Vasili Mitrokhin was born in 1941 in the Soviet Union. He joined the KGB in 1972 and worked in the organization for over 20 years, rising through the ranks to become a senior archivist. During his time at the KGB, Mitrokhin had access to highly classified documents, including files on Soviet espionage operations, dissident movements, and international relations.

The Mitrokhin Archive PDF is available online, although some documents have been redacted to protect sensitive information. The archive has been published in several formats, including a 5-volume set of books, which provides a comprehensive overview of the KGB's activities.

The documents reveal: