The Rest Is Classified

Latest Episodes:

50. The Man Who Tried To Kill The KGB: On the Run from Russia (Ep 2) May 27, 2025

Show notes

He risked everything to expose the KGB's darkest secrets, but Vasily Mitrokhin had two non-negotiable demands: his family's safety and his archive's publication. How did MI6 navigate these unprecedented requests? What secret deal was struck with the Americans to fund his resettlement? And why did Mitrokhin himself express anger at his handlers?

This episode delves deeper into the nail-biting exfiltration of Vasily Mitrokhin and his family from a turbulent post-Soviet landscape. From a comically small minibus to a chaotic scene at the docks, the operation pushes the MI6 team to their limits. But the biggest challenge isn't the KGB – it's the personal fallout of Mitrokhin's secret life.

Listen as Gordon and David uncover the raw, emotional moments of a spy's escape and the complex, costly process of bringing his invaluable archive to the West.

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Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

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49. The Man Who Tried To Kill The KGB: A Traitor in the Kremlin (Ep 1) May 25, 2025

Show notes

The Cold War may have ended, but the hunt for dangerous secrets never truly stops. What happens when a disillusioned KGB archivist decides to betray his masters? How did he manage to steal masses of top-secret files from the heart of the Soviet Union? And what did the CIA miss that MI6 was able to seize?

This is the incredible story of Vasily Mitrokhin, a man with a "profound, even spiritual hatred" for the KGB he served. For years, he meticulously copied secret documents, turning a hidden archive into a weapon against the very "beast" he believed was destroying Russia. His daring escape and the treasure trove of secrets he brought with him would shine a light on the KGB's global operations for decades.

Join Gordon and David as they unravel the true tale of a man who risked everything to expose the deepest secrets of one of the world's most feared intelligence agencies.

-------------------

To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this ⁠⁠link⁠⁠.

To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up⁠

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-------------------

Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-------------------

Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

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48. The Leak That Changed The World: Death of Privacy (Ep 6) May 20, 2025

Show notes

Do we have any privacy in the modern era? Why did Snowden do the things he did? Was he successful? And what is the closest Gordon Corera ever came to being a spy?

Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera discuss the legacy of Edward Snowden.

-------------------

To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this ⁠link⁠.

To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up⁠

-------------------

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-------------------

Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

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47. The Leak That Changed The World: Spying on the World (Ep 5) May 18, 2025

Show notes

Stories continue to flood out of the Snowden leaks and it's not just American doing the spying. How were the British 'Mastering the Internet'? Should we be surprised that America are spying on their allies? And what damage will these revelations do?

Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera discuss how the stories from Edward Snowden's leaks continue to make headlines around the world.

-------------------

To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this ⁠link⁠.

To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up⁠

-------------------

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠

-------------------

Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠⁠⁠

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

46. The Leak That Changed The World: Snowden On The Run (Ep 4) May 13, 2025

Show notes

The world has met Edward Snowden and now he fears repercussions. How will he escape Hong Kong? Where will he go? And will any nation be willing to risk the fury of the USA and help him?

Listen as David and Gordon continue the story of Edward Snowden and the leaks that changed the world.

Exclusive INCOGNI Deal: To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to ⁠https://incogni.com/restisclassified ⁠

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-------------------

To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this ⁠link⁠.

To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up⁠

-------------------

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠

-------------------

Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠⁠⁠

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

45. The Leak That Changed The World: America Exposed (Ep 3) May 12, 2025

Show notes

With Snowden now in possession of 1,500,000 secret American files, how can he get them in the public eye? Which journalists will he choose to help him? And why does he choose to hole himself up in a hotel room in Hong Kong?

Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera discuss just how Snowden and the journalists he was working with plan to publish one of the most consequential stories of the 21st century.

Exclusive INCOGNI Deal: To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to https://incogni.com/restisclassified

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ nordvpn.com/restisclassified It's risk-free with Nord's 30 day money back guarantee ✅

-------------------

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠

Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠

-------------------

Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠⁠⁠

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

44. The Leak That Changed The World: Stealing State Secrets (Ep 2) May 06, 2025

Show notes

Edward Snowden has decided he is going to leak some of America's biggest secrets, but first he needs to steal them. How do you steal from some of America's most secure facilities? Does he have the access he needs? And is he working alone?

Listen as David McCloskey and Gordon Corera share how Edward Snowden stole 1,500,000 files from the American system.

-------------------

To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this ⁠link⁠.

To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up⁠

-------------------

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠

Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠

-------------------

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼⁠⁠⁠ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified⁠⁠⁠

It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Exclusive INCOGNI Deal: To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://incogni.com/therestisclassified⁠⁠

Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠⁠

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

43. The Leak That Changed The World: Snowden Hacks the System (Ep 1) May 04, 2025

Show notes

Who was Edward Snowden? Was he an ideologue or a disgruntled employee? And what led him to orchestrating the biggest leak in modern American history?

Join David McCloskey and Gordon Corera as they discuss Edward Snowden, his life inside the American secret state, and his momentous decision to act against it.

-------------------

To sign up to The Declassified Club, go to www.therestisclassified.com or click this link.

To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up

-------------------

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠

Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠

-------------------

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼⁠⁠ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified⁠⁠

It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Exclusive INCOGNI Deal: To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://incogni.com/therestisclassified⁠

Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: ⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

42. Putin’s Minions: The Master in Moscow (Ep 2) Apr 29, 2025

Show notes

The game is afoot, and the stakes are higher than ever. Who was the real villain in the Minions spy saga? How did a fintech tycoon become a key player in Russian espionage? And what does this case reveal about the Kremlin's increasingly brazen tactics?

As the story of the Bulgarian spy ring unfolds, a web of deception and international intrigue emerges. The key to the puzzle lies in the identity of the handler, a man whose double life and connections to Russian intelligence raise troubling questions about the reach of the Kremlin's power.

Listen as Gordon and David follow the money, messages, and Minions to expose the truth behind this audacious act of espionage.

-------------------

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠via this link.⁠

Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠via this link.⁠

-------------------

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼⁠ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified⁠

It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Exclusive INCOGNI Deal: To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to ⁠https://incogni.com/therestisclassified

Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: ⁠@triclassified⁠

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill

Senior Producer: Dom Johnson

Exec Producer: Tony Pastor

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

41. Putin’s Minions: How Russia Spies (Ep 1) Apr 27, 2025

Show notes

What do a fading seaside hotel, a self-proclaimed Q, and an eyelash champion have in common? They're all part of a bizarre Russian spy ring operating in the UK. But beneath the absurdity lies a serious threat. What were these "Minions" really up to? And how close did they come to compromising Western security?

This is the story of a group of Bulgarians, directed from Moscow, who engaged in a series of increasingly audacious espionage operations across Europe. From tracking journalists to plotting kidnappings and deploying high-tech spy gear, their activities reveal the Kremlin's relentless pursuit of its enemies.

Join Gordon and David as they delve into the darkly comic yet deeply concerning world of modern Russian espionage.

-------------------

Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, via this link.

Pre-order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, via this link.

-------------------

Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.nordvpn.com/restisclassified

It’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee!

Exclusive INCOGNI Deal: To get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan, go to https://incogni.com/therestisclassified

Email: classified@goalhanger.com

Twitter: @triclassified

Assistant Producer: Becki Hills

Producer: Callum Hill