SOVIET POSTAL INTELLIGENCE

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
64
Document Creation Date: 
November 11, 2016
Document Release Date: 
July 28, 1998
Sequence Number: 
1
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
May 1, 1962
Content Type: 
STUDY
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PDF icon CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2.pdf5.42 MB
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Approved For-Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78- . SOVIET POSTAL INTELLIGENCE MAY 1962 Copy N? 96 25X1 C1 Ob ilia,401Z) Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-REIF -2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 I. INTRODUCTION L)1.11...?14.1-11.L / L WA, TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 II, SOVIET POSTAL SERVICES 3 A. Internal 4 B. International Mail 11 C. Additional Mail Services 13 D. Time En Route for Soviet Mail 14 E. Postal Rates 17 III. SOVIET POSTAL REGULATIONS AND USAGE 21 A. Procedures for Mailing and Receiving Letters 21 B. Procedures for Mailing and Receiving Banderol' Mail . 31 C. Procedures for Mailing and Receiving Packages 33 D. Postal Handling of Internal Periodical Publications 41 E. Soviet Stationery 42 F. Soviet Postage Stamps and Stamp Collectors 45 IV. SOVIET MAIL CENSORSHIP 47 A. Organization 47 B. Censorship of Internal Mail 48 C. Censorship of International Mail 50 D. Censorship of Printed Matter 55 APPENDIX A ? Articles Prohibited and Conditionally Accepted for Internal Mails 57 APPENDIX B ? Articles Prohibited and Conditionally Accepted for Mailing as International Postal Matter 59 APPENDIX C ? List of Articles Allowed To Enter Without a Permit When Intended for Personal Use 61 GLOSSARY OF SOVIET POSTAL TERMS AND CATEGORIES. . . 63 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 25X1 C1 Ob Next 1 Page(s) In Document Exempt Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 II. SOVIET POSTAL SERVICES The public and government mails of the USSR are operated and main- tained, in conjunction with the telephone and telegraph services, by the Ministry of Communications with the Ministry placing emphasis on the handling of government mail. The Ministry of Communications does not provide all of the postal and telecommunication services. Other ministries provide their own, alone or in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications. Of these other ministries, the Ministry of Defense conducts the greatest amount for itself. Furthermore, the Ministry of Defense exerts direct influence on the Ministry of Communi- cations under normal conditions and may have full control under emer- gency or war conditions. The basic production units of the Soviet postal system are the main post offices, post offices, communications offices, and substations. A production unit of the postal system is an enterprise having, aside from its production functions, administrative autonomy. Any of these en- terprises may be a consolidated or specialized enterprise, depending on the services assigned to them. In addition, postal services are pro- vided by substations and postal agencies which are not autonomous en- terprises, but which are a part of the production network of main post offices and are under their administrative control although physically situated apart from them. In practice, therefore, substations and postal agencies are also referred to as enterprises. The network of substations and postal agencies is broken down ac- cording to the conditions under which the service is performed: Enterprises which accommodate all those requiring postal services for general purposes?the general public, State, Party, managerial and social organizations, etc. "Closed" enterprises for the accommodation of a limited group of clients?factories, plants, educational institutions, etc. Seasonal enterprises opened on a temporary basis to accommodate seasonal activities?timber-cutting, log-floating, etc., as well as health resorts, army camps, etc. Main post offices, post offices and communications offices with sub- ordinate networks of substations and agencies, are found in oblast, kray, and republic centers, and in individual cities under the jurisdic- tion of an oblast or a republic. Okrug and rayon communications offices are located in okrug and rayon centers, with a network of sub- ordinate substations and agencies. As a rule, populated places below the rayon level are served only by substations or postal agencies. There are postal enterprises known as substations for mail transport, which serve postal communications lines?rail, water, and air. They are lo- cated at railway junctions, at the starting and terminal points of large railroad lines, and at the junctions of rail, water, and air communica- tions routes. 3 Approved For Release 1999/08/4: eir="77-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 The postal service has been improved in the last few years by a certain amount of mechanization, but the machines which are in use usually are semiautomatic and are located only in the larger cities, frequently on an experimental basis. Although the growth of the postal services in the USSR under the Soviet regime is impressive, the improvement in services has lagged considerably behind the need. Each year the amount of mail increases. Since 1950, the growth in total volume of mail has averaged about one billion pieces per year. This increase is in all types of mail, but the greatest increase and largest volume is in newspapers and periodicals which comprise over 70 percent of the mail. (In the USSR the bulk of the newspapers and journals are disseminated locally through the mails and delivered to the subscriber by the post- man.) Soviet planning has recognized the insufficient progress which has been made in overcoming this lag, and it is believed that the capacity for handling the mail will increase through expansion of the number of post offices and the use of mobile post offices as well as the gradual increase of mechanization in large postal centers and in the handling of the mail on postal routes. A. INTERNAL I. Post Offices Postal enterprises vary in size and services from the large main post offices operating with substations to the recently popular mobile offices. Post office hours customarily are from 0800 or 0900 hours to 1800 or 2200 hours. The larger post offices in cities, however, are open later for partial services. For example, at the K-9 Post Office on Gorkiy Street (ulitsa Gor'kogo, 7) in Moscow, the general delivery window is open until 2300 hours, and service for mailing registered and insured letters is maintained 24 hours a day. At the Main Post Office (ulitsa Kirova, 26?a) service for mailing money orders and receiving general delivery letters is maintained around the clock. City post offices have an influx of patrons in the morning immediately after opening, around noon, and at 1730 hours. Travelers have reported the K-9 Post Office in Moscow to be busiest around 1000 hours. Directly inside the entrance of post offices are usually placed large, wooden, squarish boxes for the deposit of mail. One of these will be labeled for international mail, but in general Soviets ignore this distinc- tion and drop their mail indiscriminately into the box which is most convenient. Along the walls are located the service windows, labeled as to the type of services performed. These windows are not arranged with a well distributed workload, i.e., one window may perform a minor function, whereas another window will service several major functions. In small post offices there will be a service window for packages; in large post offices packages are received and mailed from a separate room. Post offices are furnished with writing tables for the use of patrons. These tables are equipped with old fashioned pen staffs and nibs, purple or blue ink, and pots of glue. To the rear of the lobby 4 Approved For Release 19WliteeliMP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 will be found the post office boxes which may be rented by individ- uals or organizations for the receipt of mail. They have opaque fronts, are numbered, and are secured by lock and key. FIGURE 2. Moscow Post Office (Gor'kogo ul.) , main floor. Note tiers of post office boxes in rear center. Branch post offices are situated in positions to serve special groups, such as university students or hotel guests, as well as at points to serve the general public. Some information on hotel post offices may be ap- propriate for the travelers' personal use. These post offices are open from 0900 hours to 2000 hours, Monday through Friday, and 0900 hours to 1700 hours, Saturday and Sunday. Letters and packages of books may be mailed; stamps, writing paper, post cards, etc., may be pur- chased. Incoming mail is delivered to each floor supervisor's desk and the guests pick up their mail at this desk. If the traveler receives a package, a notice is sent to him at the hotel and he calls personally at the main post office for the package. Intourist notified travel agencies in September 1961 that a new post office has been opened in Moscow to provide postal services exclusively for tourists arriving in Moscow. They request that general delivery correspondence (and telegrams) to Moscow tourists be addressed, Moscow, K-600 Poste Restante Mr. (name) 5 Approved For Release 1999/01120MIA=Rfrr8-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 OBISMINIMICOMPIN This post office is located at 1 Gorkiy Street (Hotel National, entrance from Gorkiy Street) and is open daily from 0800 hours to 2200 hours. According to Intourist, the post office will handle cables, mail, sell coupons for long distance telephone calls, stamps, envelopes, etc. It remains to be seen how effective this new post office will be in im- proving services for the tourist in Moscow, or how it will work for the tourists who are staying at other hotels. 2. Services Available in Post Offices General Delivery (do vostrebovaniya) Letters registered and insured Packages mailed Stamps, stamped envelopes, post cards sold Money orders sold Addresses obtained by mailing address card (directory service) Boxes for mailing packages sold Packages wrapped (for a fee) Letters addressed or written (for a fee) Telegrams received (also sent from select post offices) Philatelic sales Savings deposits Utility bills paid Tax payments for radio receivers accepted Magazine and newspaper subscriptions accepted Certain telephone service in selected post offices 3. Street Mail Boxes Street mail boxes are found near the entrances of buildings fre- quented by the public: post offices, hotels, railway stations, and at sidings, piers, airports, and in city areas near street intersections. They are attached to larger structures as buildings and fences, and rest about three feet above ground level. The ordinary Soviet street mail box is blue; however, in the provinces all types of old boxes of various colors are still in use, and sometimes the boxes are mounted on poles. The slot may be on the top or front of the mail box. Reports differ on the width of the slots?some give the width as % of an inch and others, as 1.5 inches. The blue boxes carry the shield of the USSR on the front with the Russian word (POChT A) written horizontally below the shield in large white letters. Near the bottom of the box is the number (box numbers do not run consecutively) and a notice per- taining to mail collections. The notice may consist of a schedule of collection times, or more often, of the number of collections per day and the hours between which collections occur. Generally in cities there are five or six collections, from 0700 or 0800 hours to 1930 or 2000 hours. In Moscow the mail is collected seven times per day on week days. Approved For Release 19 - P78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 FIGURE 3. Street mail box attached to a building on Yaroslavskoye shosse, Moscow. FIGURE 4. Street mail box attached to a fence in Moscow. Mail is collected from street mail boxes by means of a canvas bag about 40 inches deep with a circumference to match the dimensions of the box. The mouth of the bag is formed by a steel frame. The collector places the frame under the bottom of the mail box, and the box is auto- 7 Approved For Release 1999/01WFMffM/b-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 matically opened allowing the letters to fall into the bag. Removal of the steel frame automatically locks the box. 4. Mail Deliveries Mail deliveries are made between 0600 and 1900 hours, and the num- ber of deliveries varies widely in different size towns and rural locations. The majority of cities have at least two deliveries each weekday and one on Sunday. In Moscow there are two deliveries per day in the residential areas, whereas the business districts may have as many as four or five deliveries per day. Soviet postal officials have stated that in Moscow any letter postmarked before noon will be delivered in the afternoon, and letters postmarked in the afternoon will be delivered the next morning. In rural districts mail is delivered less frequently. Some points in the far north do not receive any mail during the winter freeze. a. Multidwelling Mail Delivery Until recently all mail deliveries in multidwelling buildings had been made to the door of the apartment. Currently the Ministry of Com- munications is urging the installation of individual mail boxes in all multidwelling buildings, one for each family, grouped together on the first floor. Such mail boxes facilitate the work of the postman and thereby speed the delivery of the mail. This new method of receiving mail is considered novel by the Soviets, who report it in their letters to the West as quite an innovation. FIGURE 5. FIGURE 6. Apartment house mail boxes. The boxes shown in Figure 6 are homemade. b. Delivery in Post Office Boxes Institutions, enterprises, organizations, and individuals may have their mail delivered to post office boxes located in the post office. A time schedule for placing postal matter in the boxes is posted. 8 Approved For Release 19?gteilltwerr. -IMP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/01/(2rt:rTiCII&M78-02646R000600090001-2 At the time of renting a post office box, the applicant gives his home address and shows his pas port (internal passport). According to Soviet postal regulations, after a subscriber relinquishes his box, the same box number may not be used for another subscriber for a period of three months. 5. Types of Internal Mail The following types of postal matter have been established by the Ministry of Communications for mailing "written messages, documents, printed matter, goods, and various articles within the boundaries of the USSR": a. Letters b. Postcards c. Bander?li* d. Insured letters e. Money orders f. Periodical publications (newspapers, magazines, brochures and printed lectures)** g. Packages Insofar as these types of mail are accepted, handled, and delivered they are further broken down in the following categories: letters and post cards are divided into regular and registered; banderol' mail into regular, registered, and insured; insured letters into opened and sealed; money orders into postal and telegraph;, packages into insured and uninsured. Postal matter from and to institutions, enterprises, and organizations is accepted, handled, and delivered according to different procedures for the following categories: a. Government postal matter. b. Registered letters of the Ministry of Finance, USSR. c. Registered letters of Gosbank (State Bank) and Prombank (In- dustrial Bank). d. Registered letters of Zagotzerno (All-Union Bureau for Procure- ment and Storage of Grain). e. Military postal matter. 6. Internal Transmittal Categories and Cachets All internal Soviet mail is stamped with postal cachets printed in the Russian language. The practice in non-Russian speaking areas of using two languages, Russian and the local language, on the time stamp has been discontinued in some areas, e.g. the Baltic countries, but has been revived in other areas. The time stamp, a round cachet giving the place and time of cancellation, is the one cachet which appears on all mail. The place of canceling is printed around the inside edge of the stamp. This may be a city, town, oblast, or rayon, depending on the commu- nications enterprise which services that particular locale. The date of * For description of banderol', see Section III, B. *" This service exists for internal mail only. 9 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 19 /08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 canceling appears across the middle of the circle in the following se- quence?day, month, and year. In the event there are two additional digits, the last two represent the hour. a. Regular Mail Ordinary internal surface mail carries only one cachet, the time stamp. b. Airmail Internal airmail differs from internal surface mail only in the amount of postage required and is stamped ABHAII0qTA (AVIAPOChTA) or ABM (AVIA). All postal matter, excepting money orders, may be sent by airmail. c. Registered Mail Internal registered mail carries a cachet with a large Cyrillic letter, "3" (Z), followed by a space in which the registry number is entered by hand. A registered internal postal item usually will also be stamped 3AKA3HOE (ZAKAZNOYE). d. Insured Mail The contents of letters, banderoli, and packages, may be insured. There are two types of insured letters?sealed and unsealed. Sealed insured letters may be sent only by institutions, enterprises and organ- izations. The insured cachet is similar in format to the registered cachet. To the left is the Cyrillic letter, "LI," (Ts), followed by the in- sured number and the designation of the postal enterprise. When letters containing valuable papers and documents are insured, the enclosures are recorded by the postal clerk. In the event the letter or enclosures are lost, the post office issues a certification on which the sender collects the insurance. The amount paid is based on the cost of obtaining new documents. e. Special Delivery Mail Letters may be sent special delivery from city to city but not intra- city. They are sorted before regular mail and given preferential treat- ment in handling. An exemplar of the special delivery cachet is not available. f C.O.D. Mail Insured parcels, insured letters, and insured banderoli can be sent c.o.d. The amount to be collected on delivery is at the discretion of the sender, but may not be greater than the declared value of the item being mailed. In addition, an ordinary letter may be sent without post- age and the postage will be collected from the recipient. g. Notice of Delivery The sender of registered and insured letters, money orders, banderoli, and packages may request that notification of date of delivery be re- turned to him. 10 Approved For Release 1911ItiettbP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 B. INTERNATIONAL MAIL International mail is postal matter sent from the USSR abroad or re- ceived from abroad, and also postal matter sent from one foreign coun- try to another through the Soviet Union. Originally international postal exchanges were governed by bilateral agreements between the countries involved. The different weights and currencies used under this system created too many complications as the volume of international mail expanded. In 1868, an official of the Postal Administration of the North German Confederation drew up a plan for a postal union between all nations. Delegates from 22 coun- tries, including Russia, met in Berne, Switzerland? in 1874 to consider for- mation of such a union. The results of the convention were the "Treaty of Berne" and the founding of the "General Postal Union." Other countries joined with rapidity and in three years the name was changed to the Universal Postal Union. Currently there are approximately a hundred member-countries. These member countries have letter traffic with each other. Thus as a member-country, the Soviet Union has international letter traffic with member-countries, but all other postal services are by agreement with individual countries. 1. Postal Agreements The USSR negotiates postal agreements with other member-countries to provide international parcel post services as Postal Union rules are binding only for letters. With countries which are not members of the Postal Union, the USSR has no exchange of mail of any category unless a postal agreement has been signed. In these instances, as there are no previous areas of agreement, the regulations and rates covering all types of mail must be negotiated. The regulations must conform to the USSR regulations for mail entering the country, therefore, the deviations in different agreements are relatively minor. 2. Types of International Mail The following types of postal matter are accepted for sending out of the USSR abroad, or from abroad to the USS:R: a. Letters b. Post cards c. Banderoli* with business papers with printed publications with publications in Braille with sample goods d. Insured letters e. Insured packages f. Packages (without a declared value) * For description of banderolis , see Section III, B. 11 Approved For Release 1999/087i4.1.eiALiir6178-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 simmimilevemie The following are unauthorized for mailing to and from the USSR: a. Money orders b. C.O.D. postal matter 3. Transmittal Categories of International Mail and International Cachets All Soviet international mail carries the MMK,LiYHAP0211-10E (MEZHDUNARODNOYE) cachet printed in Russian. The time stamp on international mail leaving the Soviet Union is sometimes the same as on internal mail, that is, printed in Russian, but at other times follows international usage and is printed in French. Otherwise, the international postal cachets are different from the in- ternal cachets for corresponding classes of mail. In accordance with international postal usage, the international cachets customarily have been printed in French, but during 1960 and 1961, additional cachets have appeared with the inscription both in Russian and French. a. Regular Mail International mail which is to travel by surface carries only the MEZHDUNARODNOYE cachet and the time stamp. b. Airmail International airmail has, in addition to the MEZHDUNARODNOYE cachet and the time stamp, a blue sticker affixed to the face of the envelope with AVIA and PAR AVION printed in white letters. As indi- cated above, formerly only French was used on these cachets, and some of the old airmail stickers are still in use. The airmail indicator may be a cachet instead of a sticker. c. Registered Mail In addition to the time stamp and the MEZHDUNARODNOYE cachet, international registered mail is stamped RECOMMANDE and bears another registered cachet consisting of a large "R", a blank space in which the registered number is entered by hand, and the postal desig- nation. If this last cachet is a sticker, the postal designation will be omitted. In the event an international registered letter is lost, the responsible country is penalized 25 gold francs (Swiss). d. Insured Mail The international insured cachet, which appears on insured letters and packages going abroad, is always stamped on the postal matter. It contains the Latin letter "V", for valeur, the insured number and the postal designation. In addition, an insured international letter is af- fixed with another sticker marked value declared in both French and Russian. e. Special Delivery All types of international postal matter can be accepted for special delivery to foreign countries with which agreements have been reached establishing this service. Special delivery between the USSR and the 12 Approved For Release 19ffietteleMP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 U.S.A. became available during the summer of 1959. The special delivery cachet is a red sticker marked EXPRES. f. Notice of Delivery Any registered or insured international mail may be sent or received from abroad with a request for notification of delivery. C. ADDITIONAL MAIL SERVICES Other than the mail services conducted by the Ministry of Communica- tions for the public, there are additional mail services available to special groups. Some of these are conducted by the Ministry of Com- munications, others by other ministries, alone or in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications. This study will not deal with these mail services, but will indicate only the general nature of military, government, and diplomatic mail. 1. Military Mail Military mail is conducted under the direction of the Ministry of Defense in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications. Regular letters and post cards to and from the members of the armed forces are mailed free. Letters or postcards to a serviceman, which are to be carried free of postage, must contain in the address the field post office (military unit) number or the name of a military institution. Mail from a serviceman is stamped with a military franking cachet in lieu of postage. This cachet is a triangle centered by a five point star. Written inside the triangle's borders, one word on each side, is soldier, letter, and free (soldatskoye, pis'mo and besplatno) for army?sailor (matrosskoye), etc., for navy. No exemplars are available for air force personnel. Officers must pay postage on packages, whereas enlisted men have limited privileges in postage free packages. Packages addressed to mili- tary personnel will not be accepted if simply addressed to the field post office number or military institute, as will letters, but must carry a complete address indicating a place of location. Postal matter addressed to field post office numbers and military units with no indication of their location, are forwarded to military postal sorting points. All types of postal matter addressed to the mili- tary is handled by the communications enterprises on a restricted basis, i.e., only employees who must process it have access to military mail. At the delivery point, military mail is turned over to a military postman by arrangement between the chief of the communications enterprise and the military unit command. Official censorship of military mail ceased during 1954; currently no military mail is overtly censored. Only the mail of military personnel stationed abroad was overtly censored from the end of the war until the time official censorship was discontinued. During the war all military mail, to and from military units stationed both within and without the USSR, was openly censored and stamped as examined by the Military 13 Approved For Release 1999/MMTAM-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Censor. Each Soviet army had a Military Censorship Subsection (Voyen- naya Tsenzura or VTs) which operated as a service of the Ministry of State Security under one of its directorates in Moscow. 2. Government Mail a. Regular, Registered, and Insured Mail Regular and registered government mail is handled by the Commu- nications Ministry in accordance with the regulations established for the appropriate type of postal matter. In large enterprises, government mail is processed separately and forwarded in the fastest possible man- ner. At all enterprises, regular and registered government letters, banderoli, and packages are forwarded separately from other mail of the same category, even if there is only one item. Insured government letters are handled and forwarded individually. Government postal matter is delivered in the fastest possible manner. Qualified postal employees and telegram deliverers may be used in ad- dition to the regular postman in order to implement fast delivery. b. Classified Official Mail Sensitive government documents are transported by a courier system conducted under the direction of the KGB. This service is called Ferdyegerskaya Svyaz' or Fel'dsvyaz'. As the majority of government, mail is classified, one source estimates that approximately 90% of all government mail is transported by the Ferdsvyaz'. This classified mail is divided into categories of varying sensitivity with special require- ments for enclosing and sealing the different categories. All classified mail is transported by special courier and is delivered only to authorized personnel. 3. Diplomatic Mail The diplomatic pouch is used to transmit the personal mail of Soviet officials stationed in USSR embassies abroad. Personal mail from the USSR to an official station abroad is not gen- erally addressed directly to the foreign embassy but to an address in Moscow. One source has reported this address to be a post office num- ber; another, as in care of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is prob- able that different types of addresses are issued for mailing to different personnel. In the event a correspondent within the USSR does use the foreign embassy address, the mail is diverted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and forwarded by diplomatic pouch. D. TIME EN ROUTE FOR SOVIET MAIL The time required for mail to reach its destination may vary widely. Any unusual delay in the delivery of mail obviously permits the op- 14 25X1X6 25X1X6 g Approved For Release 19ilYZI4 T'.TCTRI_PbP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 wileenerigitSIMM portunity for censorship. However, mail is often delayed by inefficient postal processing and for other extraneous reasons. International mail is especially vulnerable to delays caused by weather conditions, rerout- ing in the event of shipping strikes, etc., and other seemingly unrelated events. Therefore, although a delay in time en route may indicate censorship, other factors which may cause delay in the transmittal of the mail must be taken into account. The majority of the mail both entering and exiting the Soviet Union definitely consumes a longer time than can be accounted for by trans- portation and postal processing. Mail customarily takes longer enter- ing than exiting the USSR. This would appear to indicate that mail entering the Soviet Union may be more thoroughly screened than mail leaving the Soviet Union. However, in some cases the situation is re- versed, thereby disproving any established pattern. When new inter- national correspondences are first initiated, the times en route, both entering and exiting the Soviet Union, are always longer. This tends to confirm reports that new correspondences are more closely scrutinized by the censor (see chapter IV, Soviet Mail Censorship). Other factors inherent in the letter itself which influence the time en route are (1) the types of individuals corresponding, i.e., the mail of certain suspect categories of individuals takes longer for delivery, (2) the manner of addressing the mail, and (3) the language used in the address. Letters addressed in the Russian language are processed faster and have a shorter time en route than those addressed in other lan- guages. This applies to local languages as well as foreign. Foreigners living in Soviet hotels suffer inordinate delays in the receipt of their mail due, at least in part, to the ineptitude of the hotel postal clerks in reading addresses written in foreign languages. Examinations of the time stamps on such mail have revealed time lags between arrival of the letter in the Soviet city and actual delivery at the hotel to be as long as seven days. There is also a difference in the time required to process letters addressed in various foreign languages. Those addressed, for example, in Farsi are usually two days longer in transit than letters addressed in English. On the other hand, similar delays are observed in the postal handling of Soviet letters in the United States. Letters from the Soviet Union to the United States have been noted which were backstamped in the United States city upon receipt and upon delivery, and the difference in the dates indicated the U.S. Post Office was 12 days processing the letters. Traditionally the internal mail service in the Soviet Union has always been slow, especially, in the provinces. Emphasis has been placed on faster service by the Ministry of Communications, and in recent years marked improvement has been shown. Surface mail is sometimes carried by air on long routes in order to facilitate better service. Specific times en route on internal mail are not readily available, therefore, less is known concerning time en route for internal letters than for inter- national letters. 15 Approved For Release 199r1OrraL-1119/8-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 iiiru?r The following is a tabulated list of pertinent data regarding time en route as shown by specific instances. COMMUNICATION a. Internal Surface letter CC U 44 Surface post card Registered letter Money order Airmail letter Cl CI IC IC b. International Surface letter IC IC CS CC Surface registered letter Surface post card Airmail post card Airmail letter CC it Ci CC CC CC CC CI iC Cf ti CC it CC CC CC C4 CC CC if CC 44 CC CC 14 CC IC Cd CC 41 Li 14 Airmail registered letter CC CC CC IC CC 1i Si CC I{C C' It IC 41 FROM Parnu Kiyev Sevastopol' Leningrad Kuybyshev Si Kiyev Leningrad Tbilisi Moscow Japan West Berlin Moscow Odessa Leningrad Rovno Obi. Leningrad Moscow Kiyev Moscow New York, U.S. Moscow Mich. U.S. CC CC Florence Yerevan CC Leningrad Latvia Japan Yalta Sweden Moscow Leningrad Moscow Tashkent Moscow Finland Moscow CC Khmel. Obi. Alma Ata Poltava Obi. Leningrad Yerevan Leningrad To Moscow Cif CC CC CC 4C CC CI Netherlands Sakhalin Tomsk Greece West Germany Florida Washington, D.C. Turkey California Siam Leningrad Michigan Moscow IC Ci California West Germany Canada Sakhalin Germany Moscow Tokyo Frankfurt Missouri Moscow Mexico City IC CC Florida California Newark, New Jersey Illinois California CC Illinois TIME (postmark to delivery) 9 days 3 44 11 " 4 " 4 " CC 6 C' 3 CL 2 C, 2 6 15 23 12 13 5 12 32 3 8 6 8 9 14 7 5 12 7 5 11 10 14 6 10 6 6 5 9 6 7 4 8 10 8 5 16 9 5 16 Approved For Release 199VAMMITAMP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 TIME COMMUNICATION FROM To (postmark to delivery) Surface newspaper Germany Moscow 5 " magazine Lith. SSR Illinois 16 " Airmail newspaper Paris Moscow 10 " i 4 44 Amsterdam 44 10 " E. POSTAL RATES In the Soviet Union it is permissible to mail any postal item, including an ordinary letter, c.o.d. (nalozhennym platezhom). The recipient pays the postage plus an additional charge. Many Soviets believe that a letter sent without postage is dispatched faster in order that the fee may be collected without delay. 1. Soviet Postal Rates On 1 January 1961, concurrent with the re-evaluation of the currency in the USSR, the Ministry of Communications issued new postal rates and new denominations of stamps. The past four years have seen many changes in postal rates, especially in those of internal airmail. However, none of these changes, with the possible exception of the revision of rates in September 1957, have been as all inclusive as the change made to conform with the new cur- rency. And no previous changes have necessitated complete new issues of stamps. Prior to the revision of rates in September 1957, postal rates were prominently displayed in post offices on blue and silver posters. After this revision the posters disappeared and published lists of rates have been difficult to obtain since that time. This and subsequent changes were announced in the press with instructions to inquire at the post office for the new rates. It is understandable, then, that a change on the scale of the most recent one has been confusing and chaotic to the public. Travelers in the Soviet Union in the summer of 1961 found it difficult to obtain the appropriate postal rates for their personal use. The current known Soviet postal rates are as follows: a. Internal POST CARDS Surface 3 kopek Airmail 4 id Registered Surface 10 id Registered Airmail 10 Ca LETTERS ADDITIONAL 20 GRAMS OR FRACTION Surface 4 IL 2 kopek Airmail 6 CC 3 4i Registered Surface 10 Registered Airmail 12 17 Approved For Release 1999/0ffiffitir-Mr02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 b. International POST CARDS Surface 4 Airmail 14 Ci LETTERS ADDITIONAL 20 GRAMS OR FRACTION Surface Airmail Registered Surface Registered Airmail Special Delivery 6 16 18 it id 18 " 2. Postal Rates to the Soviet Union a. 4 kopek 5 Letters Germany, East (DDR) Surface Rate: 25 Pfennig for first 20 grams and 15 Pfennig each addi- tional grain. Surcharge (added to surface) 5 Pfennig for each 20 grams. Air Germany, West Surface Rate: Air Aerogram : England Surface : Air Aerogram : Norway Surface Air Sweden Surface Air U.S. Surface Air Postcard Aerogram Canada Surface Air Postcard Aerogram (Federal) 40 Pfennig for first 20 grams and 20 Pfennig for each additional 20 grams. Surcharge-15 Pfennig each 20 grams. Combined rate (total) 60 Pfennig. 6 Pence for first oz. and 4 Pence for each additional oz. or fraction thereof. No additional charge?All-up service applies. Combined rate 6d. 90 Ore for first 20 grams and 55 Ore for each additional 20 grams or fraction thereof. No surcharge for air?All-up when available. 40 Ore for first 20 grams and 25 Ore for each additional 20 grams. No surcharge for air?All-up when available. $.11 for first oz. and $.07 each additional oz. $.25 for each 1/2 oz. $.11 each ?combined rate $.11 each : $.06 for first oz. and $.04 each additional oz. : Combined rate?$.15 each 1/2 oz. : $.15 each. : $.10 each. Brazil Surface Rate: Air 16 Cruzerros for first 20 grams and 9 Cruzerros for each additional 20 grams or fraction thereof. Combined airmail rate of 27 Cruzerros for first 5 grams. 21 Cruzerros for each additional 5 grams. 18 Approved For Release 19gra4arMAS178-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 a. Letters (Continued) India Surface : 30 nP. for first oz. and 20 nP. for each additional oz. Air : Surcharge?USSR in Asia 30 nP. per 10 grams USSR in Europe 60 nP. Nigeria Surface : 6 d for first oz. and 11/2 d for each additional oz. Air : Surcharge?is 3 d for each 1/2 oz. b. Printed Matter Germany, East (DDR) Surface Rate: 10 Pfennig for first 50 grams and 5 Pfennig for each ad- ditional 50 grams. Air : Surcharge 5 Pfennig each 50 grams. Germany, West (Federal) Surface : 10 Pfennig for first 50 grams and 10 Pfennig for each ad- ditional 50 grams. Air : Surcharge-15 Pfennig per 50 gram. England Surface : 2 Pence for first 50 grams and 1 Pence for each additional 50 grams. Air : None. Norway Surface Rate: 35 ore for first 50 grams and 20 ore for each additional 50 grams. Air : Surcharge-20 ore for 20 grams. Aerogram : Combined rate-90 ore. Sweden Surface : 15 ore for first 50 grams and 5 ore for each additional 50 grams. Air : Surcharge-15 ore for 50 grams. Aerogram : Combined into 40 ore. U.S. Surface : $.90 per 1st 2 lb. and $.35 for each additional lb. or frac- tion thereof. Air : $.50 per 1st 2 oz. and $.30 for each additional 2 oz. (com- bined rate). Canada Surface : $.02 for first oz. and $.01 for each additional oz. Air : Combined airmail rate $.15 for each 1/2 oz. Brazil Surface : 6 Cruzerros for first 50 grams and 3 Cruzerros for each additional 50 grams. Air : Combined-18 Cruzerros for first 25 grams plus 15 Cruzer- ros for each additional 25 grams. India Surface : 12 nP. for 1st 2 oz. and 6 nP. for each additional 2 oz. Air : Surcharge?USSR in Asia-10 nP. for 10 grams. USSR in Europe-15 nP. for 10 grams. Nigeria Surface : 21/2 d for first 2 oz. and 1/2 d for each additional 2 oz. Air : No available rates. 19 Approved For Release 1999/1310/MI-M8-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 EIMPAPPINNIftlieitN III. SOVIET POSTAL REGULATIONS AND USAGE A. PROCEDURES FOR MAILING AND RECEIVING LETTERS I. Addressing Procedures Although the modes of writing Soviet addresses reflect as many varia- tions in individual taste as those in any other country, the components of a Soviet address always occur in the following order: a. The name of the city or town, indicating the oblast (kray, republic), rayon, and village soviet where necessary. The name of the republic, oblast, or kray may be omitted to cities which are republic or oblast (kray) centers. Many Soviet cities are divided into postal zones, or regions, and when applicable, the postal zone number follows the city. NOTE: In the case of Moscow and Leningrad the zone designation in- cludes a letter as well as a number. b. Street, house number, and apartment number. c. Last, first, and patronymic names of the addressee (in the dative case) or the full name of the institution, organization or enterprise. In- clusion of the patronymic is necessary excepting in areas in which this requirement has been nullified by union republic law. If addressed to general delivery or to a post office box in a city with more than one post office, the post office number must be included in the address. It is compulsory to complete the first name and the pat- ronymic (except where not required by union republic law) on all postal matter addressed to general delivery. The name of the addressee may be omitted when addressing to a post office box. With the exception of addresses to general delivery, postal matter may be addressed to two individuals and in such cases is delivered to either addressee. In addition, the sender may address to one individual for forwarding to another individual. In this case delivery is made only to the first addressee. The address on postal matter mailed within the border of a republic or autonomous oblast may be written in the local national language. The address on postal matter mailed beyond the borders of a republic or autonomous oblast is written in Russian or in both Russian and the local national language. International mail must be addressed either in the language of the country of destination or in French. The names of the country of destination, city, and street address are required to be written in Russian also. However, failure to add these parts of the address in Russian will not cause refusal to transmit the letter. The Soviet postal authorities can be very exacting in regard to the addressing and general appearance of a letter going abroad. They will 21 / "-rem Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 miiiWINEO.NNOEIOND refuse to transmit an international letter on such minor counts as a soiled envelope or the address and return address being written in dif- ferent colors of ink. FIGURE 7. Sample address for postal matter sent to republic, oblast (kray) centers and large cities. FIGURE 8. Sample address for postal matter sent to cities which are not republic or oblast (kray) centers. 22 Approved For Release 19WHilINMiNtiliNIT9P78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 smatiormererm ..... ... .... ....... . .... pec ornnpaaztnu .sr e,... iiiIiiiUIlIIIllIIHhIIIIHhlIIIIIIllIIIIIHIIlIII eAcoll ogA. ,Iroupegow p-i-ta o1i4A, 6 G la- FIGURE 9. Sample address for postal matter sent to a rural area. FIGURE 10. Sample address for postal matter sent to railway stations and sidings. 23 Approved For Release 1999/03-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 aliiiiiiitioner RIM 2. Return Addressing Procedures The return address is written on the front of the envelope, at the bottom, in the same order as the address. It is not usually indented but written continuously as space permits. The name may be in either the nominative or dative case. The return address on international mail must be written in either Russian or French. The following types of letters are required to have a return address: a. Internal registered letters b. Internal insured letters c. Letters addressed abroad In regard to the last category, a few international letters, presumably mailed in street boxes, are transmitted without a return address in spite of the fact that post offices will not accept international postal matter without a return address. Ordinary surface internal letters are not required to have a return address and frequently do not. When using a printed envelope with indicated space for a return address, a blank in this space will obviously be conspicuous. Internal Soviet letters have been observed which have used an incomplete address in this space, as for example, only the city, or the city and the last name. 3. Enclosures a. Internal Items prohibited and items conditionally accepted in the internal mails are listed in appendix A. A Soviet post office will accept and deliver in- ternal regular and registered letters containing enclosures consisting of: written messages drafts instructions schematism documents talking letters (sound recordings) circulars court documents photographs manuscripts artistic post cards printed matter Insured internal letters may have as enclosures all kinds of valuable papers and documents as: diplomas photographs pas ports printed matter official documents birth and marriage certificates state bonds collections of postage stamps manuscripts b. International Appendix B consists of a list of the articles prohibited and condi- tionally acceptable for mailing as international postal matter. In addi- tion, all dutiable articles (for duty-free articles see Book Dispatch 2774) 24 Approved For Release 19ginartg .iufivr-tDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/0s8/24 :ICM.1:08-02646R000600090001-2 are prohibited as enclosures in letters excepting duty-prepaid medicine mailed into the Soviet Union as letter packages (air or surface). Spe- cifically prohibited as enclosures for international letters are: Documents, printed items, prints, photographs, manuscripts, graphs, drawings, negatives, films, etc.; which can cause political or eco- nomic damage to the USSR. Paper money of the USSR. Checks, drafts, foreign obligations, stocks and coupons, except in accordance with the regulations of the State Bank of the USSR. Postage stamps, canceled or not, philatelic collections, obsolete bonds or bills of exchange addressed to private individuals. Match-box labels for collectors, if more than one of a kind is sent, without a permit from the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Playing cards. Articles prohibited or restricted as parcel post are prohibited or restricted in the postal union mail. Insured international letters may contain documents and objects of value excluding written messages and items forbidden to be mailed. Attempts to circumvent the above prohibitions in the international mails have met with varied success during different periods. For ex- ample, there was a common belief among Soviets that stamps could be safely enclosed in an international letter providing the letter was reg- istered. International registered letters frequently contained stamps prior to 1956 at which time this practice began to diminish gradually. By 1957 it had ceased altogether. Instead, if an individual desired to send stamps abroad, they were affixed to the outside of the envelope. Again gradually the practice was beginning to recur until the appearance of the new stamps on 1 January 1961, which collectors have found al- most impossible to mail in letters, registered or otherwise. Likewise, in the past, handkerchiefs and scarves were consistently removed from letters to the Soviet Union (fabrics are highly suspect of SW) ; but, in 1960, some enclosures of this nature were reaching their destination, while others were removed. As identical enclosures sent from the same country to the same locale in the USSR, in some instances, do go through and in others do not, and moreover, as the removal of enclosures, or the return of letters with enclosures, follows no discernible pattern, the foregoing appears to indicate an unevenness in the performance of So- viet censorship. A Soviet youth related the following concerning a correspondence he carried on for a few months with a girl from West Germany. They had made a prior agreement that in each letter the girl would enclose a stick of chewing gum, which is forbidden to import. Should the chewing gum be missing when the Soviet received the letter, he would know that the letter had been opened and the gum confiscated. The gum was missing from all except three of twelve letters. 25 tustini Approved For Release 1999/0g ? uP78-T02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 J. / 4. Size, Weight, and Wrappings of Letters Envelopes for internal letters may vary in size from 70 x 100 milli- meters to 222 x 312 millimeters. An international letter may not exceed 90 centimeters in all dimensions and the largest measurement may not exceed 60 centimeters. The weight of any letter, internal or international, may not be more than 2 kilograms. Insured letters may be mailed in envelopes, or in wrappers of heavy paper, fabric, or oilcloth. Size and weight limits are the same as for regular letters. 5. Mailing Procedures Both internal and foreign surface and airmail letters may be mailed in street mail boxes or in post offices, including branch offices at hotels, universities, etc., as well as city branch offices. Street boxes located near places frequented by foreigners are likely to be under surveillance, and the mail in these boxes investigated. This includes boxes near hotels, Intourist facilities, railway stations, airports, embassies, etc. Generally, Soviets prefer to mail at a post office not for security reasons but because the mail is processed faster. The procedures for mailing letters are much less complicated than those for receiving. No documents are required to be shown to mail any type of letter. Letters, except when insured, are no longer required to be presented open at the post office; therefore, it is necessary to go to the post office to mail a letter only if the letter requires a transaction with the post office, as is the case when mailing a money order, a reg- istered letter or an insured letter. Technically, i.e., according to Soviet postal regulations, a registered letter, if properly marked as registered and stamped with sufficient postage, may be dropped into a mailbox. Naturally, the sender foregoes a receipt. It is not believed that Soviets take advantage of this technicality by mailing registered letters in this manner. When mailing a letter of either of the above mentioned categories at the post office a receipt is given to the sender. The procedure is as fol- lows: the sender fills out a three section form with sender and receiver's name and address and the information appropriate to the type of letter. The sender then detaches one section which constitutes his receipt. In villages and rural areas which have no post office, letters requiring a transaction with the post office may be given to the mailman, who will mail the letter at the post office and bring back a receipt on his next trip. Insured letters are presented at the post office open and accompanied by a list of contents. The contents may not be insured beyond their value. Documents are insured for the cost of obtaining new ones. USSR bank notes are insured for their face value, and foreign currency in ac- cordance with the official rate of exchange. 26 Approved For Release 1gmermgrailDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Money orders may be sent by mail or telegraph, but only within the borders of the USSR. Only cash in USSR currency is acceptable in pay- ment of money orders. 6. Receiving Procedures Control of letters is maintained at the receiving end to a greater extent than at the mailing. This control is accomplished in part by require- ments to call at the post office for certain types of letters and, to a greater extent, by the requirement to show identification documents before re- ceiving certain types of letters. Receiving procedures are the same for internal and international letters of the same type, excepting for in- sured letters. In January 1958, a change in postal regulations went into effect which purported to ease identification and simplify mailing and receiving pro- cedures. Although these changes are noted below, in actual fact they have little significance, with the possible exception of the changes re- garding documentation and mailing and receiving registered letters. a. Documentation Documents which may be used for identification to receive letters (ap- plicable to all other postal matter) are as follows: (1) The internal pasport. (2) The certificate issued in place of a pus port at the addressee's place of work. The certificate must have a photograph of the holder, his signature, and indicate that it has been issued in place of a pus port. In addition, issuance of all types of postal matter is made on the basis of the following documents: (1) To deputies of the Supreme Soviet, USSR, and supreme soviets of union and autonomous republics?by presentation of their deputy certificates. (2) To students in schools and teachers--by single identification cards on which the school verifies the person and signature of the student. (3) To minor students of tekhnikums?by presentation of a student card containing the photograph and personal signature of the holder of the card. In rural areas where the pus port is not used, substitute documents may be: (1) Identification card issued by a village soviet or workers' deputy. (2) Identification card issued to a worker by the enterprise or in- stitution where he works. (3) A certificate for one time use only for receiving mail issued by the place of work, village soviet, workers' deputy or kolkhoz administration. 27 Approved For Release 1999/0einx`:.rti'AiNb -02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 4161.11- 1.1?11 There also is a method whereby mail may be received by proxy. An individual may authorize another to receive his mail by giving a power of attorney, either for a single instance or for a fixed period (not to exceed three years). The person holding the power of attorney is re- quired to show his paspart when receiving the mail. b. Letters Delivered to Addressee's Home Ordinary surface and airmail letters (and post cards) are delivered to the addressee's home address and are received without showing docu- ments. In multidwelling buildings, as apartment houses, delivery is made to mail boxes on the first floor or to each apartment. If delivered to the apartment, the letters are placed in a box or slot on/in the door. If no box or slot is provided, and if no one is at home to receive the mail, the letter is not left, but instead a notice to call at the post office for the letter. Delivered personally to the recipient at his address and requiring a signature, are special delivery letters, registered letters, money orders, internal insured letters up to 200 rubles value in cities and 100 rubles in rural areas. Documents are shown to receive registered letters when the postman finds it necessary to verify the address. Money orders will be delivered without a document check if the addressee is personally known to the mailman. It is customary to tip the postman when re- ceiving a money order. c. Letters Not Delivered to Addressee's Home Letters addressed to general delivery or a post office box, insured letters and money orders excluded above, international insured letters, and any type of letters wherein attempted delivery has failed, must be picked up at the post office. Before the new postal regulations were in effect, it was required that the recipient show his pas port for identification before picking up mail at the post office. This has been liberalized in two respects, (1) if the recipient is known to the postal clerk, no identifica- tion is necessary, (2) to receive registered letters and money orders up to 10 rubles, substitute documents (see a above) may be shown. d. General Delivery General delivery (do vostrebovaniya) is widely used in the Soviet Union. For a general delivery address all that is necessary in addition to the name, city, and the general delivery indication, is the number of the post office in cities large enough to have more than one. An indi- vidual must call at the post office to determine if he has received any mail at general delivery; if he is known to the postal worker the letter is handed over without showing identification. Otherwise, the pas port is shown to establish his identity. The propensity of Soviets to use a general delivery address has fre- quently been questioned. Obviously there could be a variety of personal reasons. For example, a general delivery address shields the corre- 28 Approved For Release 1909,8141441,MWDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 GessfesTwerefftN FIGURE 11. Mail box on an apartment door. 29 Approved For Release 1999ttlei!tilittifil*78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 SAIMM191111110Miiiiii.? spondent's home address. This could be desirable for simple as well as nefarious reasons. Some of the reasons Soviets have given for their own use of general delivery are: (1) Speed and convenience. If one calls at the post office daily, per- haps from a nearby office, letters are received a day earlier than when delivered to the home. (2) Privacy from family, neighbors, etc., afforded by general de- livery. (3) Convenience while traveling, or other uncertain conditions wherein the future specific address is not known. FIGURE 12. Mail sorting room in the K-9 Post Office in Moscow. e. Letter Delivery to Hotels Letters addressed to guests registered at hotels are delivered to the hotels several times per day. There they are sorted by the hotel post office and delivered to each floor supervisor's desk. Occasionally the mail clerk delivers letters directly to the room, but this is not required and is done strictly as a favor. Only registered letters require a signa- ture upon delivery, and either the recipient or the floor supervisor may sign. Letters addressed to hotels are often delivered to the wrong individual due to the difficulty encountered by hotel personnel in read- ing names and addresses written in other than the Russian language. 30 Approved For Release 1990tglMrMIIMF378-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 mitiorrimmoremr Improvement in service from this point of view may be expected in Mos- cow with the establishment of the new post office for the use of tourists. Otherwise, it is not known how the new post office will affect mail pro- cedures for the tourist in Moscow. 7. Forwarding and Returning Procedures for Letters In order to have mail forwarded to a new address, a postal form, pro- vided for this purpose, is filled out and left with the post office. When mail is being forwarded, the Cyrillic, (D), underlined, and the new address are placed on the front of the envelope. In the event an indi- vidual will be away from home for a short time, it is possible to have the mail held at the post office for a period of 11/2 months. All that is re- quired for this service is the individual's signature and the expected date of return. If mail delivery is not made because the addressee (1) refuses the letter, (2) has moved, leaving no new address, (3) is deceased, or (4) is not known at the address, the letter is returned to the sender without a waiting period. An internal letter with no return address is forwarded to the dead letter office where it is held for one month and then is destroyed. Any undelivered international letter, regardless of whether there is a return address or not, is returned to the international postal exchange area from which it was received. Letters returned to the sender are marked with the Cyrillic letter, "B" (V), underlined, and the place to which the letter is being returned. B. PROCEDURES FOR MAILING AND RECEIVING BANDEROL' MAIL The Russian word for banderol' is generally translated "third class." As this class of mail actually differs from third class mail and has no exact counterpart in American mail, the term banderol' is retained for purposes of this study. Banderol' is a classification of mail characterized by restricted con- tents, size, weight and, in some instances, the manner of wrapping. Listed below are the specifications postal matter must meet to classify as banderol'. 1. Contents a. Internal (1) Printed publications including books, brochures, magazines, newspapers, photographs, albums, Braille texts, maps, calen- dars, catalogues, printer's proofs, sheet music, note books, and paper, etc. (2) Business papers including statements, powers of attorney, wills, accounts, drafts, diagrams, legal papers, etc. (3) Seeds for planting. (4) All other articles of cultural and everyday use excluding food products and articles prohibited from the mails. 31 Approved For Release 1999/085V aerr-M-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 b. International (1) Printed matter containing periodicals, books, brochures, music, visiting cards, gravures, photographs, pictures, drawings, geo- graphic maps, patterns, catalogues, all kinds of reprints and reproductions made by mechanical printing (except decals, stamps or typewriting). (2) Business papers. (3) Sample goods. (4) Braille texts. 2. Size and Weight a. Internal The largest dimensions for an internal banderol' is 45 centimeters in each direction and for circular tubes, 70 centimeters in length and 15 centimeters in diameter. If the enclosure cannot be folded, the length may be up to 1.5 meters and the enclosure must be wrapped around a stick. The smallest dimensions for an internal banderol' is 10 x 5 centi- meters with appropriate thickness. Weight Limit Printed publications and business papers 2 kilograms If only one book 3 fg Braille texts 5 Seeds and objects of cultural and every- 1 day use b. International The dimensions for a banderol' addressed abroad must not exceed those set for international letters. The total length, width, and thick- ness must not exceed 90 centimeters and the largest of these measure- ments must not exceed 60 centimeters. A rolled international banderol' must not exceed 100 centimeters in total measurements, with the length not longer than 80 centimeters. Minimum size for an international banderol' is the same as for an international letter-10 x 7 centimeters. Weight Limit Business papers 2 kilograms Printed matter 3 If only one book 5 Braille texts 7 Sample goods 500 g 3. Wrappings A banderol' may be rolled into a tube and wrapped with a paperband unless it (1) contains books, (2) contains several articles, (3) weighs more than 500 grams, or (4) is to be insured. Any of these conditions requires wrappings which seal the contents on all four sides. The first three categories listed under internal contents above may be sent as regular, registered, or insured banderol'; but articles falling in 32 Approved For Release 1 9161091NMIMPRPDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 the fourth category can be mailed only as insured. Banderol' may be sent airmail, and internal insured banderol' may be sent c.o.d. The value of any banderol' is limited to 20 rubles. 4. Mailing Procedures for Banderol' Documents are not shown to mail a banderol'. Insured and regis- tered banderol' mail must be presented at the post office unsealed for inspection of contents. The sender of an insured banderol' fills out a form listing the contents and their value. After checking the con- tents, the postal worker certifies the inventory and packs it in the banderol'. When accepting for mailing a registered banderol', the postal worker checks the condition of the wrappings, correctness of the ad- ress and payment, and inspects the banderol' for illicit enclosures, then seals the banderol'. When a banderol' is packed in factory wrappings no inspection is made of the contents. Regular banderol' must be wrapped in such a manner that it may be opened to inspect the contents without damaging the wrappings, and may be mailed at the post office or in a street mail box, if size permits. For a banderol' going abroad the sender must mark on the wrappings the type of contents in French. For example, printed matter must be marked IMPRIMES. 5. Receiving Procedures for Banderol' Regular banderol' is delivered to the addressee's home and received without showing documents. A registered or insured banderol' is also delivered to the home but is signed for and the internal pas port (or sub- stitute documents; see Receiving Procedures for Letters) is shown in order to establish the identity of the addressee. If the addressee is not at home for two attempted deliveries, a notice is left for him to call at the post office for the banderol'. If an insured banderol' is damaged or short in weight, it is opened and checked against the list of enclosures in the presence of the addressee. C. PROCEDURES FOR MAILING AND RECEIVING PACKAGES I. Internal a. Contents It is permissible to mail "various kinds of items of cultural-everyday use and productive purpose, food products, semi-finished goods, medical preparations, printed matter, live plants, live bees, day-old chicks, etc., in packages" in the internal mail. For a list of articles prohibited from the internal mail, see appendix A. In addition, there are local restric- tions on shipments of vegetables and fruits from certain cities. The local restrictions are posted on the walls of the post offices concerned. However, for articles which may be mailed in packages there are specific requirements for packing certain items. Moreover, packages containing vegetables and fruits can not be sent to a general delivery address. Even with this restriction, Soviet post offices are often per- 33 Approved For Release 1999/015871 Itieltreff8-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 CLI meated with the smell of rotten fruit in the summer time. Packages from quarantined areas are accepted only if presented with a quarantine certificate. Enclosure of written material in a package is technically illegal; but this regulation is not enforced, and enclosing written messages in in- ternal packages is common practice. b. Weight and Size Requirements The maximum weight of an internal package is 10 kilograms. The maximum dimensions are limited to 70 centimeters in each dimension, and the minimum dimensions permitted are 10 centimeters in one di- mension and not less than five in each of the other two. Large items which can not be separated to conform to these requirements may be mailed in packages two meters long providing all other dimensions do not exceed three meters and the weight limit is 20 kilograms. c. Wrapping, Packing, Addressing, and Evaluating Requirements One piece, unbreakable, non-bulky articles, e.g., a child's tricycle, may be mailed unwrapped. Packages valued up to 100 rubles may be wrapped in paper; packages evaluated higher must be packed in wooden or metal boxes and covered with sewn materials unless the articles are still packed in the original factory wrappings. Any package which is not wooden or covered with cloth must be tied with cord. Sealing tape is not permitted. The Union Republic Ministers of Communica- tions and Chiefs of Oblast, Kray and Republic Communications Admin- istrations have the right to establish simpler regulations concerning wrapping of packages which are sent within their own boundaries. Certain items must be packed and wrapped by the post office, namely, glass parts, radio tubes, movie film, seeds and grains, fluids, fresh vege- tables, bees, poultry, fragile and breakable objects. Otherwise, senders may pack their own packages providing they conform to regulations applying to the different types of contents and wrap the packages in such a manner that the contents may be inspected. Boxes and packing materials are usually purchased at the post office. Whether or not in- ternal packages which are wrapped by the sender are inspected at the mailing point appears to vary in different locales. The postal clerk may inspect the packages, but the majority will accept a properly wrapped and addressed internal package without inspecting the contents. If the package is packed and wrapped by a postal employee, it will be handed back to the sender for addressing. The address and the return address, which is required on all internal packages, are written in the same manner as on a letter. A package may be mailed without declaring the value of the contents or may be given any value by the sender, providing it does not exceed the actual cost. However, a package wrapped in paper may not be valued above 30 rubles. Packages with a declared value may be mailed c.o.d. 34 Approved For Release 19griPretrittP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 MIMMINIIIPROMMPN FIGURE 13. Package sorting machine in operation. d. Mailing Procedures Documents are not shown to mail packages. The sender fills out an address blank which is attached to the package. This address blank notes (1) the name and address of sender and receiver (this does not replace the required addressing on the package itself), (2) the value and weight of the package, (3) a statement, if applicable, that the package is fragile or contains a veterinarian or quarantine certificate, and (4) if the package contains vegetables or fruits. The postal worker checks the wrappings, addressing, the address blank, and determines if the package is not prohibited at the address indicated, seals the package with wax seals and sends the package on its way. e. Receiving Procedures There is a package delivery service available in only a few cities and rayons, wherein a package may be delivered to the recipient's home, and a fee is charged for this service. However, in the main, packages are called for at the post office. The address blank has a detachable portion which is removed at the receiving post office and mailed to the addressee to notify him he has a package. The addressee then calls for the pack- age, signs the notice (in case of home delivery the notice may be signed by any adult member of his family) , fills out the reverse side of the address blank and shows his pasport or substitute documents. The 35 Approved For Release 1999/8-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 satiaseumermet signatures are compared, the validity of his documents checked, and the package weighed in his presence. If the weight differs from that shown on the package, the contents may be checked in the presence of the addressee. Otherwise the package is not opened upon delivery. The address blank and the signed notice are retained by the post office as receipts. In the case of returned or forwarded packages, the re- cipient pays the additional postage. 2. International Packages Packages destined to go abroad can be accepted only to those countries with which the USSR has postal relations and has signed a postal agree- ment covering packages. The packages must conform with the regula- tions for packages entering the country in question as well as with the regulations of the USSR. International packages are not accepted by all communications enterprises but only by main post offices and com- munications offices. There is one exception to this otherwise rigid rule?packages containing books may be mailed from any post office. International packages must be addressed in the language of the country of destination or in French. In addition, the name of the country of destination, city, and street address should be written in Russian. However, failure to do this will not cause the package to be refused. A return address is mandatory and must be written in ink or indelible pencil in either Russian or French. Soviet newspapers and magazines cannot be enclosed in packages containing other commodities, and are not allowed to be used as pack- ing material in international packages. The official postal regulations of the USSR make a distinction con- cerning international postal packages between a box (yashchik) with declared value, i.e., insured, and a parcel (posylka). Their respective requirements are as follows: a. Insured Boxes (1) Contents Contents may be articles of jewelry, insured items, and narcotics for medical or scientific purposes to countries permitting shipment under these conditions. Documents in the nature of personal correspondence, bank notes, currency, or any kind of paper having value to the bearer are prohibited. A list of contents and a copy of the sender and re- ceiver's name and address may be included. (2) Wrappings Insured boxes must be constructed of wood (at least 8 millimeters thick) or metal. Both the top and bottom of the box must be com- pletely covered with white paper in order to provide space for the ad- dressing, stamps, etc. The box must be tied with heavy twine and the ends of the twine sealed to the wrappings of the box. 36 Approved For Release 19941611Y/tMgerrEP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 AeilTril.romiaa (3) Weight and Size The weight may not exceed one kilogram. The dimensions must be within 30 centimeters in length, 20 centimeters in width and 10 centi- meters in height. (4) Mailing Procedures No documents are shown to mail an insured box. The box is always presented open at the post office, where the contents are examined and packed by the postal clerk, who also checks the addressing, the inven- tory, and its acceptability at the country of destination. (5) Receiving Procedures Insured boxes are never delivered to the addressee's home; they are opened and inspected, after identification of the addressee by his pas- port, in his presence at the communications enterprise. If the box con- tains items prohibited from the USSR the package is not delivered and the entire package is returned to the sender. The enclosure of a letter of a personal nature is not sufficient grounds for returning the box, but the addressee must pay twice the usual rate for the letter. b. Parcels (1) Contents Parcels sent abroad may contain all types of objects and food products, excluding those prohibited or limited from the international mails (see appendix B). Parcels have been refused on the grounds that the goods were shoddy and therefore constituted a reflection on the USSR. (2) Wrappings The parcel wrappings must be suitable for the contents, length of route, and condition of shipment. In addition, the wrappings must be such as to allow inspection of contents without damage to the wrappings. (3) Size and Weight No single item in a parcel should be longer than 1.5 meters. The length and the other greatest circumference may not exceed three meters. The weight limit for packages to each country is established in the bilateral postal agreement concerning packages. The weight limit for packages to and from the United States and the Soviet Union is 44 pounds. (4) Mailing Procedures International parcels are submitted unsealed for verification of con- tents. The sender fills out an accompanying address blank, customs declaration, and inventory of contents if required by the country of des- tination. The sender states on the back of the address blank the dis- position to be made of the parcel in the event it can not be delivered. In the customs declaration the sender lists all objects enclosed in the parcel with the quantity, weight, and value of each. In accepting an international parcel the communications employee, in addition to the inspection performed for an internal package, deter- 37 Approved For Release 1999/018-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 .JX kJ Kt FIGURE 14. Books wrapped for shipment abroad. 38 Approved For Release 199061601.11101141016P78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 mines (1) that the country of destination accepts packages from the USSR and that attached declarations are in accordance with that coun- try's requirements, and (2) that no items in the parcel are prohibited from leaving the USSR. After converting values in accordance with the rate of exchange, he then repacks, seals and weighs the parcel, and writes the exact weight on the wrappings, the address blank, and the customs declaration. In addition to the mailing rate, there is a charge for repacking the parcel after the customs inspection which is made at the international exchange point. (5) Receiving Procedures International parcels are not opened upon delivery unless damaged. They are weighed; and if the weight is less than that indicated on the package, the postal clerk will offer to inspect the package in the presence of the recipient. This offer is usually refused for fear some irregularity will be found and the package returned to the sender. Receiving pro- cedures are the same as those for receiving internal parcels. Reports have indicated, however, that upon receipt of a package from abroad, postal workers may query the addressee as to what country the package may be from. There have been cases wherein the addressee named the wrong country and the package was withheld. c. Small Packets The exchange of small packets was introduced on 1 October 1959. This service allows small articles?whether dutiable or not?to be trans- mitted faster than regular packages. The packet must weigh less than five kilograms. A return address is mandatory, as is a list of contents. Prohibited as enclosures are coins, money, postage stamps, valuables payable to the bearer, platinum, gold, silver, or precious stones. Small packets must be marked on the front petit paquet and must bear the green customs label. 3. Package Mailing to the USSR Packages are received in the USSR from many parts of the world, par- ticularly by those with friends and relatives abroad. Persons in the Soviet Union solicit packages through their international correspond- ence, while the Soviet Government facilitates receipt of same by enabling the sender to remit the customs duty in advance. The number of packages entering the Soviet Union from abroad is not known, but over $100,000,000 revenue is collected annually by the USSR on duty-prepaid packages alone. Another indication of the size of the duty-prepaid package traffic is the initial advance deposit of $50,000 which Intourist required of one United States duty-prepaid package mailing firm to insure collection of duty. The contents of packages mailed into the USSR are used principally by the recipient to relieve personal consumer shortages or as a source of additional income. Formerly many persons were able to support themselves on the sale of contents of packages from the West by virtue of the high prices these goods brought on the black market. In 1959, 39 Approved For Release 1999/0/k2r C1AIM8-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 "ffelrETTINisestmi the controls on black marketing became more effective through the operation of a central outlet where individuals brought these goods for public sale and the authorities received a commission on all sales. De- spite the heavy fines for those caught dealing in the black market and a 1960 propaganda campaign versus the need for Western goods, requests for packages from the West have continued. Some of the most com- mon requests include: clothing, dress and coat fabrics, fashion designs, shoes, leather, needles, table cloths, ladies' gloves and stockings, ball- point pens, medicines, etc. a. Mailing Requirements and Procedures A package can be mailed to the Soviet Union from any country which has postal relations with the Soviet Union and has signed a postal agree- ment concerning packages, provided the package and its contents meet the postal regulations of the two countries. Appendix C contains a list of articles which may be mailed to individuals in the USSR. Articles in excess of the quantities specified on this list will be delivered only if recipient pays five times the usual customs duty. Used clothing and used shoes must be accompanied by a dated certificate attesting that the articles have been disinfected. Persons living in countries having no postal relations and package agreement with the Soviet Union either mail packages through persons living in countries which do, or send packages in by travelers. When a package is mailed directly by the sender, the customs duty is collected from the recipient of the package in the Soviet Union. In many cases the packages are refused and returned to the sender because the duty is too high for the recipient to pay. b. Duty-Prepaid Package Mailing Firms If the sender knows that the addressee in the Soviet Union will find it difficult to pay the customs duties on a package sent through his post office, there is available an alternate method for shipping on a duty- prepaid basis. Various firms, scattered throughout the Western world, are licensed by Intourist to collect the duty on packages from the sender. Packages mailed through these firms must comply with the same regu- lations as packages mailed directly at the post office with the exception of the customs payment provision and one restriction?no used clothes are permitted to be mailed through these firms. Usually the package mailing firms offer a selection of three types of packages, (1) a package prepared by the firm, (2) a package with items selected by the sender from the firms' stock of goods, or (3) the customer's own package. Duty is also high when prepaid. For example, duty on new clothing is 100 percent, shoes-75 percent, woolen yards goods-50 percent, etc. These firms make much of the fact that the sender can be certain the package is received in the Soviet Union. This is accomplished by means of a detachable receipt card attached to the package which is signed by the recipient of the package in the Soviet Union and mailed back to the sender. This is a regular postal service covered by a fee and may also be secured when mailing directly at the post office. 40 Approved For Release 1914WletirikbP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 c. Mailing Procedures for Medicines All packages mailed into the USSR which contain medicine (letter packages included) must have enclosed in the package a prescription covering the medicine. The prescription must have been issued by a physician in a Soviet health establishment and bear the stamp and seal of the health establishment. Medicines are subject to import duties and, as any other article, may be mailed via the parcel post service or through a duty-prepaid package firm. If duty is not prepaid, the recipient in the Soviet Union pays a 25 percent duty. However, the customs duty on a letter package which contains medicine must be prepaid through a package firm even though it is to be mailed at the post office. For such a letter package the firm will furnish a tag which indicates the duty has been paid. D. POSTAL HANDLING OF INTERNAL PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS In the division of postal matter, as handled in the Soviet Union, this classification of mail exists only for internal mail. It includes news- papers, magazines, brochures, and printed lectures, etc. Similar inter- national postal material enters and exits the USSR as banderol' or as a package. This class of postal matter is reported to comprise 90 percent by weight and 75 percent by volume of all the Soviet mail and receives preferential treatment both in handling and delivery. In the USSR the newspapers are delivered in the first mail delivery of the day. They may have originated in the same city, or may have been printed locally from matrix shell mats sent by air from the city of publication, or may have been printed elsewhere and mailed to the city of delivery. In any event, the post offices and the communications offices distribute the publications of the republic, oblast (kray), and rayon by agreement with the publishing houses. These agreements are made yearly on the basis of a standard agreement established by the Ministry of Communications. Publications are subscribed through the post offices and communica- tions offices. A traveler was in the Leningrad Post Office on the last day that subscriptions were being accepted to the Leningrad evening paper?unaware of the significance of the day?and he was appalled at the crowd, actually a mob, trying to get their subscriptions in before the deadline. It is the responsibility of the post offices and communications enter- prises to record subscriptions to newspapers and magazines on cards, maintain these cards filed by publications, and upon receipt of the news- papers and magazines sort them in accordance with the subscriptions on the cards. The postman is furnished with a list of subscribers?thus the names and addresses are not recorded on the items delivered. Although the distribution of newspapers and magazines is an im- pressive task?Soviet postal officials have indicated it is their most "annoying" one?it is alleviated somewhat by the comparative light 41 Approved For Release 1999/0fflrertM-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 FIGURE 15. Newspapers are delivered in the first morning mail. weight of Soviet newspapers and the local printing of many papers which eliminates the intercity transportation of the newspapers. E. SOVIET STATIONERY The common denominator of stationery supplies in the USSR is poor quality. Reports have indicated that from time to time paper and en- velopes are not available for purchase even in fairly large cities. Any good paper which may be seen is certain to have been purchased in a large city. Color terminology is difficult in describing the colors of Soviet paper and envelopes because the dyes used in the paper are unstable. A new package of "blue" envelopes will have various shades from blue to blue- green, and white paper is never a pure white but shades off to cream and buff. After exposure to light both the white and blue shades be- come even more diversified. For purposes of this study, blue will be used for all shades of blue and blue-green, and white for all shades of off-white, cream, and buff. 42 Approved For Release 19115WWitil'011*DP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 smoosimiiierMN FIGURE 16. A post office room which handles publications. 1. Envelopes There are several types of envelopes which are in general use in the Soviet Union: First, a plain envelope which may be lined, unlined, or have printed simulated lining; second, a prestamped envelope; third, a printed envelope with spaces indicated for addressing (this type may also be purchased prestamped) ; fourth, a prestamped red or red and blue bordered envelope for airmail. The Soviets first issued a color bordered envelope for airmail in the summer of 1959. This was a blue envelope bordered in red, with spaces for addressing and bore the offi- cial Soviet insignia of hammer and sickle inside a garland. The new prestamped airmail envelopes, issued at the time of the change of stamps, are similar and there is also a new white pictorial one, bordered in blue and red, but minus the insignia. Both white and blue envelopes are widely used in the Soviet Union for all types of envelopes. Plain pink envelopes are used only in out- lying cities and rural areas. Plain grey envelopes are used, but to a much less extent than plain white or blue ones. The new issue of stamps on 1 January 1961, obviously, necessitated new prestamped envelopes. They come both in white and blue. Some of these prestamped envelopes have a pictorial design on the left front of the envelope. Blue ones have been observed with no printed lines for addressing. 43 Approved For Release 1999/08-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Envelopes with a pictorial design on the front carry a date on the back flap. It is not believed that they lose their validity in any given length of time. The plain Soviet envelopes with printed linings often have the man- ufacturer's imprint on the inside of the flap. Paper manufactured in Riga will have this imprint in Latin letters. This paper is sold in Euro- pean Russia. Soviet postal regulations permit the use of envelopes with transparent windows but not those with open windows. Soviet envelopes used for personal letters are all very nearly the same size, approximately 6 x 41/2 inches. In official or business mail larger envelopes are sometimes used, but these are never as long as a sheet of typing paper is wide. Printed material may be mailed in very large envelopes as banderol' mail. 2. Writing Paper The most outstanding characteristic of the writing paper used by the majority of Soviets is the poor quality of the paper. Envelopes and paper seldom match. Boxed matching paper and envelopes, even though the quality is poor, are used only by high level individuals. The most commonly used paper is that with printed lines. This comes in a single long sheet or in a shorter sheet folded to form four pages. Graph paper is also widely used for letter writing. Both the lined and the graph paper frequently are sheets which have, in fact, been torn from school note books. 3. Writing Implements Typewriters are not often used for other than business or official letters as they are seldom available for private use. Pencils are not acceptable for letter writing in the usual social sense, nor will the post office accept a letter addressed in pencil unless an indelible pencil is used. Fountain pens are common. Ball-point pens have been in gen- eral use in the USSR, especially by students, but due to their poor quality they are not as popular as previously. The old fashioned pen staff fitted with a pen point is still in common use. American made ball- point pens are considered highly desirable to own. 4. Inks Different types of ink are used for different purposes in the Soviet Union. For letter writing either a liquid ink is used or the ink is pre- pared by mixing water with powdered ink. It is also common practice to make ink by mixing the pulverized lead from one indelible pencil with 250 grams of water. This is considered a very high grade of ink and will last a student about a year. Only the ink purchased in the liquid form can be used for fountain pens. The most prevalent colors of ink used for letter writing are blue and purple, with green placing third. 44 IREMEPPIVP.MONN Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 .1. Via F. SOVIET POSTAGE STAMPS AND STAMP COLLECTORS I. Postage Stamps Stamps may be purchased at post offices, newsstands, state and co- operative trade organizations, schools, village reading rooms, and from the postman encountered on his delivery rounds. Until 1961, stamps were sold at premium prices at newsstands, schools, etc. This is no longer done and now stamps are sold everywhere at the same price. The installation of stamp vending machines is being encouraged by the Ministry of Communications, however, they have not been easily located by travelers, who usually report that those they find are out of order. Those observed have been in subway stations, communications enterprises, stores, parks and other places of mass public attendance. Although Soviet stamps are not always engraved, they are quite beautiful. They frequently are produced by multicolor printing, and their beauty is derived from the excellence of color and design. The Ministry of Communications issues over a hundred new com- memorative stamps each year. Travelers have reported that at the hotel post offices the clerks stick as many of these stamps as possible on international letters. However, some commemorative stamps are sold only to stamp collectors and are not used on the mail. The commemoratives are printed to celebrate every conceivable So- viet achievement and to honor Soviet heroes, writers, etc., as well as foreigners. Americans, as Longfellow and Benjamin Franklin, have been so honored, and several issues have commemorated the Scottish poet, Robert Burns. All Soviet space travel is immediately commemo- rated; the Titov space flight has been honored by two stamps. Other typical subjects which stimulate new stamp issues are: international sports competitions, exhibits and forums, capitols of the Soviet Repub- lics, Soviet wild life and flowers, ad infinitum. Whenever new postage rates are established, new stamps are not necessarily issued to correspond with the new rates as might be expected in a country which is so prolific in stamp issues. Instead, the new rates are made up of combinations of old stamps, and eventually stamps of the proper denominations are issued. When the postage rates were changed on 1 January 1961, to conform with the new currency, obvi- ously, entirely new stamps were necessary. These were issued in de- nominations of 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10 and 16 kopek stamps. Otherwise, there has been no appreciable change in the stamps; and the number of com- memoratives issued since the first of the year continues to reflect the use of stamps for propaganda purposes. 2. Stamp Collectors The collection of foreign stamps by Soviet collectors has recently been curtailed by the rigid enforcement of the prohibition against enclosing stamps in international mail, however, extra stamps may be used on 45 Approved For Release 1999/0802646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 letters, and stamps are transmitted abroad to collectors by this method. For previous attitudes and actual usage on enclosing stamps in inter- national letters see paragraph b of A-3, above. The Soviet press has reported that persons accused of "speculating" in postage stamps have been given prison sentences. These individuals were accused of buying and selling stamps for profit and "of taking advantage of the secrecy of the Soviet postal system." Letters containing orders or requests for stamps by catalogue num- ber may lend themselves to clandestine transmittal of coded information. It should be noted that these letters are not in violation of Saviet postal regulations. The RIS has used international stamp collectors' letters for agent communication outside the USSR to the USSR. Cover* exchanges to and from the Soviet Union are not as prevalent as in other countries but there have been exchanges with the Western world. Probably the most widely circulated cover club in the USSR is the Cover Collectors Circuit Club with headquarters in Waterloo, Iowa. Stamp collectors in the Soviet Union fall into two categories: the serious collectors with large, valuable collections and the amateur col- lectors. The first category is limited to a small group. There are per- haps five collections in Leningrad, and as many in Moscow, which can be rated as large by western standards. One of the largest is in the Central Museum of Communications in Leningrad which also contains a display of Russian and Soviet postal history. The gaps which exist in this stamp and cover collection are probably due to the combination of destruction and loss during the Revolution and the lack of public interest in philatelic history for many years after the Soviets came to power. The second category, the amateur collectors, is very large. The at- titude of the Soviet Government towards stamp collecting is definitely favorable. Stamps are exchanged through stamp clubs, may be pur- chased in stamp shops (many book stores have stamp rooms), and col- lectors will solicit foreign stamps from foreigners on the streets. In addition, the larger post offices have philatelic windows and well known philatelists often work with young pioneer groups. The majority of amateur collectors rely on Soviet and Satellite stamps as they are the most accessible. Aside from these issues, the most popular lines appear to be German, Italian and Austrian. Tsarist Rus- sian stamps are rare. American stamps of recent vintage have been observed in Soviet collections. * Collectors use the term cover to indicate a stamped envelope. 46 Approved For Release 1??4161000114461WRDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 SaaikiAligawasis IV. SOVIET MAIL CENSORSHIP The organization and operation of the Soviet mail censorship system is not completely known to us. Various sources have contributed in- formation on the subject, but there are still areas of ignorance with respect to certain fundamental aspects of the censorship system. A. ORGANIZATION Soviet mail censorship is a state security function and operates under the KGB, administered from the All-Union Headquarters. The last known component of state security engaged in censorship was the Sixth Special Department (Spetsotdel) of the MVD of 1953-1954. The present designation has not been determined. There will be subordinate offices located at the republic, kray, and oblast levels. The section of the KGB which is charged with the censorship function handles the intercepted postal items in accordance with the instructions received from the requesting directorate or office. Thus, for instance, they may furnish to the requesting office a mail item, an extract, or the item itself. In general the requesting office is responsible for translat- ing the mail if such is required. Below the organizational level mentioned above, the organization of censorship is not known. Specifically, the points wherein the inter- ception and examination of mail takes place have not been firmly es- tablished. As will be shown below, the routing of international mail indicates the possibility that censorship either is performed at the oblast level, or that at this point a selection is made of items to be forwarded to a censorship unit elsewhere. The information on routing establishes that all international mail enters and exits the Soviet Union via international postal exchange areas which are generally, but with some exceptions, located near the borders of the USSR and service the mail to and from the countries contiguous to their locations. For example, Baku is an international postal exchange area and the Soviet mail to and from Iran is routed through Baku. At these areas, packages are turned over to the local customs where they are opened, inspected, and customs duties are determined. Pack- ages entering and exiting the Soviet Union are routed directly from the international postal exchange areas to their destination, or vice versa, as the case may be. On the other hand, all written correspond- ence and banderol' are routed to and from the international postal exchange area through the communications enterprise located in the oblast (republic, kray) center of the location of the addressee or ad- dressor. This routing through the main post office at the oblast center is also applicable to locations within the same oblast as the international 47 Approved For Release 1999/081r IMMAT.-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 postal exchange area. In addition, all letters mailed in the USSR addressed to foreign embassies in the USSR, although they carry local postage, are routed with the international mail. Thus it is established that all packages are examined at customs lo- cated at the international postal exchange areas, and that all written correspondence is routed through the main post office at the oblast center of the Soviet addressee or addressor. Moreover, all main post offices at oblast centers have employees whose function is the inspection of the mail. Ostensibly this examination is to inspect the postage, wrapping, address, etc., but it may be that a watch list and certain criteria of suspicion are also checked at this point, and mail thus spotted is diverted to censorship. Several sources who have worked in post offices at the rayon level and below have had no knowledge of any censorship functions being performed in these offices. B. CENSORSHIP OF INTERNAL MAIL In general the internal mail of one Soviet to another Soviet is not subject to censorship. Nevertheless, there is no question but that in- ternal mail is effectively censored on the basis of a watch list system, augmented by the censorship of mail from select areas and groups, and by the censorship of individual letters which for one reason or another attract the attention of the censor. When a person becomes the subject of active investigation by the local security and militia elements, his mail becomes subject to censor- ship. The resulting watch list is maintained continuously. According to one Satellite source who is knowledgeable on Soviet censorship meth- ods, however, the watch list is reviewed quarterly and names may be added or deleted. This source reports that, in order to prevent censor- ship from becoming overburdened, names will be removed from the watch list if the investigative interest no longer requires postal censor- ship. An individual's internal mail may be censored because he falls into a category of people whose mail is being censored. Such categories may be composed of persons living in a sensitive or suspect area, or may be categories of certain types of persons. In regard to the first category, it should be pointed out that when the mail of a specific area is being watched, the censorship is conducted differently and is less dangerous to the individual. In censoring the mail of a given area, usually large quantities of letters are opened and scanned in order to determine the nature of the contents of the letters, and less attention is paid to the names of the individuals writing. Actually, censorship of this nature is for the purpose of collecting public opinion on various subjects. The information thus collected is used as the basis of reports submitted to different organs in the government for their information. The second categories mentioned above may be composed of any group whose mail is deemed worthy of scrutiny, as scientists, military personnel, visiting foreigners and the like. All mail addressed to for- 48 Approved For Release 19VANIWA,kerribP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 SViciarilipidiere5RN eign embassies, either by Soviets or other foreign embassies in the USSR, is censored. There is evidence that all internal mail of visiting foreigners is censored. A United States guide at the Moscow fair mailed, at his hotel, a letter to a woman whom an emigre friend in the United States had asked him to look up. After a month passed and no reply came, he called on the woman. She had not received the letter, but some men had called and told her she would be having a visitor. An- other visiting American felt his letters were being opened. And in order to test this, he mailed to himself several letters which he placed in the envelopes in reverse. When they arrived, all the letters were inserted in the envelopes in the proper manner. Over and above the watch list and the different categories of persons whose mail may be watched, several sources have indicated that a letter may be censored because the letter itself creates suspicion. The criteria of suspicion of letters is not completely known. Presumably any char- acteristic of the letter which is not consistent with other Soviet letters will lead to closer scrutiny. Thus, examination of a letter may be caused by the use of any number of deviations, as for example, the quality or type of envelope, the method of writing the address or the return address, or even the use in the address of an abbreviation which is not commonly used by the Soviets. Once the letter has attracted attention to itself and is opened by the censor, awkward phraseology, a nonsensical or incoherent text, or obvious blank spaces may cause the letter to be examined for open code or SW. As high quality paper is seldom available in the Soviet Union, the use of good paper in a cor- respondence could lead to suspicion?in short? any marked departure from general Soviet usage in letter writing may create suspicion and cause a letter to be more closely examined than it would be otherwise. It is not known if mail is watched by address as well as by name. In their own instructions on preparation of operational letters the Soviets take cognizance of the importance of using an address which will bear inspection. In view of this awareness it may be assumed that addresses receive some consideration by censorship although there is no evidence to indicate that addresses are considered suspect in the sense that an address itself would be placed on a watch list. Soviet censorship collects handwriting samples for various purposes; one reported use of these samples is the identification of anonymous letter writers. It is not known precisely in what manner these samples may be employed in the identification of watch list individuals. It has been reported that in one Satellite country, which has received guidance from the Soviets on censorship, enlarged samples of suspect handwriting are posted on the walls of the censorship office for comparison purposes. A perusal of the preceding chapters of this study will show how the Soviets exercise control over the mails in the form of regulations gov- erning the sending and receiving of all types of mail, items permitted as enclosures in letters, and the contents of packages. The inhibiting effect this established control of the mails has on the average Soviet may be observed in his use of the mails, as well as in his observations 49 Approved For Release 1999/081Trirrrent-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 4J-1A. / Ji J,I %JINJA and evaluations of the capability of censorship. Thus it can be seen that the overt control exercised over the mails has a restraining influence on the populace. In addition, the mechanism of controls permits cen- sorship to exercise flexibility, i.e., a certain mobility is made possible for the censorship effort by the fact that all mail items are controlled at all times, and within this framework the censor may operate at selected vulnerable points. C. CENSORSHIP OF THE INTERNATIONAL MAIL All mail entering and exiting the USSR, including the mail to and from the Satellite countries, is monitored, but it is not believed that all letters are opened. International packages are opened and examined by customs, and printed matter is closely scrutinized and is allowed to enter or is rejected on the evaluation of each publication. It is not known what percentage of international letters are opened, or what percentage of the letters which are opened are examined for SW or code. Soviet defectors reporting on the censorship of interna- tional mail have consistently described a monitoring system wherein all of the names and addresses from letters are indexed but not all letters are opened. The evidence indicates that this system is probably still in effect. A recent Satellite source who had contact with Soviets working in censorship has reported, however, that the Soviets are open- ing all of the international mail by means of utrasonic waves; this de- vice will be more fully discussed later. Before exploring the details of these reports and the technical evalua- tion of the ultrasonic device, it should be emphasized that the volume of Soviet international mail has been steadily increasing since 1955, and especially so since 1957, at which time articles appeared in the Soviet press encouraging the populace to write to their friends and relatives abroad. The Soviets do not report statistics on international mail vol- ume to international postal organizations as do other countries. Never- theless, it is well established that the volume of international mail has expanded tremendously over the past few years. And for purposes of considering censorship methods, evaluations must be made within this framework of an expanding mail volume. Various Soviet sources have contributed to the following as represent- ing the methods employed in the USSR to censor the international mail. Cards are maintained on all persons who write abroad as well as on all persons abroad who write to the USSR Presumably cards Are also maintained on persons exchanging printed matter and packages. Ac- cording to one source the cards contain the following information: 1. Name 2. Date of birth 3. Place of birth 4. Address 50 Approved For Release illtRIIIIMMDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 5. Reference to location of subject's file. The case file, for example, may be located in Arkhangel'sk because the subject may be of direct interest to, or in the operational jurisdiction of, the Arkhangel'sk office. 6. A statement as to the reason subject is registered in the card index. If other entries are not complete, the card may not be filed without this entry. In case of mail intercepts, this entry will reflect that the individual was entered in the index because of his correspondence, or mention of him in other correspond- ence, and will give either the nature of the information or where it may be located. When complete information is pot obtainable from an intercepted letter, such information as is available is entered on the 'card and addi- tional information is added whenever collected from subsequent letters. When copies or extracts are made from letters, they are forwarded to the individual's file. In one case, a Soviet citizen applying for a visa to visit the West ac- cidentally saw his own dossier in the militia headquarters, and in the dossier were actual copies of his correspondence with relatives abroad. In another case, a letter from the militia in Chernigov, in answer to an inquiry from the Berlin Repatriation Committee, stated that for their additional information the subject of the inquiry was in correspondence with his brother in Paris. While letters are checked against the card index, no account is kept of the number or frequency of letters. Letters of a new channel are opened until such time as it may be established that the correspondence is innocuous. After the letters of a new channel have been inspected sufficiently to indicate that the correspondence is an innocent and legiti- mate one, the letters are no longer opened but are checked to ascertain if the names of the individuals are carded. In addition to this general index of international corres ondence re- 25X1X6 sumably a watch list is maintained. 25X1X6 25X1X6 s was s a e iscussion o in ernal mail censor- ship, the watch list is reported to be reviewed quarterly and at that time, names may be added or deleted according to the investigative interest. The following are categories of persons whose names will be on a watch list through suspicion: 1. Persons on whom there is information obtained from security service operations to the effect that the person represents a security threat of some sort. 51 Approved For Release 1999/05INIMMIT8-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 2. Persons who are in potentially subversive or politically dangerous categories, such as former prison camp inmates, persons with known grievances against the regime, etc. 3. All Soviet officials who have served abroad, and thereby have had the opportunity of coming under the influence or control of foreign gov- ernments. 4. Persons who have been abroad in non-official capacities (tourists, artists, military in Eastern Europe) who came to the attention of the security service while abroad, for one reason or another. Examples might be: a Soviet tourist reported by the KGB shepherd to have made dubious contacts with foreigners; a Soviet soldier who had an affair with a local girl while stationed in Hungary, and this fact having become known to his unit in Hungary; the lady discus-thrower who lifted the hats in London. It has been reported that names on a watch list are forwarded to the new location, in the event an individual on the watch list moves his place of residence. Apparently if the individuals writing abroad are not on the watch list, a certain mobility may be helpful in getting mail through. An American citizen, since visiting his relatives in their native village in the USSR, has not received any letters from his relatives living in the village, but has received several letters from a cousin who left to attend school in a different area. In addition, there may be various categories of persons whose mail is carefully scrutinized, not by a watch by name, but because their mail falls into a suspicious category. An example, according to the Satellite source mentioned above, will be stamp collectors. In this case, no doubt, the suspicion is based on the KGB's own use of stamp collectors' letters as cover letters for agent communications. Thus the letters which will be opened by the censor may consists of letters of new channels, suspect channels, suspect categories, or any single letter which may arouse suspicion. An international letter may be closely inspected because the letter itself creates suspicion. Interna- tional letters originating in the Soviet Union will presumably be treated as suspect if they have characteristics not indigenous to the location in which they are mailed. In addition, the destination or origin of the letter may have an effect on the extent of the scrutiny to which the letter is subjected. The technical evaluation of this report states that opening letters by the use of ultrasonic waves is a probable achievement by the Soviets 52 25X1 X6 Approved For Release 199/7MireVIMP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 and assuming such a device exists, it is likely that it is reserved for special occasions or that it exists only in the prototype stage. The evaluation further states, "Such a machine would increase the openings from a few at a time to possibly a sack at a time then individual handling once again takes over. Even if the sack were selective (watch listed) individual handling would be required aforehand. An ultrasonic device certainly wouldn't or couldn't reseal, so each letter then would have once again to be individually processed. If there is such a device, it is likely not used to a great extent when one visualizes the mess that would result from a mass (sack full) of envelopes opened indiscriminately, in that the ma- chine cannot be selective with respect to the flap or seal it weakens or opens. All flaps then would weaken or open and if it were possible to keep the contents identified with the envelope, any advantage gained in quick opening would be lost in extra time and work lost in resealing." It is especially pertinent that the use of ultrasonic waves to open or loosen the flap of an envelope probably does not change the opening of the mail from a hand process to a machine operation with the implied gain in speed. If it is assumed that the Soviets have developed this device, it does not automatically follow that by speeding one phase of the censorship process the increase in volume of letters which can be opened, censored, resealed, and returned to the flow of mail is great enough to insure opening all of the mail. Any improvement in censor- ship methods will, of course, increase the number of letters which it is possible to open. Therefore, it should be assumed that the chances of an individual letter being opened are increased. This is not to say that the probable use of ultrasonic waves to open letters, or any other advanced technical equipment for that matter, does not represent a threat. Although the preponderance of other available evidence indicates that international letters are not all opened, and that the letters which are currently being opened are steamed, it cannot be assumed that this is a permanent situation. Nor can it be claimed, at this time, that actual mail experiences can always be fitted into a pattern reflecting any one theoretical modus operandi for Soviet censorship. Consider briefly the Soviet practice of resealing an envelope: beginning about 1955, Soviet international letters which were opened by censor- ship, both those entering and exiting, were all covertly opened, i.e., opened and resealed in a manner not detectable by observation. Letters coming out of the USSR to the West have at all times been covertly opened. But now, and approximately for the past three years, it is not unusual for letters received in the Soviet Union, even by foreigners, to show obvious opening. Sometimes, especially with letters to Americans, the letters will be delivered with an excuse explaining the obvious open- ing. In other cases, as for example, French, Belgian, and Japanese visitors will receive letters wherein no attempts are made to disguise the fact that their letters have been opened. This suggests an effort on the part of censorship to cover the larger mail volume by eliminating a dif- ficult process at a point which will do the least harm. On the other hand, it could also suggest a possible tryout of the ultrasonic device on 53 Approved For Release 1999/0trirtillM-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 mail which is to be received in the Soviet Union. Neither explanaton, however, appears to justify permitting foreigners in the Soviet Union to receive letters which show obvious opening. Several instances of returned mail received in the United States from the USSR, although covertly opened, also could lend themselves to vari- ous interpretations. In one instance, two letters which were written to an American traveling in the Soviet Union, were returned undelivered. Upon inspection it was found that the letters were in the wrong en- velopes?the letter written first was in the envelope of the second letter and vice versa. In another instance, an American's letter to a Soviet was returned undelivered and, in the typed text, two corrections in ink had been made of the writer's Russian. There is no further information on the identification of letters by handwriting than that given in the section on censorship of the internal mail. Presumably samples will be collected and used for possible identi- fication from known cover letters and from individuals believed to have intelligence connections. Additional indicators which reportedly will alert the censor are: 1. Type of paper. If the letters purports to be of Soviet origin, possibly no one thing will alert the censor quicker than good paper. Unlined paper is more suspect than lined. 2. Blank spaces and unusual margins. Blank spaces are ignored only when the paper is of cheap quality. 3. Lined envelopes. 4. Misspelled names of people or places. 5. Incorrect abbreviations, especially in the addressing. 6. Incorrect form of address or title. 7. Unusual placement of stamps which may indicate code. 8. Letters with samples, as textiles, leather, etc. 9. Rambling text which gives the impression of attempting to fill up space. 10. Text which may appear to be coded. 11. Post cards. The Soviets suspect messages which may be hidden on the picture side. As is the case with the internal mails, the rigid controls exercised by the Soviet postal system on the mailing and receiving procedures, and the articles which are permitted as enclosures, are of considerable aid to the censorship effort. It is believed that there has been a partial relaxation of certain related controls of the mails. Specifically, indi- viduals are no longer required to fill out questionnaires concerning rela- tives living abroad and state if they correspond with these relatives. As it is known that interrogations continue in certain cases regarding foreign correspondence, it is believed that the apparent relaxation of these related controls are undertaken more in an effort to bring the overt controls into a consistent picture rather than there being any genuine relaxation. For example, a man in Lithuania wrote his uncle in the 54 Approved For Release 19g9MPIMMIMP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 United States and discussed the rate of pay, working conditions, and eco- nomic conditions prevailing on the kolkhoz where he lives. He was called in by the authorities shortly afterwards, and threatened with serious consequences if he ever wrote such information abroad again. A few years before this man would have been reporting the correspondence via the forms mentioned above, and also, a few years ago his reprimand probably would have been a prison term. Nevertheless, the authorities knew that he was writing abroad, and knew the contents of his letters. D. MAIL CENSORSHIP OF PRINTED MATTER The printed matter, including books, mailed into the USSR is ex- amined and permitted to enter or disallowed in accordance with the Soviet postal regulations which do not permit entry of printed matter into the USSR if the text is (1) such as would bring the USSR into political or economic danger, or (2) of an obscene or immoral nature. As stated these conditions are broad indeed, and as interpreted by censor- ship their application is deemed appropriate to any material which may be considered undesirable. The organization and locations of the censors who review the printed matter which passes through the Soviet mails are not known. Two sources, in reporting on this activity, have mentioned calling on the censor in Moscow. Specifically, it is not known if mailed printed matter is reviewed by customs at the international postal area, or by customs located elsewhere, or by other official components, located at convenient points and operating in conjunction with post offices. In either event, the postal authorities freely admit that all printed matter is screened. In one instance, a source and an official connected with the post office engaged in a discussion of a comparison between the Soviet system of screening printed material and the United States policy at that time of forbidding the entry into the U.S. of printed matter containing subversive propaganda. This former policy of the United States has been denounced in various articles in the Soviet press. The opinion of the postal official, and as expressed in the articles, was that if such action can be taken against their publications, the USSR would be remiss not to do likewise. It will be interesting to note any changes which may be brought about in the Soviet practice as a result of the change in the American policy. All mail which is discernible as printed matter is reviewed on an indi- vidual basis, and the censor decides if each piece will be (1) delivered to the addressee, (2) placed in a library where its availability is restricted, or (3) withheld. The censor may call in the addressee and ask him for an explanation of why he should receive a certain piece of literature. Although general lines of demarcation may be drawn in what will be delivered and what will be withheld, the individual judgment exercised on each piece of literature makes it impossible to foresee the exact fate of any publication. Material which may be interpreted as politically or economically undesirable includes such articles as Bibles and all reli- 55 l Approved For Release 1999/08124:1999/08124:IlitirDir781702646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 SOL? , JJ VL4.1. gious literature, all publications in Hebrew, material expressing any anti- Soviet ideology, magazines which portray a high living standard abroad, and books concerned with Western historical or philosophical discussions. Despite the all-embracing characteristics of the above categories, in the past few years there has been a great increase in the literature which is being delivered to the addressee. Materials acknowledged as received have included English dictionaries, a broad range of English text novels, magazines concerned with sports, needlework and fashions. Printed matter, providing it is innocuous, has a better chance of being delivered to the addressee if there is an obvious connection between the context of the publication and the recipient's profession or interests. For example, a scientist will probably receive a publication devoted to his field, or an actress a theatrical magazine. :Delivery to the addressee is never a certain matter, however, as there is no way to predict the individual censor's judgment. 25X1X6 Printed matter which is permitted to be mailed out of the Soviet Union is also examined; certain materials containing information the Soviets wish to restrict are withheld. One traveler secured a copy of the direc- tory of the Academy of Sciences, USSR, which he mailed to himself at his home address together with a small guide book of Moscow. When he received the package, it contained only the guide book. Books published prior to 1918 are not permitted to be mailed out of the USSR without official permission to do so. The majority of travelers to the USSR do mail books and other publications home with little, if any, difficulty and Soviets mail certain books to friends in exchange for other literature. 25X1X6 56 Approved For Release 111646141~00DP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 mgmenri?rmertrAw APPENDIX A ARTICLES PROHIBITED AND CONDITIONALLY ACCEPTED FOR INTERNAL MAILS 1. It is forbidden to send explosive and highly inflammable articles (gunpowder, cartridges, benzine, kerosene, alcohol, matches, etc.) , poi- sons, pungent acids and other acrid substances in all postal matter. In case of violation of this regulation the entire contents of such postal matter are confiscated. 2. It is forbidden to send money in circulation in the USSR and also foreign currency in letters, including insured letters, third class* matter, and packages. The right to send paper money in circulation in the USSR in insured letters is granted only to organs of the Ministry of Finance, USSR, and the Ministry of Communications, USSR. The right to send foreign currency in insured letters is granted only to organs of the Ministry of Finance, USSR. As an exception, it is permissible to send defective paper money in insured letters addressed to Gosbank institutions and foreign currency in insured letters addressed to organs of the Ministry of Finance, USSR. If paper money is discovered in postal matter it will be delivered to the recipient less a mailing charge at twice the postal money order rate. 3. It is forbidden to send written messages, except inventory lists of enclosed articles, in third class matter, insured letters, and packages. Applications can be put in insured letters with documents sent to educa- tional institutions and other establishments. 4. It is forbidden to insert any kind of enclosure bound in sealed wrapping into third class matter and open insured letters. Objects in factory wrappings, which may be sent as insured third class matter without difficulty, are excepted. * The Russian word banderol' has been translated "third class." 57 Approved For Release 1999/01P2M.InMittt02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 13.1-01.-? J. / APPENDIX B ARTICLES PROHIBITED AND CONDITIONALLY ACCEPTED FOR MAILING AS INTERNATIONAL POSTAL MATTER 1. It is forbidden to send in the international mails: a. Opium, hashish and pipes (or other instruments for smoking them) and also morphine, cocaine and other narcotics (excluding those sent with a medical or scientific purpose to countries permitting their shipment under these conditions). b. Explosives, inflammable or dangerous items, firearms, parts of war equipment, and also all kinds of blank weapons. c. Items which by their very nature of packaging might constitute a danger to postal workers, or soil or spoil correspondence. d. Documents, printed matter, stereotype blocks, snapshots, manu- scripts, drafts, drawings, negatives, movie film and similar items, the sending of which abroad or receipt from abroad might bring the USSR into political or economic danger. e. Blue vitriol. f. Printed publications containing any marks as might constitute a conventional language, and also printed publications whose text has been changed after printing. g. Items whose import or handling is forbidden in the country of destination. h. Objects of an obscene or immoral nature. i. Live animals, excluding: bees, leeches, silkworms, parasites and destroyers of dangerous insects which are acquired for research on such insects and exchanged between officially recognized institutions. j. Private persons are forbidden to send cancelled and uncancelled postage stamps, philatelic collections, and paper money not in cir- culation. Items listed in paragraphs a, b, c, d, e and f are subject to confiscation if mistakenly accepted for mailing. Postal matter containing objects listed in paragraphs g and j are subject to return to the sender. Postal matter containing objects listed in paragraph h are subject to destruction. Postal articles received from abroad containing live animals forbidden in the mails should be delivered to the addressee; however, a notice of violation concerning this infringement is sent to the enterprise that sent the items. 59 Approved For Release 1999/08tritnirM-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 Live animals mistakenly accepted in the mails for shipment abroad are sent back to their place of origin for return to the sender. 2. It is forbidden to send abroad from the USSR, gold, platinum and metals of the platinum group in unprocessed form (ore, slag and sedi- ment). 3. It is forbidden to send the following postal matter abroad without permission of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, USSR, or the Ministry of Culture, USSR: a. All kinds of furs and products from furs. b. Caviar, soft and pressed (black). c. Santonin and its derivatives. d. Antiques and art objects, books and music published before 1918. 4. It is not permitted to enclose in letters or third class matter objects subject to customs duties (excluding urgent medical necessities) , "talk- ing letters," and also sample goods in large quantity, with the purpose of avoiding customs duties. 5. It is forbidden to send written messages in third class matter, in- sured letters, boxes with declared value, and parcels, except invoices and inventories of contents. 6. By order of the Ministry of Finance, USSR, it is permitted to send abroad gold, silver, platinum, and metals of the platinum group as ingots, scrap, or manufactured items, and also precious stones, gems and articles made from them, foreign currency (foreign banknotes, treasury notes and coins) , promissory notes made out in foreign currency, foreign stocks (shares, bonds with coupons and so forth) , cancelled bank notes of the USSR, property documents and certificates concerning property distri- bution. 7. It is permitted to send abroad checks payable to the person named or order (but not those payable to bearer) checks on foreign currency, issued by the State Bank, USSR, or by the Bank for Foreign Trade, USSR, on its foreign correspondents, on condition of the absence of false -signa- tures on these checks. 60 Approved For Release 1#,MeRiLIMMTIRMP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24 : CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 sigemirmerem APPENDIX C LIST OF ARTICLES ALLOWED TO ENTER WTHOUT A PERMIT WHEN INTENDED FOR PERSONAL USE ITEM NO. NAME OF COMMODITY MAXIMUM QUANTITY ADMITTED 1 Various spices 31/2 oz. of each kind. 2 Coffee, cacao, chicory 4 lbs. 6 oz. of each. 3 Tea 7 ounces. 4 Chopped tobacco, tobacco prod- ucts 5 Plates and dishes 6 Medicaments, all kinds 7 Perfumes and cosmetics 8 Soap, all kinds 9 Articles of gold, silver or plati- num 10 Hand tools 11 Household goods, including elec- tric appliances 12 Sporting goods 13 Photographic equipment and accessories 14 Optical instruments, prosthe- ses, surgical corsets, hearing aids, etc. 2 lbs. 3 oz. 11 pounds. As prescribed by Soviet physi- cians. 17 1/2 oz. or one set. 11 pounds. 44 pounds. 1 of each kind. Do. 1 article or 1 set of each kind. 15 Clothing (coats, suits, shawls) 16 Body linen, bed linens and table linen 17 Shirts and blouses 18 Curtains, blinds 19 Headwear, all kinds 20 Footwear, all kinds 21 Haberdashery: (a) Socks, stockings (b) Gloves (c) Briefcases and hand- bags (d) All other articles of haberdashery 22 Toys, games and Christimas tree decorations 23 Office supplies 61 Do. 1 of each kind, as prescribed by Soviet physicians or hos- pitals. 3 of each kind. 6 sets of each kind. 3 of each kind. 5 sets of each kind. 4 articles. 4 pairs. 6 pairs. 3 pairs. 1 of each kind. 2 articles of 2 sets of each kind. Do. 1 article or 1 set of each kind. Approved For Release 1999/OrirrintM-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 4.M11@fliPP 24 Phonograph records 12 of different titles. 25 Musical instruments (wind or string) 1 article. Foodstuffs are admitted in gift parcels without quantity limitation, except perishable foods, foods and drinks in glass containers, and hermetically sealed preserves, which are prohibited. Small articles of slight value for personal use are admitted in gift parcels, even if not shown on the list, except pieces of cloth, thread and watches, which are prohibited. 62 Approved For Release 1M9ftilibMiNOM4VP78-02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 modionleimim GLOSSARY OF SOVIET POSTAL TERMS AND CATEGORIES Pages AVIAPOChTA, AVIA "Airmail, Air." (mark appearing 10, 12 on airmail) Banderol', Bancleroli : Similar to third class mail. 9, 10, 11, 14, 31, 32, 33, 41, 44, 47, Besplatno : "Free of charge." (One of several 13 words including matrosskoye, pis- mo, or soldatskoye which appears on mail sent free by Soviet serv- icemen.) D (Cyrillic letter "A") : Forwarding indicated by the appear- 31 ance of this letter and the new ad- dress stamped on front of envelope. Do vostrebovaniye : "General delivery." 6, 28 EXPRES (Fr.) : Special delivery cachet attached as a 13 red sticker. Ferdyegerskaya Svyaz' : Courier system for distribution of 14 (Fel'dsvyaz') classified government mail. IMPRIMES (Fr.) : "Printed matter." (International 33 mail banderol' must indicate the type of contents being mailed.) Kolkhoz : Collective farm 27, 55 MEZHDUNARODNOYE : "International." (All Soviet interna- 12 tional mail carries this cachet.) Nalozhennym platezhom : "c.o.d." 17 PAR AVION (Fr) : International airmail sticker 12 Pas port "Passport" for internal Soviet use. 9, 24, 27, 28, 35, 37 Petit paquet (Fr.) : Mark appearing on small packets 39 sent through regular international mail channels Pismo POChTA Posylka "Letter." 13 ? ? "Post," "Mail." (Soviet mailboxes 6 are marked this way) ? ^ "Parcel." 36 63 Approved For Release 1999/0M187-1M02646R000600090001-2 Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 .1.1%.0.1. Vaud GLOSSARY (Continued) Pages RECOMMANDE (Fr.) : Marking which appears on all inter- 12 national registered mail. Spetsotdel "Special Department." (Specifically, 47 "Sixth Special Department, MVD, last confirmed Soviet security com- ponent engaged in censorship: 1953-1954.) Tekhnikum : Technical school 27 Ts (Cyrillic letter "U") : Insured mail marked by the letter 10 "Ts" and the insurance number. V (Cyrillic letter "B") : Mail returned to sender is marked 31 with the letter "V" and the return address. Vestnik Svyazi : Communication News. 2 Voyennaya Tsenzura : Military Censorship Subsection. 14 (VTs) Yashchik : A box (postal package). 36 Z (Cyrillic letter "3") : Registration of internal mail is indi- 10 cated by the appearance of the let- ter "Z" and the registration num- ber. ZAKAZNOYE also usually ap- pears on registered mail. Zagotzerno : All-Union Bureau for Procurement 9 and Storage of Grain. 64 Approved For Release 19611ADP78-02646R000600090001-2 APRelease 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2 S '1M 1M MN Approved For Release 1999/08/24: CIA-RDP78-02646R000600090001-2