Penkovsky was arrested on 22 October 1962. This was prior to President Kennedy's address to the US revealing that U-2 spy plane photographs had confirmed intelligence reports, and that the Soviets were installing medium-range nuclear missiles in Cuba, in what was known as code name Operation Anadyr. President Kennedy was deprived of information from a potentially important intelligence agent who might have lessened the tension during the ensuing 13-day stand-off; such as reporting that Nikita Khrushchev was already looking for ways to defuse the situation. That information might have reduced the pressure on Kennedy to launch an invasion of the island, which could have risked Soviet use of "Luna" class tactical nuclear weapons against U.S. troops.