BULGARIAN BORDER GUARD ORGANIZATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A001200630004-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 30, 2009
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 25, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2009/03/30: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA001200630004-5
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET/CONTROL -- U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
SECURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY Bulgaria
SUBJECT Bulgarian Border Guard Organization
PLACE ACQUIRED
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1. The Bulgarian Border Guards, organized late in 19:7, are composed as follows:
a. Commander Yonko Panov? until 1 1 General Bulgaranov was in command
from 1951 to April 19 ,
uo.Lonei ev vinc ev., former Macedonian terrorist, and federalist, was in
command of the Border Guards;
b.. A Supreme Command, in Sofia, Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander., Colonel
Zakhario Botev, chief of staff of an infantry division during World War II;
c.- A training office., commanded by Colonel Peshev;
d. A political section, commanded by Colonel Markov;
e. An intelligence section, commanded by Colonel Melnov;
f A servic ed section, commanded,by Lieutenant, Colofiel Pozarov,
!. An administration section, headed by Dr. Panov, a well-known Communist leader;
h. A personnel section; and
i. A. transportation section.
2. The following officers are employed in the Services Sections
a. Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Stoyshkev, chief of the medical section; and
b. Lieutenant Colonel Shishkov, a veterinarian, native of Plovdiv., chief of the
veterinary section, '71.al
?;flr;
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
emended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 25 May 1953
NO. OF PAGES 3
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
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(Note, WD.hinaten DIRtribuflen Indiratsd By "X". Fteld DIOrlb,atlen By
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The Bulgarian Border Guard Brigades' are each commanded by a colonel and are
1teapc risible e frontier regs h f"o11 tO
a. The one brigade, responsible for the Yugoslav frontier;
The two brigade, responsible for the Greek frontier; and
t rt.i
c. The three brigade, responsible for the Turkish frontier.
4. Each Border Guard brigade is composed of a number of battalions which varies but
is usually close to 15. Each battalion includes the following:
a. A. commander;
b. A command; and
c. Four companies, three composed of trained Border Guards and one of recruits.
Each Border Guard company is generally subdivided into eight units or guard
posts, each composed of about 30 men, commanded by a lieutenant. Each unit is in
turn subdivided into three squads, each commanded by a noncommissioned officer.
6. In-19529 a Border Guards training unit was created in Z1atograd, where a small
number of recruits are trained.
The men scheduled to be assigned to Border Guard units are trained in infantry
regiments for the first two months and are then sent to the instruction company
of the Border Guard battalion to complete their training.
?3. Officers assigned to Border Guards units are drawn from the Infantry and must
be in the Regular Army and have attended the 'Vasil Levskit' Military Academy, or
be reserve officers who have frequented the "Khristo Botev" school in Sofia.
Specialized courses are given by the "Instruction Company" of the various Border
Guard battalions, as follows:
a. Machine gunners;
b. Mortar gunners;
c. Drivers;
d. Radio-telegraph operators; and
e. Telephone operators.
10. Border Guard troops serve for the following periods:
a. Volunteers: three years; and
b. Draftees: two years.
Actually, those drafted into the Border Guards always serve several additional
months, up to as much as 30 months.
11. The armament of Border Guards units consists of the following:
a. 7.22 mm. pistols;
b. Submachine guns;
c. Rifles; and
d. 9 mm. machine guns.
,A(f'ew months ago. mortars of an unknown caliber were also distributed to Border
Guard units.
12. At present, the Bulgarian Border Guards are subordinate to two Ministries' as
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.. yam./
The ministry of Defense, for training and general work; and
25X1
b. The Ministry of Interior,, for security work and special assignments.
This dual subordination has brought about jealousies and disputes, but the Soviets
probably decided on this so that officials of the Ministry of Interior would
check on the officers subordinate to the Ministry of Defense, and vice-versa.
All this in spite of the fact that each battalion has a po1itical:, eomm asar ? and.
there are cells in the smaller units.. Another unidentified Bulgarian stated that
the control is necessitated by the definite appeal held by frontier duty, namely
contraband, or escape. Precautions are never too numerous.
13. In 1948, there were 20,000 Border Guards in Bulgaria, and in 1952 there were
allegedly between 50,000 and 60,000.
ll. ?It has not been possible to get definite information as to what Ministry finances
the Border Guards. the Border Guards
carried on the Budge c, the Primes Interior
15. A Border Guard battalion command is allegedly located in Sveti Vrach; it may be
'known as a sector. several months ago 25X1
small units of i In an ry negiment were stationed near that Border Guard battalion,
or sector.
16. Infantty soldiers belonging to an unidentified infantry regiment were also
observed in Petrich, where a Border Guards company is stationed. Trudovaks were
observed in Nevrokop, Smolyan (N 41-34, E 24-42), and Svilengrad, doing excavation
work of an unknown type. Also observed in this area were several officers from
pioneer units and elements of the Militia.
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Approved For Release 2009/03/30: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA001200630004-5