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1704-10431-10091

2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

SECRET

21 1602

US/82/71

Dear. Anthony,

Regarding your letter 6/705) of 10 May 1982, our

records indicate that Valeriy Vladimirovich Kostikov

traveled to Mexico,

Spain, the U.s. and Cuba

during the period 1959-61.

In 1961, he was assigned

permanently to Mexico City as a consular officer and

served there until August 1965:

He was variously

described as a translator, vice-consul, and attache.

During this tour he attempted to cultivate a U.S.

Government employee assigned to our embassy in Mexico

201-?,9:4:

In September/October 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald

approached

the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City in an attempt

to get a visa allowing him to return to the USSR.

Kostikov, as a consular officer, handled this visa

We have no information which indicates

relationship between these individuals other than for the

purpose of Oswald's making his visa request.

Kostikov returned to Mexico City for a second tour of

duty in July 1968.

During this tour he was again assigned

to the consular section and was a second secretary.

appeared that he was tasked with following

the activities

of the Central American communist parties and left-wing

groups, and he met often with members of

these groups,

reportedly providing them with funds and technical

guidance.

In July/August 1969, Kostikov made an unusual

TDY trip to Moscow lasting three weeks.

(His family

remained in Mexico.) In July 1970 he made a four-day trip

to Havana.

Kostikov's tour in Mexico ended unexpectedly in

September

Our information indicated that he was

not due to leave for another three to four months, and at

the time of his departure, there was some speculation that

the suddenness of his departure was due to the fact. that

he was known to Lyalin.

1ü0-2-45

CROSS FILE COPY FOR

201-289248

DO NOT DESTROY

Form 5:07 PARaDI

RECORD COPY

1 050-005-003

0201-289248

salsaras?

-SECRET

XAF-09222

Z1MAY82

3.05

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13-00000

DECRET

While in Mexico he was considered by some

most effective and dangerous of intelligence officers in

He has been described as being without morals,

education, 1968, he was

and manners.

Shortly after his arrival in

arrested in front of a house of

prostitution after becoming

involved in a fist fight with

It appears this incident did not affect his

position

City, despite the

fact that it

deal of

press coverage.

We are aware only that Kostikov arrived in Beirut in

June 1978.

We are unable to confirm his presence there

Although our file indicates that Kostikov may have

been a member

of Department 13 (Executive Action)

(Department V's predecessor), we have been unable to

Also, to the best of our knowledge

the KGB

has not engaged in such

executive action since 1959.

Sincerely,

/s/ David

David H. Blee

Mr. Anthony

DeVere

PHOTO ATTACHED

DDO/CI/RA/Joan Paxson (21 May 1982)

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SECRET

100-2-95

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