In the Labyrinth of the KGB. Ukraine's Intelligentsia in the 1960s–1970s: Olga Bertelsen, Lanham, MD & London: Lexington Books, 2022, xxvi + 343pp., £38.00/$40.99 h/b.

"In the Labyrinth of the KGB" by Olga Bertelsen is a book that examines the lives of the intelligentsia in Soviet Ukraine during the 1960s and 1970s. The author argues that the Committee for State Security (KGB) failed in its attempts to suppress the diverse intellectual community of Kharkiv and instead unintentionally fostered deeper connections among writers and within a broader transnational community. The book challenges a Russo-centric view of Soviet history and highlights the sustained repression faced by various national, ethnic, and cultural groups in the Soviet Union. While the book provides valuable insights into Soviet Kharkiv during this period, it has some limitations in its analysis and engagement with existing scholarship. Nonetheless, it is recommended for those interested in the history of Soviet Ukraine, the post-Stalin intelligentsia, or the domestic operations of the KGB. [Extracted from the article]