In September 1963, fifty five years ago, french citizen Julien Galeotti came to Vienna from Kiev. He was expelled from Soviet Union that day. His story became seven years before that. For the first time he arrive to USSR from Nice, trying to look like a normal tourist and a worker of French TV. However he instantly attracted attention of KGB and was suspected to be a spy, also was nicknamed as a “The Moustache”. Here are his photos and his story.

KGB released some documents now and it seems he was suspected for making illegal photographs to discredit life in Soviet state. He was lagging behind tourist groups and walked around by himself trying to find something bad to photograph.

One year later he came again to USSR. Now to Odessa city. Here are people standing in line in Odessa.

KGB was watching him closely. Here is a KGB report extract: “He saw an old lady sitting on the street and made a photo of her. Then he photographed a line for taxi. Then he photographed a poor man on the market. Then made a photo of a NAVY harbor. Then photographed a trash bin. Then photographed poorly dressed people”.

A Soviet tank in Odessa.

Odessa market.

He also visited other cities – Sevastopol, Yalta, Batumi etc. He was coming each year on board of tourist cruise lines.

KGB was tracking him on board the cruise ships too.

When he came again to Odessa in 1963 he was already expected there to go to a harbor – and he came.

So he was arrested in a harbor. Here is KGB report. He was searched but no photo film was found on him. He managed to give it to another frenchman who hid it into the bus seat.

Here is his photo that was made by KGB agent. “Object Moustache on a boulevard making a photo of Odessa harbor”

At first he tried to tell KGB he worked only for himself – no French secret service involved. But later admited that during his last trip he also was having a task from French service.

That year he was sent away from USSR without being accused of anything because same year two KGB under cover agents in France

When he returned to France it’s said he was saying “I can’t go any more to USSR but I can’t say I want to do this either”

And here are a few more of his photos:

People lining up before bakery

And those are photographs of him being sent away from USSR.

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