PORT OF BATUMI

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A006900590001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 10, 2008
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 10, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/10/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006900590001-4
uuuz)JIri i fVN 5-y-C-IZ-.ti-T
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
FORMATI
COUNTRY USSR (Black Sea)
SUBJECT Port of Hatutni
REPORT CD NO.
DATE DISTR. 10 June 1955
NO. OF PAGES 3
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE of
INFO.
~t't~ 4~y~3'll"~.' +~1.3~~ ~ ''"~- ~~?~, r ~' '4;F1~+3.'~r . iLal-~
THIS DOCDRCW? CONTAINS MFONDATIOH A/-*CTINO TNB NATIONAL BEF911SL
OF TUB OAITBD MAT" WITHIN THE NrbANINO 01 TITLE 10. SECTIONS 708
AWD T 4.OF TWN 0. B. OOD~. A9 ANINDBD. /71 TBANSNISSION OB NBVBI.
NO. OF ENCLS.
U.l$TEO BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATIOI4
CLASSIFICATION S. E-C-R-.i.?T
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AL UATIO1
CLASSIFICATION '' CxL
_.-REPORT
Observations in Batum Harbor (31ack Seal
,ATE OF CONTENT
ATE OBTAINED._._
' _FERENCES.__..___.
2
LACE OBTAINED-
L."_DATE PREPARED___ _ _2.5 -A-orii 1955
,GES. .--ENCLOSURES (NO. & " v~' )_ .~.._.
At 1700 local time on 4 February 1955 ~ a $h .,) coping from Tua pse ,gut 25X1
into Batum harbor and left this port at 2200 on 5 February 1955. She
bunkered oil at the west end of the inner side of the oil jetty, Two Soviet.
tankers, each of about 61000 dwt, were moored alongside the town wharf
of the harbor. One of them was named Tula and the two ships were
apparently less than one year old. The tanker Tula which had been lying
at the west end of the town wharf, left port o: about 2:00 on 4 Fobrua y
1955, apparently after bunkerirg? The cargo supetvit.os.? stated that ships
which only put in for bunkering had to refuel at that whex The
second tanker put to sea in the course of the night.. he number of
pipelines running along the jetty could not be idani:if i.ed as they 'sere
hidden under a cement cover? The cement cover seemed to be of recent
construction, judging from the freshness of its color,, Clear. ink;=rout
formalities were performed without difficult.es~
Two soldiers wearing flat caps with a green band around and armed
with pistols, were posted at the ship"
On the late afternoon of. 4 February 1955
30
,' U `?iBUTION
police in blue uniform were seem Ithe
custom house was guarded by two unarmed sentriies
who could not be identified as they were standing inside the entrance 25X1
gate and it was getting dark From the position of the Custom house,
only earth walls were visible in the direction of the forti ficatio..i
area, and it seeped as though this district was no i.onger considered
a fortification. No sentries were observed
sfu'veral
streets on which considerable pedestrians traffic, 'Mu
ratio of civilians a :,,d soldiers was about 20 to The sold or?s
generally walked abont in groups of two, three' of four. Only a f eA scid.erc;
were accompanied by women, in which case the couples
arm in arm. All soldiers seen in the :street, v:crc black 'Wordcx?ed
red epaulets. Only in one of the restaurants was a c of i_er with
red bordered ',lack epaulets and a goad badge c;,sorvcd., !_ s_s so-16A.ero
also wore a gold chevl-on on the sleeve of his ; nifu rrc;ich, compa.rod
with the other uniforms, had a '- ,- T,`-^- -le- of Ly bluish huoo<
CLASSIFICATION Sr;Clt: T
Approved For Release 2008/10/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006900590001-4
 Approved For Release 2008/10/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006900590001-4
His cad was appe,r?erit]. ,r : cver ad and ' k aging on a hook? The interior;,
of the rest aurnntu th : observer visited were very poor with scrubbed
tables and Moors, on which ashen and cigarette stamps were l.yil ,
abou u The cus tower ' of the .res urants were in a reserved mood,
aa bottle of vodka standing in front of
although each of them had ;~
him:. Despite all efforts made to get in contact with the Soviets,.
no conversation was possible,
One of the restaurants was located opposite a tall building, which
wai3 guarded by sentries 'haring fur caps,,
`,`More=leave was granted only until Wright in
contrast to previous o':.'; as!cnso. On the other hs'i'.d, so'mc crewmei her; ,
who woo half an %;our la , and apologised on ground of the sn.owstaims,
had no trouble.
No Soviet war vessels went sighted at sea or observed in harbor:
heard the Oxoning of airplanes in a northerly direction, apparently
from over the sea:, No u.0ailo could be made out becaaue of poor
visibility- The population of Datum also was fan more stand.-oftis}-;
then before.,
Approved For Release 2008/10/10: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA006900590001-4