Spasibo.

That’s about my limit, if in fact it is right. Too much effort for no real reason really, so will give it a miss. I reckon they might be worth a few bob. Or maybe not.

 

aren't they the secret police or have I got the wrong country

 

Er...I thought the KGB were the secret police?

Cheers, Jeff

 

I think he's getting confused with the East German 'spatchcock'.

 

To be fair he's getting confused with the Spesnaz - the collective name for the elite military units under control of the GRU, although I suspect you probably knew that.

Cheers, Jeff

 

I know nothing. You never know who's watching this thread.

 

The only time (I think) that I met a representative of the KGB was in Bangkok, when some grey faced dour Russians took over the 8th floor of the very nice hotel we were staying in. There was one very handsome, well dressed 'minder' who supervised their segregated status at breakfast and in a very obvious way kept them from any contact with us. I recall getting into the lift once and being studiously ignored by a few of them. I pressed their floor button after my own. Not one said a word. They were like the living dead.

 

As a completely unexpected coincidence, I've just received an unsolicited e-mail from a young lady called Ivanna, a journalist based in Russia, who seems to wish to start an intimate relationship with me! She's 5' 4", 24 years old and her interests include playing the accordion, dancing (pole dancing, salsa and tango) and baking tasty cakes. She's sent me a link to some pictures of her, however I don't think I'll be clicking on it!

Cheers, Jeff

 

Fascinating photographs - thank you for sharing them.

My dad did a lot of work in Poland in the 80s and although the conditions weren't quite so draconian he did come back with tales of soup that had nothing in and bisongrass vodka up the yinyang.

 

I go to chess tournaments in London quite often and I used to see them in the Communist era shadowing the Russian players. I remember going to the gents once and Karpov came in with one who stood behind him. And Karpov was a party lackey. As you say, you could tell them by the deadpan expression and complete lack of interest in whatever they were attending.

 

Not sure if you are still taking the mick, but spasibo is Russian for thank you.

 

I suppose that serves me right for trying to correct Spinno!

Cheers, Jeff

 

Well, if we're being pedantic, the current external intelligence agency is the SRV-RF and internal security is the responsibility of the FSB, both of which grew out of the old KGB. I would guess the FSB took over the secret police aspect of the KGB.

It's a very complicated area.

 

My handler says I've not to give the game away




So does anyone want to buy a Monopoly Set Moscow edition...

 

I'm going there in August. You don't want to be on my list

 

Google reverse image search is amazing at identifying landmarks and famous buildings. Has helped me out no end with my photos of Egypt from the mid 90's.

 

Thanks for posting, loved those.

 

Thanks

 

Thanks for posting those, Nigel, never been to Russia but went to Latvia and Estonia in 1994, and saw a lot of very similar architecture!

 

Great stuff, thanks for posting.