From an interview with Oleg Gordievsky, a fugitive KGB colonel and British spy. We present our readers the most interesting excerpts:

- How is it that the events in the Middle East were a complete surprise for the EU, US and NATO? Why did intelligence services of the strongest countries in the world overlook the growth of discontent of the people with the ruling regimes?

- I do not think they overlooked. I know many British intelligence officers who are experts on Arab countries.

The tradition to pay attention to Arab countries is very strong in British intelligence. Stronger than in Russia, America, China or any other European country. And British "residents" (spy chiefs - KC) surely understood what was going to happen in those countries and reported it to London. But obviously, the British government didn't pay attention to their reports.

In my opinion, all what happened in those countries was very spontaneous. Two or three British intelligence officers there simply could not influence the events. Reports that the West was doing something are only newspaper speculations.

- But the collapse of the USSR and democratic "colored" revolutions also caught the West by surprise. Why was it so?

- When I was arrested by the KGB in 1985 and fled to Britain, the Foreign Office asked me what was happening in the Soviet Union. I explained that there is a gradual disintegration of the country and that it would collapse in 10 to 20 years.

My words were met with great distrust, but it turned out that I was right. Although I was wrong for several years.

- Western countries actually intervened in the civil war in Libya. Given the experience of Afghanistan and Iraq, to ​​what extent they will allow themselves to be involved?

- It's a difficult question because the only two possible choices of leaving or getting stuck more there would be equally wrong. I think that Britain, and especially France and Italy, will bring their action in Libya to the end. They will force Gaddafi to leave.

If they don't succeed and Gadhafi wins over the rebels, then the West will set a complete blockade against Libya at all levels: on transport, oil and diplomacy.

- Are the confrontations between Putin and Medvedev a real dissolution of the tandem?

- Those confrontations are simply Medvedev's provocations. He understands that his presidency is going to its end, and he wants to show himself as an independent and progressive person. But nothing will come of it, because Putin is a monster who will crush him, he virtually controls everything. According to Russian traditions, intelligence, army, and interior and foreign ministries must obey the president, but Medvedev has nothing of it.

Putin is insolent, he took the army and security services and police and left Medvedev without any real power. Of course, Medvedev may make statements and threaten Putin with a finger, but it means nothing.

- How do you see the future of Russia?

- The integrity of Russia is a myth. At present, the regions are effectively controlled by Moscow, and oil revenues will last for another 20 years. But then ... Russia has too many problems, and not only demographic.

The fact is that even though they say that Russia is a democratic country and the KGB does not exist, that country follows, as before, all the traditions of the USSR and the KGB.