Intel opinion

Russia's Ex-Spy Chief Shares Opinions Of His American Counterparts

...So what should intelligence money be spent on? Trubnikov pauses and takes a nibble of a chocolate cookie.

"Today, to get any kind of secret paper, with the top-secret info — that's nothing," he said. "It is essential to penetrate into the brains of those who are leading the countries."

And to penetrate the brains of foreign leaders — to predict your adversary's next move — Trubnikov says only human intelligence works. Meaning, traditional espionage.

"An intelligence officer must grow up to the level of Michelangelo," he said.

What does Michelangelo have to do with a modern Russian spy? Trubnikov's answer: The best spy is a Renaissance man.

"He has to have in his brain an encyclopedia. He cannot today be a very narrow specialist. To get information, very, very delicate information. This is the task of an intelligence officer."