This work investigates the operational mechanics and global reach of the KGB during the height of the Cold War between 1975 and 1985. Christopher M. Andrew, a renowned historian of intelligence, collaborates with Oleg Gordievsky, a high-ranking KGB defector, to analyze internal Soviet intelligence documents. The book argues that the KGB functioned as a primary instrument of Soviet foreign policy, often operating with a degree of autonomy and global influence that exceeded Western intelligence estimates of the era.

Experts and historians frequently cite this text as a foundational resource for understanding the operational reality of Soviet intelligence during the late Cold War. Readers often note the high density of the prose and the significant reliance on primary source documentation, which provides a rigorous, academic perspective on the subject matter.