French TV interviews the Russian spy Sergei Zhirnoff refugee in France

Sergei Zhirnoff (Sergueï Jirnov, Сергей Олегович Жирнов), an “énarque”, a former Soviet and Russian spy, refugee in France since 2001, a NOC from the Illegals Directorate, directed by General Yuri Drozdov, on the French State television interviewed by famous anchor Jean-Luc Delarue in 2006 “New York Times“ Yuri Drozdov, Soviet Superspy Who Planted ‘Illegals’ in Other Countries, Dies at 91 By SOPHIA KISHKOVSKYJULY 10, 2017 “It was not a teacher, not a scholar, not a theoretician who spoke with us, but a professional practitioner, an architect and director of operations,” one trainee, Serguei Jirnov, wrote in a blog post. “Magic happened: History came to life.” A version of this article appears in print on July 12, 2017, on Page B14 of the New York edition of New York Times with the headline: Yuri Drozdov, 91, Top Spy For . Who Planted Agents Around the Globe. Order Reprints