"Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is advertising." - George Orwell

THE STRANGE TALE OF FAKE RUSSIAN SPIES

A year after the Ukraine war broke out a Russian intelligence agent boards a fishing trawler called Taurus just off the coast of Norway. He is under surveillance by the Norwegian security services after driving through the northern regions of the country. His covert meetings are noted. As he disembarks from the boat, the spy is carrying a black bag and moves back onto the mainland. On the surface it is an exciting espionage tale of civilian vessels colluding with secret agent

Mark Hollingsworth

May 155 min read

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THE STRANGE TALE OF FAKE RUSSIAN SPIES

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BIOGRAPHY

Mark Hollingsworth is an investigative journalist, historian, documentary filmmaker and author of 11 books, notably ‘Londongrad – From Russia with Cash, the inside story of the Oligarchs’ and ‘Agents of Influence – How the KGB Subverted Western Democracies’.

His other books include investigations into the Saudi Royal Family, MPs’ business interests, MI5 and biographies of Mark Thatcher and Tim Bell.

As a freelance reporter, Hollingsworth contributes regularly to ‘The Spectator’, ‘The Telegraph’, ‘The Times’, ‘The Independent’ and the ‘Mail on Sunday’. He has also written for ‘The Guardian’, ‘Sunday Times, ‘Private Eye’, ‘London Evening Standard Magazine’, ‘The Observer’, ‘New Statesman’ and ‘Tatler’.

Hollingsworth started his career in 1984 and worked for Granada TV’s award-winning current affairs programme ‘World In Action’ for four years and has since made several documentaries for Channel 4.

THE STRANGE TALE OF FAKE RUSSIAN SPIES

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HOW A LAWSUIT COULD BANKRUPT THE ISLE OF MAN

THE STRANGE TALE OF FAKE RUSSIAN SPIES

Bankrupt Kuwaiti businessman behind Dartford Disneyland debacle could face a criminal investigation

Sanctions must rely on facts and evidence not context and inference, says EU advocate

Civil servants accused of fresh Post Office cover-up

Blair pictured with Kazakh dictator’s right-hand man

A CHILLING REMINDER OF THE LAST TIME ASSETS WERE CONFISCATED

ARTICLES

BIOGRAPHY