OBSERVATIONS OF RAILROAD AND SECURITY ACTIVITY AT THE STALIN CANAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80S01540R005800020004-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 5, 2012
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: July 16, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/05: CIA-RDP80SO154OR005800020004-8
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
.INFORMATION REPORT
WRZT/00 ONLY
COUNTRY USSR (Karelo.Finnish $ R) RIPORT
suiJecv Observations of Railroad and Security DATI DION. 16 July 19 4
Activity at the St.6.in Canal
PI.ACI ACQUIRID
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Tit. 18, Sections 7R3 and 704, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its tran.miolon or revelation of Its contents
to or receipt by an uniuthorbeld person Is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form II nrobibit.d.
50X1-HUM
NO, OF PADI$ 2
RIQUIRIMINT NO. RD
50X1-HUM
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE SEPINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OP CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1. There is an old road about ten kilometers west of the Stalin Canal at approx-
imately N 614-21, E 34-05. It does not appear to have been in use, because
the surface is completely overgrown with grass.
2. On the shore of the Stalin Canal at approximately N 614-24, E'34-29 no traffic
was observed during the evening of the first day of obser`.vation. Visibility
was limited because a heavy fog w Ts lying over' the canal. No sounds were
heard from the canal. There were only deciduous trees at the shore of the
canal, all coniferous trees having recently been out down in a zone one to two
kilometers in from the canal. The vegetation consisted mostly of dwarf birch
and dry grass.
3. During the evening of the second day, a barbed wire fence was observed, and to the
north a campfire was seen. (See sketch of the area on the following page.)
During the night of the second day, a searchlight was seen a short distance
behind a barrack in this area. The beam of the searchlight was first directed
upon the middle of the canal; later it swung inward toward the shore of the
canal and then turned straight up in the air. The searchlight was on for
approximately one minute about every hour: Also during the night dogs in the.
area were very active. Ih the early morning hours of the third day machine
noises could be heard coming from a point approximately 500 meters south of
the campfire. The noises probably originated from a digging machine or a?
crane; and at short intervals noises which sounded like the sound of a drill-
ing rig could be heard. At a distance of approximately 300 meters from the
canal, no sounds of ships could be heard. At 2000 hours all noises of working
machinery ceased. Source is of the opinion that there was no ship traffic
on the canal because a lock or something similar was under repair. On the
fourth night the campfire was seen at the same place as the previous night.
During the fourth night and the early morning hours of the fifth day, the
wearrcblight was used in the same manner as the previous night, and the bark-
ing of dogs was heard from the barrack. At 0500 hours machine noises were heard.
SECRET/CONTROL - US OFFICIJLS ONLY
STATE ARMY NAVY X AIR I x FBI AEC
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/05: CIA-RDP80SO154OR005800020004-8
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/05: CIA-RDP80SO154OR005800020004-8
SECRET/CONTROL - US OFFICIALS ONLY
During the night of the fifth day, the campt5rewas in the same place as before
and the searchlight was also used occasionally. The canal at this point was
heavily guarded. Source feels that prisoners may be used as a working force
or that the canal area is a denied area.
The railroad tracks which rw in a general north'..south direction near the.
Stalin Canalware single-tracked and not electrified in the general vicinity
of N 64-25, E 34-27. There is course sand between the rails. Rotten railroad
ties were marked by pegs stuck down into the ground alongside the rail. New
ties Here seen beside the railroad line, but at the point of observation the
new ties had not replaced the old ties. The new ties were probably tarred.
Along the railroad ran a 12-strand telephone line on poles. The poles had
about six cross arms.
5. On tha second day at 05115 hours; a train went southward on the tracks which
are near the Stalin Canal. At 0600 hours machine noises were heard at the
above-mentioned point on the railroad; they came from the southeast. At 1815
hours a train went northward on these tracks. At 1530 hours working noises
were heard from the east and at 2000 hours they ceased. During the fourth day
trains were heard to pass northward and southward at the following times$
Northbound trains Southbound trains
0230 hours
0515 hours
0945 hours
1350 hours
1725 hours
2240 hours
Sketch of Area
0005 hours
0100 hours
03115 hours
0730' hours
1115 hours
2350 hours
1. Railroad track.
2. Barbed wire fence.
3. River.
la.. Camp fire.
5. Barrack.
6. Searchlight.
7. Canal.
S1GRET/CONTROL - US OFFICIALS ONLY
Scale: 1x100,000
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/05: CIA-RDP80SO154OR005800020004-8