1. BLACK SEA NAVAL VESSEL SIGHTINGS 2. OBSERVATIONS IN ZHDANOV AND KERCH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A053500090001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 5, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 21, 1960
• Content Type: REPORT

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INFORMATION REPORT INFORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage laws, Title
18. U.B.O. Secs. 793 and 794. the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
COUNTRY USSR (Ukrainian SSR) REPORT
SUBJECT 1. Black Sea Naval Vessel Sightings DATE DISTR.
2. 0bservati=ns in Zhdanov and Kerch
NO. PAGES
'i m' 1960
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
50X1-HUM
reports on naval vessel sightings and observations in
Att. No. Subject
sighting of a formation
of two cruisers flanked by six smaller warships not further %-I,{
identified; sighting of three possible escort vessels not
further identified; sightings of minor naval surface craft; 50X1-HUM
jet aircraft at an airfield in the Kerch area; port controls
at Zhdanov; sighting of a cruiser and destroyer not further
identified; and siahting of a -possible escort vessel with
s
t
k
appara
u
dec
naval vessel sightings off
the Crimean coal nc u ng o light cruisers not furthe
identified,, and two submarines,
port controls at Zhdanov; and foreign and Soviet merchant
vessel sightings in the harbor at Zhdanov.
STATE ARMY
X INAVY{ AIR
x NSA
(Note,: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Field distribution by
x FBI
NIC
I N FORMATION REPORT I N FORMATION REPORT
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?50X1-HUM
r.
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PORT OF ZHDANOV
Observations on the way
two light cruisers and two submarines flying the Soviet 50X1-HUM
f1FQ in the area between SEVASTOPOL' and Cape AYTODOR
50X1-HUM
were carrying out combined cises without the use of artillery. 50X1-HUM
one of the cruisers saw re er from a distance, left the formation,
proceeded toward freighter, and asked for freighter's name, home port, and
destination. After the information had been given, the cruiser turned
about and rejoined the other three ships.
A constant play of powerful searchlights was observed along the! coast
in the vicinity of KERCH' during the night.
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Two Russian freighters in ballast and a patrol vessel arrived in port
The freighters loaded general cargo and a number of motor vehicles on the 50X1 -HU M
decks. The two freighters were of 1,500 to 2,000 tons, from 60 to 70 meters
long, with engine at the stern, and each had two hatches and four booms.
Both were equipped with radar.
The Yugoslav motorship Ljubljana and another Yugoslav motorship of
about 3,000-4,000 tons took on powdered Russian anthracite coal.
During freighter's stay in port, she took on a supply of 100 tons of
fuel oil from a reinforced concrete barge moored at the curve of the sea-
wall. The barge was equipped with its own hoses and adapters for this
operation, which lasted about 2 hours.
the captain of the barge could be easily bribed; 50X1-HUM
for small gifts he supplied more fuel oil than was officially requested.
4 - 50X1-HUM
SECRET
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Naval vessels met on way
and proceeding north.
A naval squadron of eight vessels, located very near 44? 05'N; 330 OO E,
Judging from the distance between the navigation lights on the individual
vessels, they were probably two cruisers escorted by six smaller vessels. If
the freighter had kept on its course, it might have passed through the middle
of the squadron, but it had to turn to the right, following instructions to
pass astern transmitted by one of the leading vessels by luminous signals in
international code. The formation of the naval vessels was as follows:
Three naval vessels, presumably corvettes, were on maneuvers at a poin.
about 6 miles southeast of Cape MEGANOM
The ships made sudden turns from one side to the other and
changed places in line from time to time. The observation was made from a
distance of 4-5 miles, so that no details were noted.
At the same time, a floating crane being towed eastward was observed at
44? 32' 5"N; 359 15' E.
Two tugs moored to two cylindrical buoys were observed at 44? 48'N;
35 0 38'E
the same occasion,) la submarine approaching from the
east on a course of 2580. A little before coming abreast of the freighter,
the vessel started to submerge and disappeared beneath the water in about 3
minutes. The submarine was at least 3 miles away, so that, also on this occa-
sion, no details could be observed.
Two warships, presumably destroyers, were observed maneuvering at 440
50'N; 350 48'E
One of the ships had a captive
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balloon at medium height. It was pulled in and when it was a few meters
50X1-HUM
above the deck the two ships moved off toward the northwest.
A minesweeper at rest at 400 44'N; 360 00 E was observed
a. stack: one, slightly removed from the navigating bridge and
raked toward the stern;
b. mast: one pole mast at the after section of the navigating
bridge. A radar antenna was observed;
d. outline: raked bow but straight [up and down]; a step foreward
of the bridge; transom stern;
e. armament: a shielded gun at the bow, and a machine gun on the
deckhouse between the funnel and a large roller set up at the stern;
f. characteristics: two lateral tubes parallel to the stem and
estimated to be at least 10-11 centimeters in diameter; a large cylinder
with windlass at the stern, a characteristic of magnetic minesweepers.
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in the YENIKALE area of Kerch Canal, about 15 jet
planes were observed on a field, including one large four-jet plane
The floating dock moored in the industrial zone of the port was occupied
by a ship of about 2,500 tons under repair.
there were no longer
any restrictions on photographing the port areas, and that foreigners going
ashore could now take along their cameras.
Soviet passenger steamer 50X1-HUM
the/ 0nega was equipped with all of the most modern
navigational instruments, including two radar sets. The rudder was electri-
cally operated to move to the left, the center, and the right respectively,
by means of three buttons.
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50X1-HUM
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Observations on the way
here was a Duca d'Aosta ["Stalingrad"] class cruiser cruising 50X1-HUM
back and forth in the area between Cape Aytodor and MELANGAVI [unidentified]
on the Crimean Penin ula. In the offing, there was a destroyer type vessel
with targets in tow;
Outside of the Strait of Kerch, opposite BUAZIL [unidentified],
an MAS-type naval vessel, or a small destroyer, without a flag and
apparently without personnel on board, moored at the bow and at the stern
to two buoys. On the deck, four pyramids with square bases
arranged horizontally and pointing in the four directions [of the compass];
a horizontal steel network
Abreas
in flight.
1 pedestals.
out exercises with the above-mentioned cruiser.
In the Strait of Kerch~
planes f
supported
a number of Soviet jet planes
they were carrying
an airfield with numerous jet
the signal buoys on the shoals opposite the southern
entrance to the Strait were often moved.
The Port
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No military vessels were observed in the port.
little traffic in the port, a few Soviet and no foreign s
hips.
there were floating docks at Number 2 on the map, and
the shipyards were probably also located there.
one grain elevator at Number 3 on the map.
There were water mains along all the piers.
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