Recently declassified government documents have shed new light on Lee Harvey Oswald’s possible ties to the Soviet Union. The documents were released by the U.S. National Archives, providing details about Oswald’s activities before the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Among the recent revelations is a CIA memo stating from 1991 that Oswald was under intense surveillance by the KGB after he defected to the Soviet Union in 1959. Soviet intelligence reportedly viewed him as unstable and a poor shot. Despite this, the new documents raise questions about whether he had deeper connections to Soviet operatives before returning to the U.S. in 1962.
JFK files say Lee Harvey Oswald was under KGB surveillance
President Trump is ushering in a new era of maximum transparency. Today, per his direction, previously redacted JFK Assassination Files are being released to the public with no redactions. Promises made, promises kept. https://t.co/UnG1vkgxjX pic.twitter.com/XBbkQfz4Bx
— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) March 18, 2025
The JFK files confirm that the Soviet Union took a strong interest in Oswald, tracking his movements and interactions. While the KGB ultimately decided he was not a viable intelligence asset, he was closely watched during his time in the Soviet Union. His defection and later return to the U.S. were considered unusual by intelligence officials.
Another significant detail in the documents is that Oswald reportedly met with Soviet officials in Mexico City weeks before Kennedy’s assassination. This meeting has been under speculation for decades, with the theory that he was receiving instructions or advice from Soviet intelligence being offered as an explanation.
What happens now following the latest findings?
The release of the documents adds to the decades-long debate over whether or not Oswald received outside assistance. While the files cement his connection to the Soviet Union, they fail to prove any conspiracy led by a Soviet official. They do, however, illustrate Cold War tensions and how far U.S. intelligence followed Oswald’s activity.
Experts believe that more classified files could still provide missing pieces of the puzzle. Despite all the investigations and releases of documents, JFK’s assassination is still one of the most thoroughly investigated incidents in the history of the modern world. With each new revelation, historians and conspiracy theorists alike continue to seek the full truth behind Kennedy’s premature death.