An aircraft hijack to escape from the Soviet Union (258)

Cold War Conversations

Back in the 1970s, migrating from the Soviet Union was an unattainable dream for many, particularly Jews wanting to leave for Israel. To leave the Soviet Union for another country, it was necessary to obtain exit visas. In practice, many people found them impossible to get.

On the morning of June 15, 1970, 16 Soviet Jews who had been refused exit visas appeared at Smolny Airport near Leningrad to hijack a plane. They posed as a group going to a wedding — hence the name of the operation.

The plan devised a year before the attempted hijacking, was quite straightforward. The hijackers would target a small aeroplane and book all the seats on it. They would commandeer the aircraft and leave the pilots unharmed on the landing strip, while one of the conspirators would take control of the aeroplane and fly it to Sweden.

I speak with filmmaker Anat Zalmanson-Kuznetsov whose film “Operation Wedding” reveals the compelling story of her parents, the leaders of the group.

0:00 Introduction and background on Soviet Union migration

7:22 The Struggle of Soviet Jews' Emigration

11:16 The Origin and Execution of Operation Wedding

17:03 The Arrests and Aftermath of Operation Wedding

24:36 Prison Conditions and International Reaction

30:17 Influences and Interventions: Golda Meir and Franco

33:03 Soviet Restrictions on Emigration and Its Impact

35:22 Release and Life Post-Prison for Anat's Parents

40:52 The Making of the Film "Operation Wedding"

42:49 Acknowledgement of Supporters and Closing Remarks

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I am delighted to welcome Anat Zalmanson-Kuznetsov to our Cold War conversation…

Episode notes and full film here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode258/

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