INFANTRY IN CIPRAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-01036R000100090058-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 27, 2000
• Sequence Number: 58
• Publication Date: January 11, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2001/03/04: CIA-RDP81-01036R000100090058-9
U.S. Officials Only
SECRET
COUNTRY Bulgaria
SUBJECT Infantry in Cipran
PLACE ACQUIRED
(BY SOURCE)
DATE ACQUIRED
(BY SOURCE)
DATE (OF INFO.) Oct 1953
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSF
OF THE UNITED STATES. WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITLE 18. SECTIONS 793
AND 794. OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVE.
CATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
OHIBITED BY LAW. THE BCP tin niirrinu nr 1? eeene1 ... s..........-
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REPORT NO.
rj&
DATE DISTR. // J'Ia/J 3'/-
NO. OF PAGES 2,
NO. OF ENCLS.
SUPP. TO
REPORT NO.
1. The village'of Cipran is 45 Sari east-northeast of Plovdiv, on the Plovdiv-Stara
Zagora road. Awnew barracks has been built at the southern edge of the village.
The barracks consists of a'two-story command building, 22 by 75 m; a one-story
hospital, 20 by 40 m; a two-story quarters and assembly hall, 20 by 70 m; a
three-story quarter's, 25 by 95 m; a. one-story magazine, 20 by 40 m; a one-story
stable, 20 by 40 m. The complex has a capacity of 750 to 800 men,
It Is occupied by a rifle battalion The unit is subordinate
t' o, the regimental command in Stara.Zagora. The men have bright red shoulder
boards,,
The commander is Capt. DInkoff, 35 years old* There is a staff company, about 55
men, with pistols and Soviet rifles; acommunications platoon, 35 men, a mortar
platoon, 30 to 34 men, with two 82 mm mortars, four machine-pistols, 27 Or 28
rifles; an AT platoon, 34 to 36 men, with two 57 mm AT guns, five machine-pistols,
26 rifles; 1$t Rifle Company, 85 to 90 men, five pistols, 16 machine-piatois,
45 rifles, nine Degtyarev light machine guns; 2nd Rifle Company, commanded by
Lt, Georgieff, 80 to'85 men, armed as the previous; 3rd Rifle Company, 80 to 82
men, armed as the lot Company; a heavy machine gun company, 86 to 90 men, with
12 Maxim heavy machine.guns, 12 machine-pistols, 48 rifles, five pistols,
4. In Oct 1952 the battalion received 180 to 200 recruits, mostly from northern
Bulgaria.
5? Recruit training began at once and continued until l Apr 53. After the first
three months recruits were assigned to specialist formations, such as heavy
machine guns and AT, Training was extremely hard. Under new orders recruits were
U.S. Officials Only
SECRET
DISTRIBUTION ,? STATE ARMY
NAVY .1 LAIR
Approved For Release 2001/03/04: CIA-RDP81-01036R000100090058-9
 Approved For Release 2001/03/04: CIA-RDP81-01036R000100090058-9
SECRET
required to exercise even in the heaviest weather. The training officers were
never satisfied with the results of target practice.. At each target shoot, which
took place twice a week, 25 bullets were allotted to each man. During each
month thei was a night alarm. The regimental commander inspected the
unit monthly. Political training. took place for an hour three times weekly.
Morale is.poor.
I L AT,,,Y SUBJECT & AREA CODES
SEC1 ET
~Ae f
Approved For Release 2001/03/04: CIA-RDP81-01036R000100090058-9