MIG PILOT: LT. VIKTOR BELENKO'S FINAL ESCAPE (PUBLISHERS WEEKLY)

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00123880
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: May 29, 2019
• Case Number: F-2016-00620
• Publication Date: December 3, 1979

Approved for Release: 2019/04/11 C00123880
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
3 December 1979
MiG PILOT: Lt. Viktor Belenko's Final
Escape
John Barron. Reader's
McGraw-Hill, S10.95
003850-3
Barron, an editor
recounts the story
Soviet pilot who defected by flying his
secret MiG-25 to Japan in 1976 and lat-
er came to the U.S. Readers who have
no particular curiosity about the techni-
cal aspects of aircraft will nevertheless
find the book interesting for its picture
. of life in the Soviet Union. Through Be-
lenko's eyes we see a poor country
where everyday existence is difficult
for the average Russian due to food
shortages, shoddy goods and mistaken
priorities by planners. Barron's prima-
ry emphasis, however, is on what he
considers Belenko's contribution to
our national defense, information about
Soviet pilot training, equipment and the
like Belenko passed on to the CIA dur-
ing months of interrogation. But the
psychology of the defector, Belenko's
severe culture shock in adjusting to
American life (even with a sizable trust
fund from our government to ease his
financial problems), the transfer of alle-
giance from one system to another by
this "quintessence of the New Commu-
nist Man" are subjects that little con-
cern the author, who deals with such
matters only briefly in a concluding
chapter. (Februaryj
Digest Press/1
ISBN 0-07-i
at Reader's Digest,
of Viktor Belenko. a
litilaPal.
OCT 196:-
Approved for Release: 2019/04/11 C00123880