 The defector Orlov, who worked for the NKVD in Spain, confirms that he was told by a General, whom Orlov did not want to name, that when the General returned to Moscow to seek further instructions, he was told that the Politburo had adopted a new line towards Spain.Until then, the policy of the Politburo was to assist Republican Spain by supplying armaments, Soviet pilots and tanks to bring about a speedy victory over Franco; but now the Politburo had revised its strategy.Stalin had come to the conclusion that "It would be more advantageous to the Soviet Union if neither of the warring camps gained proponderant strength, and if the war in Spain dragged on as long as possible and thus tied up Hitler for a long time."