In the depths of the Cold War, the Soviets had their own version of James Bond, a superspy whose adventures thrilled readers from Minsk to the Urals.

But whereas Bond enjoyed champagne, gambling and beautiful women, the spy codenamed Stierlitz was a Russian patriot of austere tastes (though he does enjoy vodka and singing Russian songs). In novels like “Diamonds for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat,” Stierlitz carved a parallel path to that being followed by the great 007.

Spy fan Miles Jupp explores the extraordinary legacy of the Soviet James Bond and his creator Julian Semyonov.

Producer: David Stenhouse

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2014 Show less