He was “the single most valuable agent in CIA history,” declared a 1976 Agency paper. Soviet military intel officer Oleg Penkovsky volunteered to spy for the US and UK in the 1960s, passing military secrets that shed light on Soviet intentions and weapons capabilities. His intel proved critical during the Cuban Missile Crisis, telling the CIA if the Soviet missiles were operational and key technical capabilities.
Penkovsky copied hundreds of classified military documents using a Minox camera. In the Museum’s collection is this rare lead box (pictured) which was used to transport Penkovsky's film to be processed. Its lead makeup stopped the Russians from irradiating it to see what was inside.
