SOVIET ARMY SPECIAL OPERATIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000100230001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 1, 2013
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: February 21, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 50-Yr2013/04/01 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100230001-3
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COUNTRY.
SUBJECT
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED 6
DATE OF I NI
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGEN ECR
INFORMATION REPORT
USSR/Germany (Soviet Zone) I
Soviet Army Special Operations
?NIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS AAAAAAAA ION AFFECTING TOE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATEN, WITHIN THE MIANINO OF TITLE IS, SICTIONS 793
AND 794, or THE U.S. COOS, AS TTTTTTTT ITS TTTTTTTTTTTTTTT RIDE.
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO ON RECEIPT NY AN UMAUTMORIZKO PINION IN
PROM TTTTT D OT LAN. THE ROPRODUCTION OF THIS FORS IN PdON T
DATE DISTR. Al Feb 1952
50X1
NO. OF PAGES 2
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
50X1
FORM NO. 5141D
JAN tr'
1. Night operations by Soviet tank units are seldom employed inasmuch as a 50X1
tank's mobility is necessarily limited by darkness. Only when prior
reconnaissance has been made, specific targets or areas selected for tank
fire have been designated, and when the "tankers card" has been adequately
constructed, can tanks he effectively employed in night operations. This
dc-1 not mean however, that tanks do not move at night. Movement into
attack positions is normally accomplished at night. When tanks are
employed at niet they will commonly be used for harassing raids accompanied
by infantry and will return to their point of departure rather than try to
hold any terrain captured during these raids. Tanks are normally guided
into the objective areas by tracers, flares, and smoke from the accompanying
infantry. When no previous targets have been selected for tank fire,
irdiscriminate firing is undertaken and the greatest amount of emphasis
is placed on this subject during basic or small unit training periods.
There are certain phases of training however, which are carried out at
night and larger units do place some stress on night training in advanced
phases of training? As an example, a,tank division in the Soviet occupied
eone of Germany during the months of February, March and April 195l. spent
one week per month during which the entire training program was carried
out at night. This meant that reconnaissance and patrolling, stall' work,
map reading, compass courses and so forth, all of which normally would be
carried out during the hours of daylight were accomplished during the hours
of darkness. Time allotted for rest and sleep was during the daytime?
The general opinion held by the Soviets concerning night operations and
training is that they are essential parts of any training program and
individuals must become proficient in movement at night in order that
_resupplying. receipt of replacements, staff planning etc, can be carried
out during-the hours of darkness when a unit is less susceptible to
artillery ard air strikes.
2. In winter operations, occurring durine weather below minus 30?F, there are
Special facilities for holding tanks in readiness so that it is not
necessary to spend two to three hours warming tanks up in preparation for
combat action. Tanks are normally held in rear assembly areas, "tank parks",
some teE kilometers to the rear of the front lines. Each tank is provided
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/01 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100230001-3
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with an individual heating unit, of the tent type. Where possible, tanks are committed
..only in populated areas and are kept to the roads. .. This has several advantages.
First, there is less chance of the tank bogging down; second, there is shelter into ,
Which tanks can he put to accomplish maintenance and resupply, and third,, the snow will,
in all probability, not be so deep in these areas. The cold in itself- is no hind-
-ranee to the employment of armor and in such cases, skids of a ski type are attached
to the sides of the tank to prevent, its sinking into the snow and becoming "bellied
up". ? -Tanks are not normally committed in deep snow. However, approach marches may.
be accomplished through deep snow in order to commit tanks to action where the
ground or snow are frozen hard enough to support the weight of a tank.
3. Operations in marshy areas by. Soviet tank units are avoided if possible and all,
reasonable precautions are taken in the planning of an action to avoid the committmsnt
of armorin swampy or marshy areas. However, the element of Surprise is often consid-
ered and tanks are put through difficult terrain to catch the enemy offguard. In
order to -commit tanks in difficult terrain, engineers are commonly attached or are
placed in support of armored units. These engineers are from the division engineer
battalion and, are primarily responsible for providing routes of travel for tank
units. , Maximum usage is made of field expedients using the pioneer tools found
on tanks _themselves. As an example, the tank crews themselves are expected
to build their own corduroy- roads. At the company or battalion level there are no
tools, jacks or construction materials with which. to expedite the movement of tanks
over difficult terrain, EVen at regimental level the only assistange available is
in.the form of four tank recovery vehicles to assist tanks that may be bogged down.
4. River crossings do not pose any serious,problems as Soviet tank and mechanized.
,divisions have, organic to their engineer battalions, enough bridging equipment
to Span a river of up. to 150 meters. . For crossing riVers ahy Wider than 150
meters the equipment organic to the division is supplemented by attachments of
personnel and equipment fromrcn Army engineer brigade. .This bridging is accomplished
.withPonton bridges . If no pontons are available, the infantry swims across or
fords are made to establish a bridgehead.. Cables are brought across and ferries are
constructed from material locally available. Collapsible ferries which have a ten-
ton capacity are organic equipment in the Engineer Battalion. Larger ferries of the,
commercial type must be furnished by army headquarters. The bridging equipment avail-
able in both the tank and mechanized divisions is considered adequate for T-34 and
JS-3 tanks, particularly the ponton bridges. If the bridge is to be used for Some
time, a "capital" bridge is conatructed by. the Army engineer brigade. This type .
bridge is intended for a railroad load. In some cases even pontons have been used to
support a railroad. The bridge across thspnepr in World War II is a good example.
:Training in river crossings occupies a. fair share of the training program. As an
example, a. tank division in Soviet occupied Germany at the completion of each summers
training, practices crossing the Elbe River on its return to its permanent garrison
with just the equipment available within the division.
411,
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr2013/04/01 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000100230001-3