In what year did Operation RYAN begin?

• A. 1979
• B. 1981
• C. 1983
• D. 1985

Answer: (B)

The concept here is recognizing a Cold War-era intelligence initiative and when it started. Operation RYAN was a Soviet effort by the KGB to detect signs of a potential NATO first strike by gathering and analyzing a wide range of indicators—from military movements and early warning systems to political signals and other warning data. It was formally launched in 1981, reflecting the era’s heightened concern about the speed and scale of Western nuclear planning. That starting point makes sense because it aligns with the early 1980s push to improve early-warning and crisis-detection capabilities. The other years don’t fit the historical timeline of when this operation began.