# The Cold War's Most Extraordinary Spy w/ Ben Macintyre

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-shorts-6691663/the-cold-war-s-most-extraordinary-spy-w-ben-macintyre
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-shorts-6691663/the-cold-war-s-most-extraordinary-spy-w-ben-macintyre.md
Podcast: [History Shorts](https://stenobird.com/podcast/history-shorts-6691663)
Published: 2026-09-10T12:16:00+00:00
Episode link: https://2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c.libsyn.com/the-cold-wars-most-extraordinary-spy-w-ben-macintyre
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdcn.co/e/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/Macintyre_AUDIO_2.mp3?dest-id=4947215
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Duration seconds: 1542

## Resource

Ben Macintyre joins History Shorts to discuss his new book Redwood: The Untold Story of the Cold War's Most Extraordinary Spy . In 1981, Tehran was still reeling from the Iranian Revolution. The Shah was gone, Ayatollah Khomeini's regime was consolidating power, and the Soviet Union was actively working to exploit the chaos. Into this dangerous environment stepped KGB Major Vladimir Kuzichkin—a highly skilled Soviet intelligence officer who would become one of the most important double agents of the late Cold War. Codename: Redwood. In this conversation, Ben Macintyre reveals the extraordinary true story of how Kuzichkin approached MI6, the critical intelligence he provided about Soviet plans in Iran, the personal crisis that drove him to switch sides, and the high-stakes operation that followed—one that reached the highest levels of Western governments and helped avert a potential nuclear crisis. SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast ADVERTISE : https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/ SPONSORED BY: www.thecollector.com

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## Transcript

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