SOVIET CAPBABILITIES TO WAGE BIOLOGICAL WARFARE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01617A000300060002-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 22, 2001
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: December 20, 1948
• Content Type: IM

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGEDCY
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20 December 1948
INTELLIGENCE NE UM NO. 105
SUBJECT: Soviet Capabilities to Wage Biological Warfare
1. There is no reliable evidence that the Soviet Union is or is
not capable of waging large-scale biological warfare at this time. We
believe, however, that the USSR is capable of carrying out smart scale
covert operations against man, domestic animals, or crop plants. in
any event,the Soviet Union possesses, and will possess during 1949,
Potentialities for waging biological warfare equivalent to those of
the United States.
2. This opinion is-based upon the following considerations:
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The Soviet Union has competent and experienced micro-
biologists who are acquainted with German developments in biological
warfare up to late 1945 and with subsequent UPS work in this field des-
cribed in the open literature. Recent unevaluated reports indicate the
existence of at least two stations for research and development of
biological warfare agents. There are a number of institutes engaged in
bacteriological research and consequentltiy suitable for small-scale pro-
duction of biological warfare agents. According to German and Japanese
intelligence, the Soviet Union began research and development on
biological warfare prior to World War 11. One of their research stations
(believed to be on an island in the Aral Sea) was not disturbed during
the war.
There are unconfirmed reports of the existence of a test
area on the Kanin Peninsula and on Kolguev Island. The latter is said
to have been established for test firing of missile equipped with war-
heads containing agents for biological warfare.
a. T s and Production of A n a.
Although it is known that pathogenic microorganism suitable
for biological warfare have been studied in the Soviet Union, it is not
known which organisms have been selected for production for biological
warfare, nor is it known what quantities of these agents have been or
can be produced. The storage locations of agents already produced, if
any, is unknown. "'TIAL'
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Since some agents can be produced by adaptation of well-
known fermentation procedures, the Soviet Union undoubtedly possesses
adequate capability in this field. Very recent reports indicate that
the I USSR is experiencing considerable difficulty with large-scale
industrial production of penicillin. This surprising inability sug-
gests that they may experience corresponding, but less serious, diffi-
culties in the production of certain types of biological warfare agents.
Mhos of Dissem'
There is no information on this subject, except for the
unconfirmed report, mentioned above, on trials of biological warfare
agents in warheads of missiles launched from 8olguev Island. The small
bulk of an effective quantity of such agents obviously lends itself to
delivery by a great variety of conventional and unconventional methods.
.t. T'raintn of Personroe1 in Offp 3p .ye Use.
No information, but in view of the existence of scientific
personnel competent to advise on biological warfare, the USSR ought to
be able to train personnel.
X.
and Staff Planning.
No information.
g. DefA lM Jo t a1 .
The capability of the Soviet Union, or of any other country,
to protect its human population and its animals and crops against biological
warfare depends on its capacity to handle natural outbreaks of disease and
on its preparedness to meets the special problems of biological warfare. We
know nothing of any special efforts the Soviet Union may have made to
defend itsalf against UW but general information on the medical and agri-
culture services of the USSR indicates that its defensive capacity is
less than that of the United States. We have already mentioned the Soviet
shortage of domestic penicillin. We have no information on the supply of
other antibiotics and of vaccines, on mass immunization, on plprsical pro-
tective measures, or on civilian defense planning.
3. The reader who needs background information on biological warfare
is referred to the following Top Secret document:
AnwecUtim I 91r a_+m+, Research and Development
Department, Chemical Warfare Service, Camp Detrick, Frederick, Meryland,
31 July 1946. It bears the number SD-8915.
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