TOP-10 new generation guns of the CIA and KGB during the Cold War

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

We are used to seeing Hollywood films about secret agents and their unusual devices. Of course, bulletproof umbrellas and X-ray glasses had not yet been invented, but American and Soviet spies had no worse gadgets than the famous James Bond.

1. Encryption key in a powder box

At first glance, an ordinary powder box, but this is only at first glance. If desired, it could of course be used for its intended purpose, but it was created for completely different purposes. If you looked at a certain angle in the mirror, then a secret code appeared.

2. Spy pigeon

It is known that during the Cold War, CIA agents used ordinary pigeons to track them. For this, a miniature camera was hung on the bird's neck, which took photos or videos. After the bird returned to the dovecote, all that remained to be done was to develop the film. It was almost impossible to spot a pigeon with a miniature camera among hundreds of similar birds.

3. Ring-revolver

What would you think if you saw a man in a suit with a large ring on his hand? Anything but the fact that a five-shot miniature revolver is hidden in this ring. 1-mm caliber, of course, is unlikely to kill the enemy, but it will stun you.

4. Dragonfly bug

The CIA also made attempts to develop a miniature flying mechanical dragonfly that would act as a bug. The signal was planned to be transmitted using laser technology. One prototype of the spy dragonfly has even been developed. The only trouble was that the slightest breeze knocked the dragonfly off course. The project was soon closed.

5. Envelope opener

Sometimes it was required to quietly read someone else's correspondence. For this, a special device was used, which made it possible to pull out the letter without damaging the seal and shove it back. Similar devices in different variations were created in many countries.

6. Mobile submarine

In the midst of the Cold War, a mobile submarine was constructed by order of the American special services. The submarine only carried two people. According to Novate.ru, it was extremely uncomfortable to be in the boat, but due to its small size, it could penetrate almost anywhere unnoticed.

7. Secret tube

A unique device for transmitting information was invented by Soviet engineers for KGB agents. Outwardly, the device looked like a smoking pipe, but in its handle was a miniature silent radio receiver. You could hear the signal by picking up the receiver between your teeth. Transmission was via vibration through the skull to the inner ear.

8. Clock with a camera

Back in 1949, the German company Steineck began to produce wrist watches with a built-in camera. Instead of the usual film, special colored discs with a diameter of 2.5 centimeters were inserted into them. However, watches were rarely used for espionage, as the camera lens was too visible on the dial.

9. Gas gun

This weapon became known after the Soviet agent Bogdan Stashinsky killed the Ukrainian nationalist Stepan Bandera with it in 1958. The pistol sprayed a cloud of poisonous potassium cyanide into the victim's face. At first glance, the murder looked like a heart attack. Later, similar pistols were used by other CIA agents, who most often hid them in the sleeve of their jacket.

10. Compass in cufflinks

This miniature compass fits into a regular cufflink. In case the spy had to escape from captivity through the forest or in a deserted area, he could always determine the desired direction of movement. The cufflink did not take up much space and could be hidden discreetly.