anti-American propaganda and Yakovlev's percep... more This is an interview I did back in 2004, on Soviet anti-American propaganda and Yakovlev's perception of the U.S. Link to the audio file included.
This is an interview I gave many years ago, during the first Chechen war. This title was not mine... more This is an interview I gave many years ago, during the first Chechen war. This title was not mine, but I guess it suits me just fine now.
This is a review of the "Brezhnev diaires" I made for Cahiers du monde russe. Among other interes... more This is a review of the "Brezhnev diaires" I made for Cahiers du monde russe. Among other interesting details I have discovered, there is the famous decision to intervene in Afghanistan -- usually dated December 12, 1979, which appears to have been validated by the Plenum on the 13.
Two articles by my late father Vadim Kozovoi (1937-1999), on the state of the Soviet Union in 19... more Two articles by my late father Vadim Kozovoi (1937-1999), on the state of the Soviet Union in 1990, one year before USSR collapsed.
Le cinéma dans les relations soviéto-américaines de Staline à Brejnev. Mémoire inédit pour le dip... more Le cinéma dans les relations soviéto-américaines de Staline à Brejnev. Mémoire inédit pour le diplôme d'habilitation à diriger des recherches Présenté sous la direction de Madame Sabine Dullin, Université de Lille, soutenu le 7 décembre 2014.
Synthèse des travaux et perspectives de recherche suivies d'une sélection de publications. Souten... more Synthèse des travaux et perspectives de recherche suivies d'une sélection de publications. Soutenue le 7 décembre 2014, Université de Lille.
Uploads
Papers by Andrei Kozovoi
Bob de Graaff, editor
https://www.rienner.com/title/Intelligence_Communities_and_Cultures_in_Asia_and_the_Middle_East_A_Comprehensive_Reference
Film played an important role during the Cold War, but certain aspects of the “cinematic
Cold War” remain to be explored, especially on the Soviet side. This article shows
how, at the beginning of the seventies, during the so-called “détente” era, the Kremlin has
used two American actors, Dean Reed and Chuck Connors. Reed was a singer and an actor who has been a champion of the communist cause for several years, but his cinematic ambitions were shelved; whereas Connors, a conservative artist, became “Brezhnev’s friend”, helping him to get through the crisis of the Yom Kippur war.
specifically with foreign youth. During the years of East/West competition in the
consumer sphere, the provision of food and drink played an important part in the
Soviet tourist industry. The two were symbolic, a reflection of the state of the economy
and therefore closely tied to Khrushchev’s desire ‘to catch and overtake America’.
Actually implementing this goal, however, was no easy task. When it came to feeding
tourists, Sputnik faced challenges in two areas: the acquisition of quality food and the
provision of service. If unsuccessful in either realm the implications for the group’s
propagandistic effectiveness could be profound. The agency hoped that young Western
tourists, if content with the service, would return home to dispel negative images of
Soviet Russia. During its formative years (1958–1964), Sputnik benefited from the
unprecedented nationwide campaign intended to improve the dining service and
prefabricated food industry, and the agency could claim some tangible results.
Nevertheless, a complete success was never achieved because of economic,
technological, and motivational issues, as well as the influence of Cold War tensions
on Sputnik’s negotiations with its Western partners.
Keywords: food and drink; visitors; youth; Soviet Union; Cold War; propaganda
Bob de Graaff, editor
https://www.rienner.com/title/Intelligence_Communities_and_Cultures_in_Asia_and_the_Middle_East_A_Comprehensive_Reference
Film played an important role during the Cold War, but certain aspects of the “cinematic
Cold War” remain to be explored, especially on the Soviet side. This article shows
how, at the beginning of the seventies, during the so-called “détente” era, the Kremlin has
used two American actors, Dean Reed and Chuck Connors. Reed was a singer and an actor who has been a champion of the communist cause for several years, but his cinematic ambitions were shelved; whereas Connors, a conservative artist, became “Brezhnev’s friend”, helping him to get through the crisis of the Yom Kippur war.
specifically with foreign youth. During the years of East/West competition in the
consumer sphere, the provision of food and drink played an important part in the
Soviet tourist industry. The two were symbolic, a reflection of the state of the economy
and therefore closely tied to Khrushchev’s desire ‘to catch and overtake America’.
Actually implementing this goal, however, was no easy task. When it came to feeding
tourists, Sputnik faced challenges in two areas: the acquisition of quality food and the
provision of service. If unsuccessful in either realm the implications for the group’s
propagandistic effectiveness could be profound. The agency hoped that young Western
tourists, if content with the service, would return home to dispel negative images of
Soviet Russia. During its formative years (1958–1964), Sputnik benefited from the
unprecedented nationwide campaign intended to improve the dining service and
prefabricated food industry, and the agency could claim some tangible results.
Nevertheless, a complete success was never achieved because of economic,
technological, and motivational issues, as well as the influence of Cold War tensions
on Sputnik’s negotiations with its Western partners.
Keywords: food and drink; visitors; youth; Soviet Union; Cold War; propaganda
The main topic here is "Soviet Cold War culture", as seen through the lens of "presences" of the U.S. in the Soviet Union during the years 1975-1985. So this is not only the story of anti-American propaganda machine, but of the manifestations of all things American in the public sphere. To put it in a nutshell, this is a story of a love-hate relationship of Russia with American which prepared the pro-American wave of the late 1980s.