Operation Foot: Analysis of an Espionage Crisis Between The United Kingdom and The Soviet Union

Year 2024, , 88 - 101, 30.08.2024

İbrahim Çağrı Erkul

https://doi.org/10.52642/susbed.1468309

Abstract

In parallel with the development of diplomacy, diplomatic privileges and immunities have been guaranteed internationally. This has made it a common practice for espionage activities to be carried out by people with diplomatic immunity. This practice was reinforced in the Cold War when actors used diplomatic privileges and immunity as important tools in carrying out their espionage activities. With its wide diplomatic representation ability and intelligence services, the Soviet Union was one of the actors that used this tool best, the United Kingdom (UK), on the other hand, has been evaluated as a country where the Soviet Union achieved great success in the context of espionage activities. This article aims to reveal the causes and consequences of Operation Foot, dated 24 September 1971, which was the expulsion of 105 diplomats in the UK who were suspected of spying on behalf of the Soviet Union, during the premiership of Edward Heath. This article also tries to justify why people with diplomatic immunity carry out espionage activities. Operation Foot, which can be considered one of the most critical responses to the espionage activities carried out by the Soviet Union under diplomatic immunity, also made the UK a difficult target in terms of the Soviet Union's espionage activities. This operation is also valuable because it sets an example for other actors who suffered from the espionage activities of the Soviet Union. It should also be taken into account that Operation Foot had a real impact on the period of détente in the Cold War, and in this respect, it had a result beyond the bilateral relations of the Soviet Union with the UK.

Keywords

Operation Foot, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, Espionage, Diplomatic Immunity.

Foot Operasyonu: Birleşik Krallık ve Sovyetler Birliği Arasında Yaşanan Bir Casusluk Krizinin Analizi

Abstract

Diplomaside yaşanan gelişmelere paralel olarak diplomatik ayrıcalıkların ve dokunulmazlığın uluslararası anlamda garanti altına alınması, casusluk faaliyetlerinin diplomatik misyon mensupları tarafından yapılmasını yaygın bir uygulama haline getirmiştir. Bu uygulama, Soğuk Savaş gerçekliği içerisinde aktörlerin casusluk faaliyetlerini gerçekleştirmelerinde diplomatik ayrıcalıklar ve dokunulmazlığı önemli birer araç olarak kullanmalarıyla pekişmiştir. Sovyetler Birliği, sahip olduğu geniş diplomatik temsil yeteneği ve istihbarat servisleriyle bu aracı en iyi kullanan aktörlerden biri olmuştur. Birleşik Krallık ise casusluk faaliyetleri bağlamında, Sovyetler Birliği’nin büyük başarılar elde ettiği bir ülke olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Birleşik Krallık’ta Sovyetler Birliği adına casusluk faaliyeti yaptığından şüphelenilen toplam 105 diplomatın Edward Heath’in başbakanlığı döneminde istenmeyen kişi ilan edilerek sınır dışı edilmesi hadisesi olan 24 Eylül 1971 tarihli Foot Operasyonu’nu nedenleri ve sonuçlarıyla ortaya koymayı amaçlayan bu makale, aynı zamanda casusluk faaliyetlerinin niçin diplomatik dokunulmazlık altında yapıldığını da gerekçelendirmeye çalışmıştır. Sovyetler Birliği’nin diplomatik dokunulmazlık altında gerçekleştirdiği casusluk faaliyetlerine verilmiş en önemli cevaplardan biri olarak kabul edilebilecek Foot Operasyonu, Birleşik Krallık’ı Sovyetler Birliği’nin casusluk faaliyetleri açısından zor bir hedefe dönüştürmüştür. Foot Operasyonu aynı zamanda Sovyetler Birliği’nin casusluk faaliyetlerinden mustarip olan diğer aktörlere örnek teşkil etmesi sebebiyle de kıymetlidir. Foot Operasyonu’nun Soğuk Savaş’ta yaşanan yumuşama dönemi üzerinde gerçek bir etki yaptığı ve bu yönüyle Sovyetler Birliği’nin Birleşik Krallık ile ikili ilişkilerinin ötesinde bir sonuç ortaya çıkardığı da dikkate alınmalıdır.

Keywords

Foot Operasyonu, Birleşik Krallık, Sovyetler Birliği, Casusluk, Diplomatik Dokunulmazlık

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