15 Facts About Genrikh Lyushkov

Genrikh Samoilovich Lyushkov was an officer in the Soviet secret police and its highest-ranking defector.

Genrikh Lyushkov began his education in 1908 in a state-owned, six-classroom school, continuing there until 1915.

In preparation for his defection, Genrikh Lyushkov arranged for his Jewish wife, Inna, to leave the country with his eleven-year-old daughter, for the daughter to receive medical treatment in Poland.

On 13 June 1938, Genrikh Lyushkov defected from the Soviet Union by crossing the border at Posyet into Manchukuo with valuable secret documents about the Soviet military strength in the region, which was much greater than the Japanese had realised.

Genrikh Lyushkov was the highest-ranking secret police official to defect; he had the greatest inside knowledge about the purges within the Soviet Red Army because of his own participation in carrying them out.

Genrikh Lyushkov's defection was initially kept a state secret by Japan, but the revelation of his defection was judged to have a high propaganda value, so the decision was made to release the news to the world.

Genrikh Lyushkov "categorically denied Moscow's allegation that he was an imposter" but some news agencies, such as the New York Times wondered if he was telling the truth.

However, his professed political views remained socialistic in nature according to the recollections of some Japanese intelligence officers, with Genrikh Lyushkov calling himself a Trotskyite, but some Japanese officers believed that he had later become a liberal communist.

Genrikh Lyushkov was willing to include them in a proposed plan for assassination of Stalin.

Genrikh Lyushkov was able to detail strength of the Red Army in the Far East, Siberia and Ukraine, simultaneously providing Soviet military radio codes.

Genrikh Lyushkov was considered highly intelligent and dedicated, producing great volumes of written material, but there was some uncertainty about his ability to provide useful information specific to military operations.

An eventual match was found after Genrikh Lyushkov refused several White emigre women.

Genrikh Lyushkov had concerns that he might be prevented from leaving Japan and went as far as to negotiate a written safe-conduct guarantee.

On 9 August 1945, the Soviet invasion of Manchuria commenced and Genrikh Lyushkov vanished amongst the confusion caused by the sudden assault.

Genrikh Lyushkov was cremated and his ashes were interred in a temple for the unknown dead.