This article examines the life and work of Nikolay Ivanovich Isaev (1903-1969), a veteran of Soviet military intelligence. During World War II, his role was instrumental in enhancing the Soviet Union’s military-economic potential in its struggle against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. In the post-war period, Isaev contributed significantly to developing a scientific methodology for military analysis within the Main Directorate of the General Staff. A special focus is placed on his role in fostering expert collaboration between the USSR Academy of Sciences and the Main Intelligence Directorate, particularly in establishing a leading research program at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO). The study is based on materials from the archives of the Russian Foreign Ministry, IMEMO, the Isaev family, and the memoirs of his daughter, Yulia Nikolaevna Isaeva.