Why does Orlov claim Salt is a Russian spy?

In Salt (2010), why does Orlov claim that Salt is a Russian spy during his interrogation by the CIA?

It damages the cover of if not dooms entirely a valuable asset (which Orlov calls "my greatest creation").
The assigned assassination of the Russian president becomes 10x harder. Salt comes literally inches away from being stopped multiple times (even being grazed by a bullet).
The explanation of the KA program increases the risk of other agents being exposed.
The testimony provides evidence that the assassination was in fact not US-sponsored, as the Russian spies would have the world believe.
If Orlov needed to give her information (assignment, hostage husband, etc.), it could have been done somewhere else than CIA facilities.

This seemingly goes against every one of Orlov's operating motives.

So why did Orlov want the CIA to suspect Salt was a Russian spy?

Best Answer

I'll start out by saying that you are correct on certain points. Orlov unnecessarily complicated things, but the movie needed tension and action and they chose to create it by means of plot holes and bad character decisions.

So why did Orlov want the CIA to suspect Salt was a Russian spy?
When Salt was rescued by Mike and they became a couple, that was not in Orlovs plan.
For the KA program to work, she was never meant to care for someone unless it was deemed necessary to make the plan succeed. Mike however was a liability.

So Orlov questioned her loyalty, but he didn't question her skill.
By outing her so openly to the CIA, he 'burned her bridges' to make sure that:

she had to prove her devotion to the KA program
she would not have a way to back out

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Is Salt a Russian agent?

Salt Double-Crossed Orlov, and Then After Her Mentor Ted Winter Revealed That He Was Also a Russian Agent Working Against Her, She Killed Him; Captured, She Convinced CIA Agent Peabody to Release Her to Kill the Remaining Foreign Agents.

Is Evelyn Salt the Russian spy?

And just in case Salt's Anna Chapman-esque storyline about double agents and Russian 'sleeper spies' infiltrating the great nation of America hasn't heightened your curiosity yet, here are the basics: Jolie is Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent, accused of being a Russian spy. Actually, she is a Russian spy.

Is Angelina a spy in Salt?

Angelina Jolie portrays a CIA officer accused of being a Russian spy in the new movie 'Salt.

Is Salt a sleeper agent?

Eventually, a flashback shows us that Salt is a Russian sleeper agent. She attacks the vice-president's funeral and appears to kill the Russian president before surrendering to the New York police. Cue a highly implausible set-piece car chase, as Salt commandeers a police car and Tazers the cops with their own guns.

Salt (2010) - You Are a Russian Spy Scene (1/10) | Movieclips

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