Agent under Pseudonym Tokiets (to the History of Japanese Consulate in Odesa in 1927-1932)
Abstract
The purpose of the research paper is to reconstruct the biography of Volodymyr Fomenko, to find out the nature of his relations with the employees of the Japanese Consulate in Odesa and his role in the functioning of the institution, to analyze the significance of V. Fomenko’s agent activities for the Soviet secret police, and to reveal the range of reasons that led to his repression in 1932.
The scientific novelty. The biography of Volodymyr Fomenko as a person close to the officials of the Japanese Consulate in Odesa and an active agent of the Counterintelligence Department of the State Political Directorate from 1927 to 1932 has been reconstructed. The biography of Mykhailo Boltenko, an outstanding Ukrainian archaeologist and Director of the Odesa Archaeological Museum, has been clarified.
Conclusions. The totalitarian regime of the Soviet Empire could not ignore the network of foreign consulates operating in the territories under its control. Odesa Institution of Japan stands out among others due to the complex of preserved documentary evidence currently available for scientific study. They provide an opportunity to form an idea of the agent network formed around the Japanese officials.
Volodymyr Fomenko, an agent of the GPU under the pseudonym Tokiets from 1927 to 1932, stood out for his activity and the informativeness of the reports he provided. His reports differed significantly from those of other fellow agents who were on a stakeout of the Japanese in the city. He submitted reports to the Counterintelligence Department both about the routine life of the institution and the reflections of the Consul and secretaries on various topical issues. In 1928, the agent began working as a Ukrainian language consultant at the institution. Furthermore, he instructed Japanese individuals in the Ukrainian and Russian languages. Such a strong tie would subsequently become the basis for the secret police to suspect V. Fomenko of double-dealing.
With the recall of Consul Shimada from Odesa, the agent’s ties with the Japanese became noticeably weaker. He failed to establish friendly relations with the new Consul B. Tanaka, and meetings with the institution’s Secretary occurred irregularly.
From the beginning of 1932, the secret police finally decided to arrest Tokiets. Feeling threatened, in May 1932, V. Fomenko tried to flee to Poland but was arrested. The result of his trial was execution. Closely related to that process was another repressive case against Mykhailo Boltenko, the former Director of the Odesa Archaeological Museum.
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