TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSLOADING OF URANIUM ORE AT BREST-LITOVAK

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000100160005-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 4, 2013
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: February 8, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

1.5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/04 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100160005-7
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 50X1
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT TranspOrtation And Transloading
Brest-Litovsk
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQU I RED
50X1
DATE OF INFORMATION
THIS 0000NENT CONTAINS INFORNATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OP THE UNITED CCCCCCC WITHIN THE WEANING OF TITLE IS, SECTIONS 751
AND 794, OF THE U.S. 'CODE, AM AMENDED. ITS TT A TTT ISSION ON 51101.
LOTION OF ITS CD TTTTTT TO OR RECEIPT MY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
P005ISITHO MY LAW. THE RePipopersom OF THIS FORM IS ARCH TTTTT D.
of Uranium'
Ore at
DATE DISTR. g FE
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO. ,
52
50X1
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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. 50X1
1. the Directorate of the Central Base. (Upravlenie Tseatral-
noi Bazie), Ministry of the Armed Forces, USSR
located in the town of Brest-Litovsk, accept rail freight incoming from Germany.
50X1 Most of this incoming freight consisted of war materiel, reparations material and
commercial cargo freight. At'the same time rail transports arrived in Brest with
50X1 uranium ore. Uranium mines are located in Germany near the cities of Vismuth and
At, and are wholly under ,the control of the Soviet Union. Transloading of the
uranium ore from European carriers to Soviet carriers occurs at the RR station
50X1
Muhovetz-Military (mhhovetz-Voennih) and is done by military working battalions,
attached to the Directorate of the Central Base Part of the transload-
ing of the ore is accomplished by the Third Separate -Working Battalion, located
near Muhovetz-Military station, near the Brest fortifications. The Muhovetz-
Military Station is in itself a RR siding, intended primarily for conducting loading
operations. The commanding officer of this battalion was a Major Stubailov, who,
near the end Of 1949, was sent to Ano, where he is presently commander of a security
battalion protecting the uranium mines. The new commanding officer of the Third
Working Battalion is Lt. Col Rudenko; his chief of staff is Capt Matz.
2. The uranium ore from Vismuth and Aue arrives in sealed, covered wagons under the
protection of military forces of the MGB. The uranium ore transports are under con-
staat protection throughout the trip, from the place where the wagons are loaded
until they reach their destination. The head of the security group is an officer,
also of the military forces of the MGB.
1511%. 5140
3. According to normal procedure, an authorized officer of the MGB takes charge of the
uranium transports from the moment transloading commences at Brest. His duties con-
sist of accepting the transport, organizing the transloading, and despatching the
uranium to the USSR. The transloading and despatch is given the highest priority
and the maintenance of records of the uranium transports is in the hands of the MGB.
4.. The uranium ore looks like dark-brawn crushed stone of various sizes and shapes and
is sent to the USSR in loose form and in packed containers. In the loose form it
is literally poured into the wagons and, in the packed form, it is packed in metal
containers with aproximately the following dimensions:-
CLASSIFICATION SECRET SECURITY INFORMATION
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/04 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100160005-7
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Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @50-Yr2013/04/04:CIA-RDP82-00047R000100160005-7
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...SECRE:T/SECURITY INFORMATION
2..
The containers are 30cm in diameter and 70 am high and weigh about 100 kilograms.,
The cover is securely welded to the container by moans of electric welding, and
precautions are taken to keep the amount of ore hidden from unauthorized persons,
at the time of the transloading. The containers are normally painted black. The
amount of ore loaded in each wagon is not consistent, and depends on the capacity
of the wagon.
5. The ore is transloaded by hand, with some hand tools, such as wheelbarrows and
shovels, and is transferred from the European wagons to the Soviet wagons over
gangplanks laid between the cars. The transloading is carried out by means of
adjacent sidings, one of the European gauT,e and one of the Soviet gauge and the
transloading of each wagOn calls for a force of five to six men. Thus, the number
of workers assigned to transload a transport runs to about 200 men. The loaded
wagons are sealed at the railroad station and despatched by the MGB, and are turned
over to the protection and responsibility of the head of the security command which
protects the transport enroute.
6.
7.
8.
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9.
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The uranium ore arrives regularly. Normally, two to three transports arrive
weekly. Each transport consists of about 50 wagons with each wagon containing
about 20 tons.
The routing of these transports is under the direction of the organs of the
MGB, as uranium ore canes under the category of special freight of great state
importance. It is extremely difficult to learn the name of the place where the
ore is finally unloaded, as such transports are re-routed enroute several times.
Because of this fact, I was never able to learn the name of the final destination
of the ore.
The above is the manner in which the Directorate of the Central Base, Ministry of
the Armed Forces, USSR handled the transloading of the uranium ore from
European to Soviet wagons. The further operations, connected with security mea-
sures, acceptance and despatch of the ore, are under the control of and are the
responsibility of the MGB in the city of Brest.
it is apparent thiprocessed ore is transported
in the containers, while -ehe loose ore is loaded in wagons as it comes directly from
the mines.
-end-
EUCLOSURE (A): Diagram of the layout of the muhovetz=Military Station with Legend.
SECRET
SECRET/SECURITf INFORVATION
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/04 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100160005-7
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/04 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100160005-7
SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION tLJ1k 50X1
ENCLOSURE (A): Diagram of the layout of the Muhovetz-Military Station with Legend.
10 Muhovetz-Military st ttion
2. Warehouses of the exploitation section of the Brest Garrison
3. Location of third Sop -rate 'Working battalion
4. City power station
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SECRET
SECRET/SECURITY INFORMATION
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/04 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100160005-7