Was Greenpeace ever sponsored by the KGB?

Question

As an urban legend, I've heard this claim many times. Allegedly, in the 1970s, the KGB sponsored various Western "anti-war" movements, especially the ones that could hinder Western nuclear tests. As a matter of fact, Greenpeace was one such movement, created in response to nuclear testing in Alaska, which allegedly earned them the help of the KGB. Quite vague claims. However, recently, I've seen political discussion where more concrete claims were made. Allegedly, the original Rainbow Warrior, after being bought by Greenpeace, was refurbished in a shipyard in Tallinn at the KGB's expense. Allegedly, the information comes from the Mitrokhin Archive.

Is there any truth to any of these claims?

Answer 1

It's impossible to prove that no money from the KGB, or any other source, ever reached Greenpeace (and if it did it might have been without the knowledge of Greenpeace). However we can answer the specific question about the Rainbow Warrior's conversion

Rainbow Warrior (formerly 'Sir William Hardy) was acquired by Greenpeace in 1977 and refitted in London. (See also here and here)

Answer 2

1. USSR state recording company Melodia helped Greenpeace raise money via co-sponsoring a jointly release album (U2 et al).

   http://www.musicstack.com/item/206504892 / http://music70-80.narod.ru/katalog/sbor/greenpeace.htm

   While there's no explicit mention of KGB, given the timeline, and the way USSR worked, it was 100% impossible that KGB wasn't in full explicit approval.

   The album was heavily promoted (I remember that myself), and Soviet press was quoted in 1989: “Everyone who buys the album can consider himself a member of Greenpeace, which means it will soon have millions of new members here in the Soviet Union.”

   Quoting from Russian Wiki (all quotes from that are sourced from Greenpeace itself - " История Гринпис (рус.). Greanpease.org. Архивировано из первоисточника 3 февраля 2012. Проверено 13 мая 2011):

   В СССР Гринпис появился в 1989 году благодаря средствам от продажи альбома «Гринпис. Прорыв» (Greenpeace Breakthrough). В его записи участвовали U2, Eurythmics, R.E.M., INXS, Шаде, Брайан Ферри и другие рок-звезды.[8]

   Альбом во всём мире вышел тиражом около 10 миллионов экземпляров, очередь за пластинкой в Москве вошла в книгу рекордов Гиннесса. В течение первых часов с момента выхода пластинки было продано полмиллиона экземпляров. К 15 мая 1989 года общее количество проданных альбомов достигло миллиона.

2. Again from Russian Wiki (same source):

   В июле 1989 года на пресс-конференции на борту корабля Гринпис «Воин радуги» Алексей Яблоков (в то время председатель комитета по охране окружающей среды СССР), официально объявил отделение Гринпис в СССР «первой независимой организацией в Советском Союзе»

   In July 1989, during press conference on board "Rainbow Warrior" shop, Alexej Yablokov (President of USSR State Committee for Preservation of the Environment) declared Greenpeace the "first independent organization in USSR".

   Again, given that it was 1989, this was fully State approved and like any interface with the foreigners, fully curated by KGB.