Disputed Photos of Yuri Nosenko

[Roger Fong]

David Wise’s Molehunt, a classic study of the CIA’s search for Soviet spies in its own ranks, was published in 1992. The photo section of this book includes a shot of Yuri Nosenko (see Photo D) with the following caption:

"Yuri Ivanovich Nosenko as a young KGB officer before he defected to the CIA in Geneva early in 1964. This photograph, obtained by the author, is the first ever published of Nosenko. A photograph identified as Nosenko and widely distributed by wire services when the KGB officer defected was actually of another member of the Soviet disarmament delegation, V.V. Shustov."

The earlier photo (Photo A) mentioned by Wise was published in the New York Times on November 12, 1964. The Times printed a short follow-up two days later and correctly identified Shustov.

Between 1964 and 1992, there were at least two other photographs published purporting to be of Nosenko. Photo B appeared in Bernard Fensterwald’s Coincidence or Conspiracy, 1977. Photo C can be found in Chapman Pincher’s Too Secret Too Long, 1984. It’s possible that Photo C is also Shustov. Chapman’s caption indicates that the photo was taken at the Geneva conference where Nosenko defected. I have no information about the provenance of Fensterwald’s photo and it was printed without caption or attribution.

I’ve written to Wise care of his literary agent, and to Chapman at his home in Berkshire, England. Neither has responded. And Fensterwald died in 1991.

I know that both Gerald Posner and Edward Jay Epstein had access to Nosenko, but I don’t know how to get in touch with them.

Does any have information about these photos and do you have suggestions about how I should proceed to sort this out?

[Shanet Clark]

Roger,

Interesting post.

The counter-intelligence games of the period 1958-1964 can shed light on the Kennedy assassination, but they require intense concentration and

critical thinking. Black is White and Up is Down, and nothing is what it seems...

Sorry to tell you, but the photo didn't post, & that is very suspicious.

I think it was the CIA - but Tim Gratz says the KGB did it (kidding, of course)...

(I always click on "insert into post" and the photo goes where the cursor is

blinking in the text box.......)

[Roger Fong]

Sorry to tell you, but the photo didn't post, & that is very suspicious. 

I think it was the CIA - but Tim Gratz says the KGB did it  (kidding, of course)...

(I always click on "insert into post" and the photo goes where the cursor is

blinking in the text box.......)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry, I got an error message when I tried to upload the attachment. Will try to get this fixed so that the photos will appear in the message. Meanwhile, you can find the pictures here:

Nosenko photo

Edited February 3, 2005 by Roger Fong

[Gary Buell]

[

I know that both Gerald Posner and Edward Jay Epstein had access to Nosenko, but I don’t know how to get in touch with them.

Last time I checked both Posner and Epstein could be contacted through their web pages.

[James Richards]

Roger,

Russian print media identified this guy below as Ю.И.Носенко. English translation is Nosenko.

FWIW.

James

Edited February 3, 2005 by James Richards

[Roger Fong]

Got the following "answer" (his terminology) from Ed Epstein:

NONE.  The first 3 were fake photos handed out by CIA to protect Nosenko.  4th looks nothing like him

Followed by the following "new answer"

I rechecked: 3 of photos are of Shustov, 4th, lower right, is supposedly Nosenko, although he does not look like Nosenko I interviewed (he no doubt had plastic surgery)

Haven't gotten through to Posner yet.

[Shanet Clark]

Roger and James

Looks like #1, #2, #3, AND #4 are false photos.

Surprise!