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104. 10012-10022-75: 2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992

i r*."

SECRET

21 Moon

US/82/71

Dear. Anthony,

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

records indicate that Valeriy Vladimirovich Kostikoy

traveled to Mexico,

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 varigusly

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

City.

201-

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

reguest.

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

to Moscow lasting three weeks.

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

to Havana.

Kostikov's tour in Mexico ended unexpectedly in

September

1971.

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.

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13-00000

While in Mexico he was considered by some to be the

must

effective and

dangerous of intelligence officers in

Mexico.

He has been described as being without morals,

education,.

and manners.

Mexico in

1968, he was arrested in front of a house of

prostitution after becoming involved in a fist fight with

some locals.

It appears this incident did not affect his

position in Mexico City, despite the fact that it

received a good deal of press coverage.

We are aware only that Kostikov arrived in Beirut in

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

confirm

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 C. M. DeVere

PHOTO ATTACHED

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

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