In the 1960s and 1970s, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces was rightfully considered one of the most powerful and most secretive intelligence organizations in the world - even the very existence of such an organization was kept secret from ordinary Soviet citizens. It is not a secret to him............................... But the GRU was only the pinnacle of a gigantic military intelligence pyramid that permeated the entire armed forces and military-industrial complex of the Soviet Union. This book tells about how Soviet military intelligence was organized, how it worked and what place it occupied in the system of state power. You will learn: Why military intelligence is needed and how it arose in Soviet Russia How Soviet military intelligence was organized at the tactical, operational and strategic level Who and how was selected and trained to work in military intelligence . What techniques were used by GRU officers to recruit agents and on what principles work with them was based How the work of GRU agents, officers and residents was evaluated, and how the GRU managed to achieve the highest efficiency from them Why special forces were created in the Soviet Army and what tasks they solved. A great addition to the novel "Aquarium" and a fascinating reading for everyone who is interested in the history of the Soviet special services The book includes 80 photos, including rare photos from Russian and foreign archives.