SOVIET NAVAL VESSELS SIGHTED IN THE GULF OF FINLAND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A004800720009-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 6, 2007
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: December 15, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/08/06: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA004800720009-4
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States within the mean-
ing of the Espionage Laws, Title 18, U.S.C. Secs. 793
and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthorized person Is prohibited
SECRET - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 15 December 1954
NO. OF PAGES 2
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)'
1. At 0030 on 8 June 1954, two Soviet destroyers, each with two smokestacks,
were sighted at N 59-45, E 24-40 proceeding at varying speeds and on differ-
ent courses. The vessels had set their position lights and a masthead light
but no signal lights.
2. About 0930 on 8 June, a group of Soviet minesweepers,consisting of four large
and two small vessels,was sighted at N 60-11) E 27-20. The larger vessels,
which appeared to be ex-German M-43-type minesweepers, had one smokestack, a
tripod mast, one gun on the foredeck, and two guns aft. The smokestack was
painted silver-gray with a black top. The smaller vessels resembled
former German coastal minesweepers except that they had a higher bridge super-
structure. The minesweepers sailed in echelon, the large vessels ahead,
All the vessels had extended their minesweeping gear. They appeared to be
sweeping the channel between Sommeri and Tueskeri.
3. About 1200 on 8 June,.a large minesweeper of the POLUKHIN Class was sighted
north of Lavansaari. The vessel was proceeding on a westerly course at high
speed, but later changed to an easterly course,
4. On 8 June, Soviet auxiliary ship was sighted proceeding on a westerly
course. The vessel had two smokestacks and two high masts and was fitted
with radar mounted on a trellis mast. An antiaircraft gun with an estimated
caliber of 40 mm, was located on either side of the forecastle. Besides life-
boats fore and aft, the ship carried two large motor barges. The space on
the high deck between the two smokestacks was taken up by a number of com-
passes. There were eight magnetic compasses on each side; between each pair
were repeater compasses. On the high 'bridge we'-,F~ five DF antennas. The
vessel appeared to be a training ship, possibly the KONSOMOLETS. Originally
the KOMSOMOLETS had three smokestacks; however, the wide gap between the two
smokestacks on the ship sighted indicated that the middle stack had been re-
moved. On 15 June, the vessel was again seen moored in the roads off Kron-
shtadt.
SECRET - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
COUNTRY USSR (Baltic)
SUBJECT Soviet Naval Vessels Sighted in the
Gulf of Finland
STATE X ARMY X NAVY AIR & FBI AEC
(Nl)Te. W