Blake is the holder of many top Soviet and Russian government decorations, including the Order of Lenin

MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. The director of Russia’s foreign intelligence SVR, Sergey Naryshkin, has congratulated the Service’s legendary agent, George Blake, upon his coming 95th birthday. Blake, a former British secret service agent turned Soviet intelligence colonel, has lived in Russia for the past 52 years since his escape from a British jail.

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On behalf of all Russian intelligence service veterans and current staff Naryshkin addressed Blake in these words: "On behalf of the leadership, all staff and veterans of the Russian foreign intelligence and on my own behalf please accept the warmest, cordial greetings on the occasion of your coming 95th birthday," Naryshkin said. He recalled that Blake had dedicated his whole life "to the noble cause of protecting the ideals of humanism and justice and the work for peace." His heroism and outstanding contribution to maintaining Russia’s security earned him high praise of the country’s leadership, Naryshkin said. "Our Service knows you well as a reliable comrade, a man of great wisdom, a talented scholar, an outstanding book author and a skillful teacher. You selfless devotion to your cause, your extraordinary mind, dedication, sense of purpose, courage, fortitude, love of life and good-naturedness are an example for all SVR staff to follow," Naryshkin said. He wished Blake good health, unlimited strength to carry on, optimism, good physical shape and energy, as well as happiness and well-being to his relatives and dear ones. Biography George Blake was born in Rotterdam on November 11, 1922. During the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands his mother and sisters fled to Britain, while Blake at an age of 17 joined the anti-Nazi Resistance. Later he would recall that his youth was entirely associated worth World War II, in particular, the day when after a Nazi air raid on May 10, 1940 Rotterdam was engulfed in flames and smoke and thirty one thousand homes were razed to the ground.

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