A unique exhibition in honor of intelligence officer Iskhak Akhmerov was opened in Kazan

(KZN.RU, December 21, Ekaterina Vislavskaya). A unique exhibition “Our compatriots, heroes of the invisible front”, dedicated to Iskhak Akhmerov, the legendary Soviet intelligence officer, member of the Kazan City Council of Workers and Red Army Deputies (1920), and his associates, was opened in the Kazan Millennium Museum (National Cultural Center “Kazan”). Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, visited the exhibition and noted the great contribution of I. Akhmerov to the history of the country.

Iskhak Akhmerov was born in Troitsk, Orenburg Province (now the Chelyabinsk Region) on April 7, 1901. He lived in Kazan from 1913 to 1921, and until 1935 – in Moscow. Then, the most crucial period begins in the life of the intelligence officer: he led an illegal residence in the United States until 1945. The agents involved by him supplied valuable information to the USSR, including materials on the development of nuclear weapons under the Manhattan Project. Iskhak Akhmerov is also known as the initiator of the operation “Snow”, one of the most brilliant operations in the history of Soviet intelligence, which goal is to prevent a war with Japan.

The new permanent exposition of the Kazan Millennium Museum includes officially declassified documents, authentic photographs from the family archive, personal belongings of the intelligence officer, items that he used in his work. Archival materials were obtained from the republican and federal depositories. A significant part of the exposition is pictures of intelligence officers. There is not only Iskhak Akhmerov but also his no less distinguished colleagues Irina Alimova, Shamil Khamzin and Nikolay Gorshkov.

“The history of the thousand-year-old Kazan is connected with outstanding people who glorified the city and country far beyond its borders. Thanks to the exposition, we learned about how remarkable Iskhak Ahmerov was and what historical role he played in the life of our country during the war”, said Ilsur Metshin at the opening ceremony. “Such people turned the course of history. And I am very glad that we are opening this exposition on the eve of the 100th anniversary of the state security bodies of Russia”.

The Mayor of Kazan noted that the opening of this exhibition will help the younger generation, Kazan citizens and tourists learn more about their heroes. Renat Timerzyanov, the chief federal inspector for the RT, also attended the event.

The name of the intelligence officer was decided to be perpetuated also in the form of a memorial plaque on the house where he worked at Zhukovsky Street, №4. The corresponding decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of the RT was issued on December 14, 2017.