Why did Ian Fleming seem to fear that the Soviets might win the Cold War?
Short answerThe KGB remained formidable and increasingly desperate, so the intelligence contest could look much stronger for Moscow than the wider Soviet position did.
NotesThe espionage struggle can be distinguished from the ultimate geopolitical outcome of the Cold War. The KGB remained a formidable service, while increasing Soviet desperation could intensify how aggressively it operated. That combination could make Soviet intelligence appear capable of winning its part of the contest even as the wider system weakened. Post-Soviet Russian services had less recruitment appeal once talented candidates found safer and better-paid careers elsewhere.