RUSSIA'S SECRET WEAPON IS SAID TO HAVE BLOWN UP

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000600270017-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 29, 2000
• Sequence Number: 17
• Publication Date: October 17, 1965
• Content Type: NSPR

OCT17ic
Approved For Release 2000/08/03 : C 6 DP75-00149R000600270017-2
Russia's Secret Weapon
Is Said To Have Blown Up
London, Oct. 16 (Aml---
Khrushche' rattled at the West in
1960 was a nuclear-propeiled
,rocket that blew up on the launch-
ing pad, killing the Soviet com-
mander of rocket forces and 300
others, the Guardian said today.
The paper quoted from what it
said were secret reports of Oleg
Penkovsky, a Russian who was
sentenced to death by a Soviet
court in 1963 for spying for the
West. He was close to influential
Kremlin leaders and was regarded
in London and Washington as the
most valuable Western spy behind
the Iron Curtain.
Premature Test
Victor Zorza, Communist affairs
expert of the Guardian, apparently
obtained an advance look at the
spy's reports, which are being MARSHAL NEDELIN
published soon under the title i)enth ln.id to rocket blast
"The Penkovsky Papers" in Brit "'1'hs w6apoi1 under develop-
ain and the United States, mmw. you might say in the porL-
Zorza said Pcnkovsky report.edi folio of the scientists, is a fanlas-'
that former Premier Khrush-f' lic one,"
chew's boast. early in 1960 of a Global Racket
secret weapon annoyed Soviet Then on, March t6, 1962, in a' access to Berlin.
speech in the Kremlin, Khrush-I
In repeated messages, t'enkov-'
Military men and forced a prema- the,. indicated his "fantastic" sky said that Khrushchev's hark
ture testing, of the rocket., new weapon had been perfected, Z. worse than his bite art ' that
In the fall of 1960. scientists a5 'although hie did not refer to it rn
semhic'd to rush Ihrou^h a test in. Russia did not .,have the militar,
r that say. Nor did he mention his
time for the October Rekoluliuoipreviuus boast: -'force to back up the threals,
anniversary,, 7ora reported. President Kennedy lled
Out sci~entisis and engineers,"! When
"1'he countdown went according lie said "have created a- new in-} United States, reservists to' cadish
to plan" Zorza said, "but the new tercontineatal rocket which they{ and the West made it plain it
missile failed to leave the ground. tall global This rocket is invul-; would fight, if need be, Krushchev
The observers waited for some nerahte to anti-missile weapons." then pulled back and gave the im-
lwenty minutes, then came out of s,ny nuclear - powered rocket pression there was no hurry about',
the shelter, rsnnld he global, since its fuel signing the separate treaty.
At this point. the missile ex- iinirld permit 'it to make extended" 7orza said the United Stales
iploded, killing 300 people, among 'Central Intelhnenec Agency has;
!them the commander-in-chief ofiflights before zeroing in on tar- made Penkovsky's papers availa-
:Lhe Soviet missile forces, Marshaiigels, ble foi? pulbicalion probably asi
t ~~cdelin." - 3hrushchev said the new 's'ea-; part of its. propaganda battle with
AirCrash Claimed lpohs could outwit United Stales, Soviet intelligence agencies., I
The Russians announced OcLo-iradar and-warning systems in the Penkovsky was' sentenced toj
ber,26, '1960 that Marshal Mitro- Inor'th polar region because "the, dcath for sspionage in a 1963 trial
fan I Nedelhn and "several other{ new global rackets tan fly around; at which he was at cased of pass-
:officers" had been killed in thelthe world in any direction and,ing secret information to British
line of duty in an air crash. strike a blow at any set target. business man Grenville Wyrne.
In an address to the Soviet Par -I 'On the diplomatic side, 7erzaiAlthnugh there was no official an-
liainent January;14, 1960, Khr'ush nouncemcnt, it is resumed Pen
chew declared: reported the most important. mtel-I p
ligence furnished by Penkor sky kot Sky was executed
The Central Committee of the Wynne was given al)r icon stn- !.
Communist party and the Soviet was chat; the Krnnilin' hand
Government can inform you. could be successfully called dur- fence at the trial but was later
!comrade deputies, that though the, run the 19?1 Berlin ci 1?i:a. released.
weapons we now have are formi, ;lttrJ,hat year, Khrushchev threa- Wynne said in London Ih at.
dable weapons, the weapon we felted to in a separate peace
treaty with East Germany andi'tlraiP is 'q rihttrly no doubt
have in the hatching stage today~l 'j r I the enkovsk apes= am
Appro For R&~aaWe20@b ?#" 6~ f ; ~ ~ 2.2001 r-'~