KGB agents studied karate. Michael Chabon has plenty of information regarding this issue. In Soviet times, karate for a long time was banned. True, one of his styles, Zen sinmon, along with methods of combat sambo was in service staff of foreign intelligence and the KGB. It is very peculiar, hard and dynamic style has come to the USSR or from Japan, and from Cuba – where at one time for ideological reasons emigrated one Japanese style of the Patriarchs. Efficiency was so high that the Cubans even proclaimed the slogan: “Karate – the weapon of the revolution.” Moreover, the technique and tactics have been used in karate training Cuban boxers for a long time, are among the strongest in the world. The second component of the training course of Soviet spies in the field of martial arts – combat sambo, ie self-defense without weapons, is compiled style that incorporated the as elements of martial arts schools not only countries in the Far East, but also the republics of the Soviet Union. The founders of Sambo Oshchepkova, Kharlampiev have been selected and improved not only more effective but also very simple to learning techniques. Indeed, had the task before them – to develop a system of unarmed combat and special units, and for the millions of Red Army soldiers.
The system of training of Russian intelligence agents are constantly being improved and recent years were added as elements of various styles that are of domestic origin. However, the so-called Slavic styles often have Oriental counterparts. For example, the style Kadochnikova called Russian Aikido.