In this atmosphere of healthy mutual respect, Mr Kryuchkov felt emboldened to confide to Nixon that his relations with President Gorbachev were deteriorating.
ECONOMIST: Russia and America
2.
For good measure, Mr. Kryuchkov accused the West of causing the Soviet Union's internal difficulties and of exploiting them to speed the breakup of its empire.
CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Too clever by half
3.
As Mr Simes observes, the Bush administration would have been better prepared for the August 1991 coup, masterminded by Mr Kryuchkov, if it had taken notice of these signals.