Artifacts Collection

Tradecraft Artifacts

Miscellaneous historical items

Igor Gouzenko's gun

When GRU (Soviet Military Intelligence) cypher clerk Igor GOUZENKO fled from the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa on September 5, 1945, he went to Canadian authorities for asylum. Because he feared Soviet reprisal, Mr. Gouzenko carried a small revolver for protection. The gun, an 8mm Label 5-shot revolver, was made by the Spanish firm of Francisco Arizmendi sometime between 1900 and 1939. It is not certain whether Mr. Gouzenko obtained the revolver from the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa or whether he had personally acquired it elsewhere.

« Return to Tradecraft Artifacts