MERKULOV, VSEVOLOD NIKOLAEVICH

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000300230007-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 1, 2009
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: August 10, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2009/07/01 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000300230007-5
CLASSIFICATION SECRET/SECURITY INFORy
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT Merkulov, Vsevolod Nikolaevich
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
DATE DISTR. /19, Aug 1953
NO. OF PAGES 1
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
of TOl .011(0 $TLT00. 011010 TYC 0100100 01 i1 71.1 1.. fl[T1001 707
.00 700. .f TY[ U.S. 0001. Lf LY[00[0. IT1 if O010lf{100 00 ?(00.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
25X1
1. Merkulovl one of Beria!s men. Merkulov is not tall, he 25X1
has a square face and a broad nose. He is a very determined and an. intelligent person. He graduated from high school 25X1
in the Czar's time. . Subsequently he completed an auvance
school of NK V. Thus,, he has both-general and Party education which is
very important in the Soviet Union.
2. He, together with his brother, belonged to a group of young Communists
sponsored by Qrdzheni idze in the twenties, which also included Beria,
Lopshnadze, Rudu Kachamalian and others. Merkulov began his career as a
Komsomol, and then was drafted into the Army where he served in the Frontier
Guards. He met Beria in the NKVD in 1925-26 and these two developed
friendly relations. Since then Merkulov followed closely in Beriats foot-
steps, together with Dekonozov and Millshtein.
3. When Beria became an important personality in the NKVD of Georgia, he ap-
pointed Merkulov as chief of the NKVD in Batum. Later on Beria transferred
him to Tiflis where Merkulov worked with Beria. When Beria moved to
Moscow, he took Merkulov with him, together with Raphael M;llsh.ain,_
Konulov and his brother, Dekor1 .ov (the former ambassador in Berlin and
present Minister of Internal Affairs in Georgia). Merkulov is a Russian
from Tiflis, but speaks Russian with a Georgian accent.
I. Although Merkulov is a very interesting and a prominent figure, he will
never reach beyond secondary posts because he is completely overshadowed
by Beria. a could have had an independent career of his own 25X1
if he had not tied himself so closely to Beria.
As a person Merkulov is not cruel, although he is reserved and demanding.
it was possible to carry 25X1
on a normal conversation with him. He liked to hear and to tell anecdotes.
In general Merkulov is definitely the same type of person as Beria and Baggy
They are all ' Chekists. F
- end
CLASSIFICATION SECRET/SECURITY INFOIATTON
F56
Approved For Release 2009/07/01 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000300230007-5