SOVIET MILITARY ACTIVITY ALONG THE IRANIAN BORDER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A005501050009-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 1, 2007
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: January 26, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/11/01: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005501050009-9
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY USSR (Azerbaydzhan SSR)
SUBJECT Soviet Military Activity along the
Iranian Border
DATE OF INFO,
PLACE ACQUIRED
This is UNEVALUATED
Information
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. Sees. 793
and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in
any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law.
REPOR~
DATE DISTR.
NO. OP PAQES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
THI IOURCI IYAIUATIONI IN THIS MIPORT AN DIPINITIVI,
TNI APPRAI1A1 OP CONTMIT II TIN rATIVI,
(Poll an off NYIRo)
1s In ai4tn 19~R, Novi@t @~@@"? and i@?
T}@~r th@ Iran @T# ?rd@re ~h@@@ min@ i@ld@b@~ftl At ~I ti and ?Xt@M : to th@ mouth Of th@ A@tao kiv@r, In @,rti@ulgr, they w@r@ found ground Anva@, 25X1
Ar udi o@hl, Tangn~, Mgfidlld@gr (N 38-20 1 48-45) and on the @lop@@ Of the
t in@ ft @i_ th@ ~~@ Of Xh
gnb &gh (11 36-25,
And 111 4:8-45)) B@har@@ g
~ : XA@:bi (N 38?26,8.
min@@ in the i Agh@h@1Ar hill@ :d@@ in the D49h@h@:1@,r-Gh&nd@,niar@ah(N@_ 8-26 pl@@@d
2. In F@brusry 1954; the I.ovi@t@ w@r@ ?hgOti? ro@k@t@ on the border @trip between
the USRR and Iran i&bouut ten kl:lom@t@r@ from A@tnro (N 38-28, E 48.52)0in the
A@erb@,ydl~h@,n 88R. Go .p@rd believed that thee ro@kete were being shot by a
newly inv@nt@d gun, but o'bn@r@ thought that the were shot b istol@. The sm
Produced by these rock@t@ hung high in the s ?k?
3. During March, there was An increase In the number of Soviet soldiers Patrolling
the Soviet-Iranf border, Also trucks loaded with straw or petroleum were seen
on the Soviet sid of the border, The Soviet soldiers at Alasha
3
Zardali, and Korpi Post were replaced and reinforced. e4,sold e s at,
the soldiers at
the outposts were reported to be only fifteen years old and unarmed.
unarmed.
4. Also in March, there were indications that the Soviets were concentratin their
5. On 18 March, six Soviet officers were seen for the first time on the Soviet boxer,
They were fishing opposite Yeddi Rvlar, and they appeared to be unacquainted wfth
the area. ~~~
6. On 18 March, Soviet Lieutenant Colonel Bernovyy (or Branovyy) plowed strip and the barbed wire at Qapchi?Mahalleh. He examined about three kilo-
meters of the border area an fbot, This officer was new in the district and had taken
over the Soviet border command at Rud-Kenar.4
VOTE, Washington dislrlbwlon -AN. ~lp~pwl Pleld dl WbuNon by
?#??,1
26 January 1955
3
RD
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25X1
During June 1954, Soviet border guards and their soldiers were singing songs
in their posts in Soviet Astara. 25X1
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8. In July 1954, it was reported that three cars with an escort car passed from
Soviet Masjed Mahalleh towards Alashe. These cars were filled with Soviet
officers, one of whom was a general. The officers inspected the Qapchi Mahalleh
Post in the Yedioollar area. They inspected the area and the watchtower, and then they
went on foot in the direction of the'border to the Baghchesara Post (N 38-28, 25X1
E 4+8-50) and than to the Qermezi Post opposite Kashbi. These office
return ch d into civilian dress.
9.
In July, the Soviets added ten civilians to their Astara Post. These ten
civilians were actually ten soldiers in civilian dress who were responsible
for political and interior activities.
10. During July, the Soviets increased practice shooting with light machine guns,
rifles, and rockets at night near the Iranian border. Groups of Soviet soldiers
came to the border at 2200, 2300, 21+00, and 0200 hours in order to practice 25X1
shooting. Iranian border guards also did some shooting in reciprocation.
12. During July, a number of Soviet officers, including a colonel, were visiting
border posts. They had photographic equipment and electrical instruments
with them. They came from Astara on the Rud-Kenar road to Qapohi Mahalleh,
and, after remaining there for two hours, they went to the Anvaz Post, which
is the nearest spot to Iranian territory.
13. According to some informants, in July, six to ten Soviet civilians from the
local natives were allegedly assigned to serve as orderlies at each Soviet
border post near the Iranian border. The jobs of the civilians consisted of
cleaning, carrying water, and obtaining supplies for the posts. These
civilians were being trained as apprentices in order to serve as guards at
these posts in the future. Other informants reported that these civilians were
used only between the hours of 1100 and 1450, when the border guards were eating
lunch. The latter informants also stated that these civilians were not officially
employed in these jobs, but that they only helped to carry fuel to the posts.
114. During the month of August,Soviet soldiers practiced shooting with bazookas (sic)
in the area'-about 700 meters north of Soviet Astara. They were shooting at a die-
15. The nightly use of red rockets by the Soviet border guards and patrols increased
substantially in August, especially in the areas of Kalaputi (N 38-1+8, E 1.8-25)
and Leji. Soviet soldiers in groups of eight fired these rockets on the Tropka
road. According to source, the reason for this activity was that new soldiers,
who at that time had recently arrived at the new Soviet border post at Kale ut 5
were bolus trained at night.
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16. It was reported that in August fifteen soldiers of Soviet Zardali were
practicing creeping under the direction of an officer and two sergeants.
'Dao other officers were observing the activity and followed the soldiers on
horses. The soldiers crawled for a distance of 500 to 1000 meters. Each
had a skin-like apron tied in front of him. This practice was finished at
1900 hours on 6 August 1954.
1. Source is probably referring to Armudi (N 38-25, E 48-41).
2. This is possibly identical with Tango (N 38-25, E 48-40).
3. This is possibly identical with Alashi (Alachai) (N 38-27, E 48-48).
4. This is probably Rudkinar (N 38.29, E 48-51)
Approved For Release 2007/11/01: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA005501050009-9