OBSERVATION OF SHIPYARDS IN LENINGRAD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006000150007-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 23, 2008
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: April 29, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

i. .1 _
Approved For Release 2008/05/23: CIA-RDP80-00810A006000150007-5
CENTRAL INTEL~L,IGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
29 April .1955
1. On 19 August 1954. the Zhdanov Shipyard in Leningrad was observed. It
seemed to. be completely uncared-for and no work was done there. A ship's
hull with superstructures coated with old minium paint was moored in front
of the entrance to the shipyard basin. A large hole, apparently a mine
hit, was in the starboard bow of the hull just above the waterline. The
wreck in front of the entrance to the shipyard basin was moored in such
a position that only a launch or a rowboat could enter the basin passing
forward or aft of this wreck. An apparently new naval vessel with two
smokestacks, probably a modern destroyer, was berthed in the shipyard ba-
sin proper. No glare typical of welding torches was seen during the night.
On 15 September 1954, it was learned that the wreck in front of the ship-
yard basin no longer blocked the entrance, but on this occasion half of
the wreck was tied up alongside the pier and gave the impression that this
KRONSHTAI7P?Class submarine chasers, apparently recently completed
were
,
moored at the Zhdanov Shipyard. They had a new coat of paint and new tar-
paulins covering the guns, but no depth charges or depth charge launchers
were seen on the fantail. Two destroyers of a new type, characterized by a
continuous deck, two smokestacks, and a conspicuous control tower atop the
bridge, were in the shipyard basin of the Zhdanov Shipyard. They also had two
lattice masts each. The lattice mast of one of the two destroyers was be-
ing fitted with wooden casings during the period of observation. A naval
tanker painted in gray color also was moored in the shipyard basin but could
not be described in detail because she was partial7,y blocked from view by
the wreck moored in front of the entrance to the harbor basin. On .Sep-
tember 1954, the building slips in the Zhdanov Shipyardr~.ere empty and seemed
to be completely neglected. .Although no activity was observed in the Zhda-
nov Yard, on 19 August 1954, it was stated that from 15 to 18 September round-
the-clock work was peirformed in the yard. The clang of hammering of rivet-
ing operations was sometimes heard and the glare of cutting torches was ob-
served during the night. The wreak in front of the yard basin of the Zhdanov
Shipyard was again moved in front of the yard so as to cover almost the entire
S-E-C-R-E-T
STATE g ARMY ~X NAVY
~X
AIR ~X FBI
Vote: Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field Distribution By "#".)
OSSR (Baltic)
S- E-C-R-E-T
This Document contains information sQecting the iQal
tional Defenso of the United 8tstea, wlthla themean
ing of Title 18, Sections ?93 and 784, of the U.B. Code, s prohlblLW~.
REPORT
Observation of Shipyards in Leningrad DATE DISTR.
f
AEC
25X1 '',~
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S-E-C-R-E-T
3.
4.
entrance to the basin. A destroyer of the type observed on 15 September,
but fitted with two tripod masts in lieu of lattice masts, was berthed in
the basin of the Zhdanov Shipyard and was undergoing welding operations at
night. Seven KRO2dSHTADT-Class submarine chasers, on which day-and-night
work was going on, were moored west of the building slip~which~ as was also
observed from 10 to 15 October, was neglected and not in ,use. No work on
new ships or preliminary work or any other kind of work was observed on the
slip. Several small workshops were seen in the shipyard area, but no c'etails
could be given on their number or accurate position. No night work was ob-
served going on in these workshops. Only the large building extending par~.l-
lel to the shipyard basin was being used during the night, since its windows
were illuminated and the glare of welding torches in the building could be
observed. The size of the building was estimated at 240 meters in length,
about 100 meters in width and ' from 12 to 15 meters in height. The roof
was flat and slightly tapered. Most parts of the building were glazed.
Scaffolds in the illuminated building were seen in the glare of the lamps.
The building was fitted with large doors at the water front which, however,
were not open.
On 16 September, a large cruiser was seen lying at the Sudomekh Shipyard on
the Great Neva River. She was a SVERDLOV-Class cruiserl, and about two-
thircls of her length was visible above the board fence surrounding the ship-
yard. The cruiser had a new coat of paint,
_ On 15 September 1954, those parts of the workshops which projected
over the board fence were illuminated during the day, and the cruiser was
still berthed at the shipyard. On 11 October 1954, the cruiser was seen in
a graving dock, but apparently was not lying on an even keel. She rather
slanted toward the stern. Her hull,deek structures, armament and masts, as
far as the mastheads, were all painted over ~,rith minium. No other vessels
were observed in the Sudomekh Shipyard. On 11 October, a Monday, no work
was done in the shipyard.
On 15 September 1954, the Marti Shipyard appeared to be working at full
capacity. Smoke belched from smokestacks in the shipyard area and the work-
ships were brightly illuminated although it was broad daylight. No ships
were seen. On 11 October 1954, two or three ships were under construction
at the shipyard, but their identity could not be made out.
A destroyer of a new type with a flush, continuous deck and a conspicuous
round control tower was in the Zhdanov Shipyard from 11 to 17 October 1954.
The destroyer was partially covered by the wreck lying in front of the en-
trance to the shipyard basin. The wreck had a large hole in her bow which
was covered with some boards. Six to eight KRONSHTADT-Class submarine
chasers were berthed near the building slip. Work on these vessels was
continued round the clock. The building 'slip of the Zhdanov Shipyard was
empty and seemed to be rather uncared for. A large workshop was located
at the rear of the building slip. It was illuminated during the night and
work was done round the clock.
Comment. It is not believed that the vessel observed in the
u omech Shipyard was a SVERDLOV Cruiser, since the building slip is only
120 meters long. Dntil now only submarines and small naval vessels were
built by the Sudomekh Shipyard. The vessel observed was possibly a destroy-
er.
Approved For Release 2008/05/23: CIA-RDP80-00810A006000150007-5