MİT declassifies report on soviet surveillance of Trotsky in Istanbul

ANKARA

Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has released a classified report detailing Soviet intelligence surveillance of Bolshevik revolutionary Leon Trotsky during his exile in Istanbul’s Büyükada, one of the Princes’ Islands.

The document, signed by Istanbul’s Regional Chief Aziz Hüdai Bey, was added to MİT’s special collection section online, shedding light on espionage activities conducted between 1929 and 1933.

Trotsky, a key figure in the Russian Revolution and the founder of the Red Army, was expelled from the Soviet Union by Joseph Stalin in 1929. Seeking refuge, he spent four years in Istanbul before moving to France, Norway, and eventually Mexico, where he was assassinated in 1940 by a Soviet agent.

The declassified report, dated Jan. 16, 1932, reveals Soviet intelligence efforts to track Trotsky’s movements, visitors and correspondence. According to the document, a Soviet agent named Davranof sought assistance from a local informant, offering financial incentives to obtain details about Trotsky’s daily activities and contacts.

“Davranof asked for the names of those who were in charge of Trotsky's protection and surveillance and which of them had been obtained. At first, our agent did not answer this question, claiming that it was out of order, but he accepted it in accordance with our instructions,” the report read.

The report also mentions efforts to infiltrate Trotsky’s security detail and identifies key individuals, including a British national of German descent, Osias Rosenzweig, and a Frenchman named Raymond Moulinière, both of whom visited Trotsky’s residence.

“It is not yet understood why they came and why they stayed at Trotsky's house. We will give Davranof some information about Trotsky through our agent. The money and directives he will give will be the basis for the discovery of a new network for us.”

Soviet intelligence operations on Büyükada were closely monitored by Türkiye’s National Security Service (MAH), the predecessor of MİT. The report highlights MAH’s counter-surveillance strategy, using double agents to gather information on Soviet espionage networks operating in the country at the time.

Trotsky’s former residence on Büyükada island remains a site of historical significance but is currently in a state of disrepair. Despite interest in its preservation, restoration efforts have yet to materialize.