Of course.
Vyshinsky:
Espionage?
Rykov:
Of course.
Vyshinsky:
Bukharin included?
Rykov:
Of course.
Vyshinsky:
Were you and Bukharin connected.
Rykov:
Absolutely.
Vyshinsky:
So you were spies?
Rykov:
(No reply.)
Vyshinsky:
And the organizers of espionage?
Rykov:
I am in no way better than a spy.
Vyshinsky:
You organized espionage, so you were spies.
Rykov:
It may be said, yes.
Vyshinsky:
It may be said, spies. I am asking, did you organize connections with the Polish intelligence service and the respective spy circles? Do you plead guilty to espionage?
Rykov:
If it is a question of organization, then in this case, of course, I plead guilty.
Vyshinsky:
Accused Bukharin, do you plead guilty to espionage?
Bukharin:
I do not.
Vyshinsky:
After what Rykov says, after what Sharangovich says?
Bukharin:
I do not plead guilty.
Vyshinsky:
When the organization of the Rights was set up in Byelorussia, you were at the head of it; do you admit that?
Bukharin:
I have told you.
Vyshinsky:
I am asking you, do you admit it or not?
Bukharin:
I took no interest in Byelorussian affairs.
Vyshinsky:
Did you take an interest in espionage affairs?
Bukharin:
No.
Vyshinsky:
And who did take an interest?
Bukharin:
I received no information with regard to activities of this kind.
Vyshinsky:
Accused Rykov, was Bukharin receiving any information with regard to activities of this kind?
Rykov:
I never spoke to him about it.
114
After going over the ground again, Vyshinsky only got Rykov back to his old line:
Rykov:
I mean to say that we did not personally direct this development; however, it is not a question of direct leadership but of general leadership. We absolutely and definitely bear responsibility for this.
Vyshinsky:
There is no point in making a pious face, accused Bukharin. Better admit what exists. And what exists is the following: you had a group of accomplices, fellow-conspirators in Byelorussia, headed by Goloded, Chervyakov and Sharangovich. Is that right, Sharangovich?
Sharangovich:
It is.
Vyshinsky:
And on Bukharin’s and Rykov’s instructions, and under their leadership, you established connections with the Polish intelligence service and with the Polish General Staff? Is that right, Sharangovich?
Sharangovich:
Absolutely right.
Vyshinsky:
Under your leadership also with regard to the espionage connections. Is that right, Sharangovich?
Sharangovich:
Absolutely right.
Vyshinsky:
Consequently, who was the organizer of the espionage in which you engaged?
Sharangovich:
Rykov, Bukharin.
Vyshinsky:
Hence, they were spies.
Sharangovich:
Quite right.
Vyshinsky:
Just as….
Sharangovich:
As I myself.
Vyshinsky:
Be seated.
(To Rykov): Accused Rykov, did Goloded tell you in 1932 that all more or less important appointments of people to responsible posts in Byelorussia were first co-ordinated with the Polish intelligence service?
Rykov:
Yes.
Vyshinsky:
Did Bukharin know of this?
Rykov:
I cannot say.
Vyshinsky:
You do not know. You do not want to betray your pal?
Rykov:
What I mean to say is that in those cases when I know that he is not telling the truth, I am exposing him, but in those cases when I do not know, I cannot and shall not do it.
Vyshinsky:
I am asking you with regard to the fact that the Poles were giving their consent to the various appointments to official posts in Byelorussia. Was this known to your leading centre?
Rykov:
I knew of it. As for Bukharin, I never spoke to him about it. I also knew that Chervyakov and Goloded maintained connections, not only with me, but with Bukharin and Tomsky as well. Whether they spoke of this to Bukharin I cannot say, because I was not present at those conversations.
Vyshinsky:
Do you think that it would have been natural for Goloded to speak to Bukharin about this question? Or did they have to keep it a secret from Bukharin?
Rykov:
I think that, naturally, he spoke to Bukharin, but what they talked about I do not know.
Vyshinsky:
I shall ask you now by way of making a supposition: do you suppose that Bukharin knew of this?
Rykov:
This circumstance…. I prefer to speak only of what I knew; and as to what I do not know—my position in the court room is not such as to allow me to advance suppositions.
115
On his conversations with Bukharin, Rykov went on to say: “I do not recall any conversations dealing especially with this espionage work. I do not exclude the possibility that there were such conversations, but I do not remember.”116
After a long exchange with Rykov about the meaning of some of his preliminary evidence, which Rykov pointed out was meant not as fact but as supposition, Vyshinsky turned to Bukharin, who immediately remarked, “I was not asked a single word about this during the preliminary investigation, and you, Citizen Prosecutor, did not question me for three months, not a single word.”117
At this Vyshinsky lost his temper and shouted that Bukharin was not going to instruct him about how to conduct an investigation. He then turned on Rykov again, but got no further.
He concluded weakly: “Permit me to consider it established that Rykov and Bukharin knew the substance of the treasonable connection which included espionage. Is that correct, Rykov?”
Rykov:
That is, espionage followed.
Bukharin:
So it appears that I knew something from which something followed.
118
Ulrikh turned the accused back to the theme of the proposed coup d’état. Following that, Bukharin denied having told Khodzhayev about an agreement with Germany, and after further argument about this Vyshinsky again lost his composure, and Bukharin was able to remark, “There is nothing for you to gesticulate about.” Ulrikh called him to order, and Vyshinsky launched on a harangue: “I will be compelled to cut the interrogation short because you are apparently following definite tactics and do not want to tell the truth, hiding behind a flood of words, pettifogging, making digressions into the sphere of politics, of philosophy, theory and so forth….”
Bukharin replied calmly, “I am answering your questions,” and went on to deny having told Khodzhayev about connections with British spies. Vyshinsky had remarked, during his burst of rage, that “according to all the material of the investigation you are obviously a spy of an intelligence service.” Bukharin now took him up on this point: