The Petrov Affair
The Petrov Affair was played out against the background of the Cold War. It was Australia’s own spy story.
- The Petrovs (Vladimir and Evdokia) first arrived in Aust in 1951. Officially, they came to Canberra to work as diplomats in the Russian Embassy.
- Their real job was to act as espionage agents. Their job was to infiltrate Aust government departments and political parties.
- April 1951, Vladimir (V.P.) was promoted to 3rd secretary of the embassy. He was given responsibility for cultural and consular tasks. This gave him cover for his spying work that was to be conducted in Sydney and Melbourne.
- Another of his jobs was to decode intelligence instructions from Moscow.
- He is meant to watch closely the activities of Russian and Eastern European migrants in Aust.
- Whilst carrying out his spying duties, V.P. came to the attention of ASIO (Aust. Security Intelligence Organization)
The People
Charles Spry – The Director General of ASIO. Spry oversaw the defection of Petrov and approved 5000 pond payment to him to obtain his defection to Australia. Defection = moving to Aust but unlike immigration. Implies some good reason for moving.
Ron Richards – Deputy Director of ASIO. Given job of gaining V.P.‘s confidence.
Michael Bialoguski – ASIO undercover agent. He was a Polish Migrant to Aust who hated communism.
Herbert Vere (Doc) Evatt – Leader of the Opposition
The Story Continues
- Soon after arriving in Aust, Petrov found that his job gave him access to clubs and bars in Sydney and Melbourne.
- Petrov started to spend increasing amounts of time at the Russian Club (Sydney).
- One evening at the Russian Club, he met up with Bialoguski. The two became friends
- He told M.B. the troubles he was experiencing at the Russian Embassy.
- M.B. contacted ASIO and told them that Petrov could be a candidate to defect.
- Petrov then admitted to M.B. that he was a spy.
- Petrov had never realised that M.B. was a spy
- A plan was hatched to bring about Petrov’s defection
- For 6 weeks, Ron Richards interviewed V.P. He showed Richards documents that supported his claims that Russians were spying in Australia
- 3rd April 1954, Petrov is defected to Aust
- His return to Russia would not have been a welcome one due to his failure as a spy and he saw defection as his only option
- The defection was so secret that not even his wife was aware of the decision.
- The Russian Embassy became aware of the defection the Russians accused the Aust. Authorities of kidnapping Petrov.
- 13th April 1954, Menzies announced to Parliament V.P.’s defection. This was to be the last time parliament sat before a federal election. Many believe that Menzies very deliberately did not tell the Aust public right away to act to his own advantage for the election.
- 19th April, Evdokia Petrov, who had been under arrest at the Soviet embassy, was taken to Sydney airport by two armed Russian couriers
- By the time she reached Mascot Airport, a crowd had gathered. As she crossed the tarmac with her guards, the crowd rushed forward and tried to save her by blocking the entrance to the plane.
- 20th April plane landed in Darwin, E.P. was separated from her couriers and asked if she would like defect. She answered yes.
- The Royal Commission was held into the affair and during the royal commission, the Labor opposition leader, Doc Evatt, destroyed his own reputation during a speech in federal parliament.
- Evatt’s political career was effectively destroyed by the Petrov Affair
- The royal commission released its final report in September 1955. It concluded that the Petrovs were telling the truth and that the documents obtained by V.P. were legitimate evidence of spying from within the Russian Embassy.
Fallout
- Whilst the Petrovs were able to identify an Aust. Spy ring, they also identified hundreds of other operatives working in embassies around the world
- After defection, the Petrovs became naturalised Australians and were given new identities
- V.P. spent most of his life concerned that he would be the victim of an assassination
- In his spare time he hunted, fished and drank heavily
- V.P. believed that he would make money from publishing a book but this never eventuated
- He eventually worked developing film and was known as Sven Allyson.
- He died in 1991
- Evdokia was more concerned about the fate of her family. She was reconnected with them in 1960
- E.P. worked as a typist for a tractor company and died as Anna Allyson in 2002 age 87
