Former Russian spy and sleeper agent Mikhail Vasenkov has died at the age of 79, Russias Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) announced Wednesday.Vasenkov was one of 10 undercover agents arrested in the United States in 2010, after being accused of working for an underground network of spies dubbed the illegals a story that became the basis for hit United States television series The Americans.
Vasenkov and his fellow agents posed as ordinary Americans for more than a decade, building contacts with academics, industrialists and policymakers to gain intelligence.
The network, which included self-styled New York socialite Anna Chapman, was eventually broken up by United States law enforcement in 2010.
All 10 agents were released less than a month later in a high-profile prisoner exchange between Washington and Moscow, believed to be the biggest spy swap since the end of the Cold War.Vasenkov moved to Peru in 2013, where he lived with his wife of 39 years, Peruvian journalist Vicky Pelez.When performing tasks for the service, Vasenkov invariably demonstrated his inherent restraint, determination, and courage, read the SVRs obituary.
The SVR also praised Vasenkovs work creating and heading an illegal residency, which obtained valuable political information, which was highly appreciated.