[1]12,An044
[2]104-10431-10091
[4]| 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992
[6]21 Wee
[8]US/82/71
[10]Dear. ( Anthony)
[11], Re arding your letter 6/705) of 10 May 1982, our...
[13]traveled to Mexico, France, Spain, the U.S. and Cuba
[15]during the. period 1959-61. In 1961, he was assigned
[16]permanently to Mexico City as a consular officer and
[17]served there until August 1965. He was variously
[18]described as a translator, vice-consul, and attache.
[19]During this tour he attempted to cultivate a U.S.
[20]Government employee assigned to'‘our embassy in Mexico
[21]City.
[23]; In September/October 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald ;
[24]approached ‘the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City in an attempt
[25]to get a visa allowing him to return to the USSR..
[26]Kostikov, as a consular officer, handled this visa |
[27]request. We have no information which indicates ‘any
[28]relationship between thése individuals other than for the
[29]purpose of Oswald's making his visa request.
[31]Kostikov returned to Mexico City for a second tour of
[32]duty in July 1968. During this tour he was again assigned
[33]to the consular section and was a second secretary. It
[34]appeared that he was tasked with following the activities
[35]of the Central American communist parties.-dnd left-wing
[36]groups, and he met often with members of’ these groups,
[37]reportedly providing them with funds and technical
[38]guidance. In July/August 1969, Kostikov made an unusual
[39]TDY trip to Moscow lasting three weeks. (His family
[40]remained in Mexico.) In July 1970 he made a four-day trip
[41]to Havana.
[43]Kostikov's tour in Mexico ended unexpectedly in
[44]September 1971. Our information indicated that he wae
[45]not due to leave for another three to four months, and at
[46]the time of his departure, there was some speculation that
[47]the suddenness of his departure was due to the fact. that
[49]he was known to (Lyalin)- 96 —
[51]CROSS FILE COPY FOR
[53]DO NOT DESTROY
[57][Recon CT]
[61]we?
[63]DEOTEZET ETE —_ . : a [OIAME <
[65]13-00000
[67]PHOTO ATTACHED
[69]DDO/CI/RA/Joan Paxson) (21 May 1982)
[71]DISTRIBUTION:
[72]Orig & 1 - Adse
[73]1 - CI/RA Chrono
[74]1 - 100-2-95
[75]1 - Reading Board
[78]While in Mexico he was considered by some to be the
[79]most effective and dangerous of intelligence officers in
[80]Mexico. He has been described as being without morals,
[81]education, and manners. Shortly after his arrival in
[82]Mexico in 1968, he was arrested in front of a house of
[83]prostitution after becoming involved in a fist fight with
[84]some locals. It appears this incident did not affect his
[86]‘position in Mexico City, despite the fact that it
[88]received a good deal of press coverage.
[90]We are aware only that Kostikov arrived in Beirut in
[91]June 1978. We are unable to confirm his presence there
[93]' nowe
[95]Although our file indicates that Kostikev may have
[96]been a member of Department.13 (Executive Action)
[97](Department V's predecessor), we have been unable to
[98]confirm this. Also, to the best of our knowledge the KGB
[99]has not engaged in such executive action since 1959,
[101]Sincerely,
[103]/s/ David -
[105]David H. Blee
[107]Mr. (Anthon C, M. DeVere ‘