A diplomat and a spy. Life and activities of L.B. Helfand in Rome on the eve of Operation Barbarossa

The paper intends to cast light on the case of L.B. Gel'fand (Helfand), a Soviet diplomat who operated in Italy between 1933 and 1940. While Helfand is most remembered for his defection to the United States and his alleged involvement in espionage, of no less importance is his diplomatic action. In fact, the analysis of Soviet and Italian diplomatic documents provides interesting insights into Helfand's personal contribution to the development of Soviet-Italian relations as well as into the role assigned to Italy by the Soviet Union in its pursuit of a collective security system aimed at the containment of Nazi Germany.