MILITARY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SATELLITES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110007-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 15, 2011
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: May 4, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110007-0
COUNTRY Albania; Bulgaria; Rumania; Hungary; Yugoslavia; DATE OF
SUBJECT Military - 0/B, organization, supplies
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily, weekly newspapers
WHERE
PUBLISHED Turkey; Greece; Lebanon
DATE
PUBLISHED 28 Dec 1952 - 27 Mar 1953
LANGUAGE Trukish; Greek; French
CLASSIFICATION RESTRICTED
CENTRAL IN E LICENCE ACANCYI REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
DATE DIST. 1953
NO. OF PAGES 3
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
SOVIET FORCES IN RUMANIA, HUNGARY, AND AUSTRIA -- Izmir, Anadolu, 11 Jan 53
Vienna, 10 January -- According to reliable information, the Soviets
have at present a total military force of 15 divisions in Rumania, Hungary,
and Austria. There are six divisions in Austria, of which three are ground
forces, namely, infantry, antiaircraft, and motorized divisions. The remain-
ing three are two bomber divisions and one fighter plane division.
SOVIET MILITARY UNITS IN BULGARIA -- Athens, Le Messager d'Athenes, 22 Feb 53
It has been reported that new Soviet military units have arrived in Do-
brudzha, Bulgaria.
SOVIET OFFICEliS ARRIVE IN P-MANIA -- Salonica, Makedonia, 20 Mar 53
Albanian refugees in Greece reported that 10 days ago, Soviet officers
arrived in Albania; also, war materiel was transported into Albania, intended
for Sazan Island, where fortifications are being built by Soviet engineers.
The Soviet officers and wax materiel are being transported by air to the two
large airfields that have been constructed in the area of GJinekaster. The
same refugees also said that rumors in Albania mention Soviet submarines in
the Albanian ports of the Adriatic.
The refugees also reported that both the Yugoslav and Albanian guards
have been strengthened at the Albanian-Yugoslav frontier and that Albanian
officers have executed some of their soldiers because they attempted to es-
cape to Yugoslavia. The Albanian frontier guards on the Greek-Albanian fron-
tier were recently replaced.
Declassified in Part Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110007-0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110007-0
ALBANIAN MILITARY ACTIVITY INCREASED -- Istanbul, Aksam, 28 Dec 52
Munich, 27 December -- Military ground activity was reported to have
increased recently in the Rodoni area of northern Albania. The poor caliber
of the Albanian officers' uniforms and equipment was also noted.
FOOD, CLOTHING SHORTAGES IN BULGARIAN ARMY -- Izmir, Yeni Asir, 13 Jan 53
Munich, 12 January -- Serious shortages of food and clothing have been
reported in the Bulgarian Army. Recruits write letters, which they mail se-
cretly, to their homes, asking for food and articles of clothing.
BULGARIAN ARMY CALLED MOST POWERFUL IN SATELLITES -- Beirut, L'Orient,
15 Jan 53
An article by Michel Constantin, entitled, "Menace on the Dardanelles,"
claims that the Bulgarian Army is the most powerful of the armies of the
Satellite states, outclassing those of Greece and Yugoslavia and constitut-
ing a danger to Turkey. Although exact information is not available, the
article continues, there is every reason to believe that the number of armed
forces (limited to 65,000 by the Treaty of Paris) has gone far beyond 200,000,
if the Border Guard and the Labor Service are included. This figure does
not take into consideration the number of reservists, who are called for a
period of military service at least once every 3 years. The number of artil-
lery weapons is more than 1,000 and is very probably close to 1,500. The
number of antiaircraft weapons is about 2,000. Bulgarian armored units
have about 600 T-34 tanks and also certainly a number of Stalin tanks
(60 tons). Although the navy is insignificant, the air force has about
250 combat aircraft, including the YX-9. IL-12 and P-2.
"SECRET" BULGARIAN ARMY IN OPERATION -- Izmir, Anadolu, 24 Feb 53
Berne, 23 February 1953 -- The Bulgarian Army is composed of nine divi-
sions, two of which are armored. The total army strength is 230,000. In ad-
dition to the official army, there is another army in Bulgaria operating se-
cretly 5i] under the name of DOSO (Voluntary Organization for Defense Co-
operation). The leader of this latter army is General Ivan Kinov /present
chief is Lt Gen Dobri Terpeshey7. Every Bulgarian who has completed his or
her 13th year is compelled to enlist in this army and to participate in mili-
tary training once a month.
CHANGES IN BULGARIAN ARMY -- Nicosia, Istiklal, 27 Mar 53
Belgrade -- Changes have taken place in the arms distribution method in,
the Bulgarian Army. In accordance with the new regulation, Bulgarian sol-
diers will no longer keep their rifles with them in the barracks but will
turn them in after drills and will receive them from the armory prior to each
drill.
BULGARIAN COMMUNIST YOUTH GIVEN MILITARY TRAINING -- Athens, Stratiotika Nea,
1 Mar 53
Bulgarian youth have been classified into various categories according
to each individual's activity and devotion to Communism. Most of the fanatic
Communist members bear the distinctive mark "Popular Gunner" or "Anti-Air
Declassified in Part =Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110007-0_0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700110007-0
F
and Chemical Defense" and belong to the Dimitrov Union of People's Youth.
This union-has 900,000 members. Sixty percent of the members are youths
who have had special military training, which is referred to as "training
in target practice. The remaining youths in this union are given pilot,
submarine, radio, and parachute training. A total of 25 million leva has
been spent to finance this training.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/08: CIA-RDP80 00809A000700110007-0M