PORT OF VENTSPILS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A007000260003-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2008
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: June 8, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/08/29: CIA-RDP80-0081 OA007000260003-6
CENTRAL -INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Rapionage 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 by law.
F11-t YY m
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
4.
USS (Lfttlrian SSR)
Port of Ventspils
REPORT
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
8 June 1955
This is UNEVALUATED
SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFT Information
NT IS TENTATIVE.
ship arrived at Ventspils
There was no sign of Soviet naval activity in the Baltic while en
route to the port. When the ship arrived at Ventspils, it had to
anchor about two kllfyn&tAI~9~ the harbor entrance and lay there
During the time the ship was at anchor,
were was no naval activity in the arrea, and the ship was not approached
by any control vessel. Contact with shore authorities was maintained by
visual signal light. At 1000 hours,ithe pilot came aboard and took the
ship into port. The ship was berthsd at the southern end of the import
quay th load coal.
Soviet naval vessels
inside the males at the entrance to the h
b
ar
or.
The vessels moved out of the harbor in line formation t a epee; of 16
knots. At 223C hoars'tJhe same day these seven vessels
moored at the town quay, near the winter harbor.
3. Each vessel was painted gray and was about 25 meters long. Each
had a break in the deckline at the after edge of the bridge, a single
raked stack aft of the bridge, a small mast on the bridge, a search-
'light on a short pole on the front of the bridge, and twin davits on
the stern. The armament on each vessel consisted of one light gun
with a shield on the foredeck, and one light antiaircraft gun on the
bridge. A long cylindrical object lay on deck near the stern. Level
with the stack there w or five objects, each about two meters
lori.g; they resembled oxygen cylinders. Each
vessel displayed a naval ensign at the masthead.
tween the fishing harbor
Each boat had a flush deck, a squat, stack loc ted directly aft of and
almost touching the bridge, a short simple mast at the rear of the
bridge, a searchlight on the bridge, one light gun with a shield on the
foredeck, and two 'similar guns aft of the stack. Each boat w e n i n+pd
graty, and displayed fi a2
about twenty patrol boats moored t be-
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sloped steeply aft. The submarine had a sharp bow, and free flood holes
at the water level. It did not have a jumping stay, periscope, snorkel,
or armament. There was a small mushroom-shaped projection on top of the
conning tower; the object was about 35 centimeters high and 50 centimeters
5. An old steamer of about 800 tons was moored in the same area as the patrol
boats. The ship was painted black, and several women in overalls
observed among the crew on deck. The vessel had
a tall bridge and superstructure amidships, two tall masts, the first of
which carried four lights, and a large steam winch on the stern.
6. marines were moored near the steamer. Submarine
I was a modern type, a ou 40 meters long. It had a streamlined
conning tower about two and a half meters high and eight meters long.
The conning tower was almost vertical forward; it then had a step-down and
in diameter. The submarine was painted rav; it did not display a flag
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7. Submarin~ Ian older type, about 35 meters long. It had a sharp 25X1
bow, and its conning tower was abut two and a half to three meters high and
eight meters long. There was a step-down located at one third of the
tower's length. The submarine was fitted with a jumping stay and a net
cutter. No deck armament, flag, or crew were observed.
8. Two anti-submarine vessels or minelayers were also observed. 25X1
Each vessel was about 45 meters long and had a, break in the deckline between
the bridge and the stack. A large raked stack was located amidships and
there was a single mast at the rear of the bridge. Each ship's armament
consisted of two gun turrets with one gun each on the foredeck, an antiair-
craft gun of two centimeters on the bridge, two similar antiaircraft guns on
high mountings aft of the torpedo tubes, which were located aft of the stack,
and a bomb or mine chute on the stern. Each ship also had a searchlight
on the front of the bridge and a half-cheese radar at the top of the mast.
Both vessels were painted gray and displayed the Soviet naval ensign.
Sailors were observed on deck on both the vessels.
9. Two other anti-submarine vessels or minelayers) were also
observed. Each ship was about 45 meters long and had a break in the deckline
at the after edge of the bridge, and probably another break in the deckline near
the stern. Each ship had a large raked stack amidships, a single mast at the
rear of the bridge, a searchlight on the bridge, and a half-cheese radar
at the masthead. The ship's armament consisted of two gun turrets, each with
a single gun, on the foredeck, and a bomb or mine chute on the stern. Both
vessels were painted gray and displayed the Soviet naval ensign. Sailors
were observed 011--both thp vessels.
these vessels
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had an extension of the superstructure aft of the stack and that
this extension was fitted with portholes.
10. In the same general area
were destroyers.
Each ship was about 50 meters long and
had a break in the deckline between the bridge and the forward stack. Each
s.ip had two low raked stacks, a single mast at the rear of the bridge, a
half-cheese radar on the masthead, and a spherical object believed to be
a searchlight located on the bridge. Both ships were painted gray, and
no flags were observed on the vessels. Each ship's armament consisted of
two gun turrets, each with a single gun on the foredeck, and a bomb or mine
chute on the stern. No other equipment was noted.
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11. An old destroyer was also observed. This ship was about 50
meters long, and had a break in the deekline forward of the bridge. The
ship had a straight bow, two tall slightly-raked stacks, and two masts,
one at the rear of the bridge and a smaller one aft of the second stack.
The ship's armament consisted of a single gun turret with one gun on the
foredeck, an antiaircraft gun on a mounting between the second stack and
the mast, an antiaircraft gun on a near the stern, and probably
a bomb or mine chute on the sterna the ship had a
half-cheese radar on the foremast. The ship was painted gray and displayed
the naval ensign. Soviet sailors were observed on deck.
U. Near the old destroyer MTB was about
20 meters long and had a "scooped-out portion" at the w. The boat had no
stack; it had a small mast at the rear of the deckhouse, and two torpedo
tubes, one on each side of the deckhouse. The boat was painted gray and
no flag was observed.
13. On a slipway near the castle, there lay a motor boat with its bow toward
the water. The boat was about 15.meters long.
The boat had a flush deck, and a small deckhouse near the bow; it did not
have a stack, a mast, armament, or a flag.
14. An old auxiliary vessel of about 2,500 to 3,000 BRT lay at a bunkering
point on the west bank of the river. No details could be obtained because
of distance, fog, and the angle of observation.
15. The northern mole at the harbor entrance was in need of repair. At a point on
the mole about 150 meters from the shore, there was a breach in the wall
about 10 meters wide.
16. Several small coastal and fishing craft lay near the fishing harbor on
the south bank of the river. A Soviet freighter of about 1,200 tons
entered the port on the morning of 25 March and moored at the export quay.
17. There were four diesel-powered cranes on the import quay; each crane had
a lifting capacity of 10 tons. Stacks of lumber were also observed on the
quay,
18, ship was berthed at 1120 hours and three security officers
hi
'
s
p
and a woman came on board to examine the seamen's books and the s
papers. They were followed by the ship's agent and another woman. The
pilot then left the vessel. At 1230 hours the ship was declared free to
load; there was no inspection of quarters or engine room and no one was
searched. There were no inquiries for cameras or other forbidden articles.
A sentry was posted at the gangway; the same sentry was on duty for about
10 hours without relief. The ship began to load coal at 1300 hours and had
taken 1,200 tons on board by soon after 2000 hours. None of the crew went
s
h
hi
n wa
e s
ashore because the ship lay well away from the ferry and t
w
s
bili
a
ty
in port there was no sound of any air activity. Visi
restricted because of fog.
19. There was no sign of Soviet naval activity on the voyage from Ventspils
to Kotka.
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