THE ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE BORDER TROOPS OF THE MVD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R009900250008-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 10
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 5, 2001
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: June 17, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

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4* EU 1.952
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENTIAL
SECURITY. 1.14FORNA T.1 ON
INFORMATION REPORT
TERI
COUNTRY USSR
SUBJECT The Organization and. Funetiien of the order
Troops of the
DATE OF 25X1A
INFO.
PLACE
ACQUIRE
L.02
REPORT NO.
CD NO.
DATE DISTR. al:off June 1952
NO. OF PAGES 10
'NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
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25X1X
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANINOOFTITLE le, SECTIONS 793
AND 794, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVE-
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS PORN IS PROHIBITED.
SOURCE
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
"PRO= ON TRE FRONTDERS OF TO- ni by-Oolortel
The General Or nization of the Border Forces :of the 'USSR
In the USSR the borders are protected by the NO (Ministerstvo Vnutrenny.kh
Del) and the guard duties are being tarried out, by special military
troops assigned for .this purpose. They are divided into two formatiOns$
independent of each other, but related by the nature of their duties( and
subordination. One of them LSI called: tbe Internal 5.'roops of the
MVD (Voyska VnutrenntwSluzhiaAint..and. the second.: the Frontier TiOotps
of the MVD (Voyska PogranichnoyabLshbelffit.1 Detachments of these
formations are Subordinate to the main military command if they are
operating in a theater', of military operations during Wartime.
As a rule, the cadres, of the military formations.of the MVD are specially
selected men from among the contingents of the annual draft. Their
-selection is based on their being devoted Communists and reliable as to
Soviet political purity and. On their loyalty to the Soviet goverment.
Such a selective process supplies the military formations and. the military
schools of the MVD With 80-90 percent of members of the Party and. the
KomsOmol. In this way the MVD provides Apr the strength of authority in
Such senstive areas as the border and the freakier zone.
The Internal Troops of the MVD (Voyska. Vnutrermoyalohlorni) are located
and operate in the frontier zone, Their tasks age: a) protection of im-
portant military installations; b) protection .of strategic bridges
portant railroad junOtions and. stational and. sea and. river ports a111 water
'canals of military importance; c) protection of. pr.tsnsp5 conroy of
pritonerst d.) control on .trains and.4t sea and river por *Tana
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e) Proteetion_Of the members of the Soviet government -and Various,repre-
sentatives of the government Whoyare?traTeling.all-OYer the,,USER.Vith PP?
portant tasks of a_controlling_and propaganda nature, in these cases the ?
functionaries of protection may.weareivillan clOthee. These troops differ
.from other troops of the USSR in their uniform the cap andeollarts4
are. red (dark raspberry) in color.
The. Border Troops :of the MVD are On special .assignment. They ac located
alOng,the.border zone arid, their duties : are the direct protection of the
border..., Their tasks consist of' .a) preventing border crossings by un-
authorized persons from neighboringeOuntrias as well as from theAmeide
.of the Soviet territory, b) preventing.smugglingl c) reconnaissance action
an the territory of neighboring countries andthapreventing or nehactien
by neighboring countries On, Soviet territOPY, and a) in,case:of-war.?. pro-
viding armed opposition to an invadin,genemy.untilthe arrival of border
field troops.
The local detachments of these two military formations of the MVD, related
by the nature of their duties, maintain a-steady, vivid, an technical
contact among themselves and cooperate very closely in carrying out their
guard. duties, Their cooperation is coordinated on the spot IT the political
apparatus of the MVD.
In the following chapters we shall pay attention to the organization and
operational structure of the troops of border services, because that is
really the theme of our article.
II. The Internal Organization of the Border Troops of the MVD
The Border troops of the MVD (Voyaka FogranichboySluzhby NVD) are organized
according to the following scheme:.
a. The border detachments (Fogranichniye OtryadY)
b. The border komendaturas- (Pogranichniye Komendatury
c. The border outposts (Pogranichniye Zastavy)
We shall now discuss what each of the above-mentioned units means in the
general organizational scheme,
The Border Detachment (Ot ad.: the highest tactical-OPerstional.and
econ.0 e ?or er un may ee compared' as to the services position,
to a separate brigade of Soviet infantry. Depending on importance of the
post, the border otryad commander is an officer with either the rank of
major general, colonel, or lieutenant colonel. Be bas all the authority
of a brigade commander. Be has a staff with the following departmental
For carrying on operational work after learning about the frontier
population along the whole sector of the otrynd?
b. For training contingents of drafteea before incorporation into lower
posts (komandaturas and zastavas) and training cadres Of the lower
commanding authoritir (sergeants and corporals).
c. For training military dogs, according to the plans of the staffs of
border zastavaa.
d. For, organizing and carrying out reconnaissance (intelligence), both
inside and outside the .frontier zone, on the territory.ofthe neighboring
country. It should be added that this department is a.center for
intelligence planning and the, issuance of proper 'directives . to the
borderAcomendaturasT and border zastavas.
At the staff level of the otryad there is). as a constituent part, an
economic (Supply) aPParatuS4 which deals with supplying .food and money
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for the personnel the otryad and., in addition, supplies the border
zastaras with .arms, uniforms, and. other military equipment from their
stocks. Besides, . the border ?triad has a political apparatus of its own,
which travels from, time to time to the border lomen4aftresr.1 and. the
border zastavae to carry out, political and operational work.
The border ?tried. staff headquarters is usually located. in a big city or
in another heavily populated spot sltuated in the center of the ?triad
sector at the very border line or Within the frontier .zone.
The border otryad is usually named. for the name of the place where the
heatquarters is located..
The Border, jcomendaVOrp, 4 subordinate to the staff of the border otris.d. .
It is an ..executive body which ,concentrates the direct command of the
border zastavas. The number of border komendattras::: in the border otz7ad
depends on the size of the sector. Their location is usually at major
populated spots, on or not far from the border line or within the frontier
zone, and they are cOmpulsory, on Important roads Or directions wiiich go from
the neighboring country across the border into soviet territory.
Depending on the importance of the post, the commander of a border
komendathre is an officer with either the rank of colonel, lieutenant
colonel, or major. Be has all the authority of a regimental commander.
There .are suitable executive staff personnel (officers,. NdOe, .and. soldiers)
with the border .:Ir.orneridatUra,, as well as specially assigned. cooperation-.
agents of the MVD. In 'addition, the commander of the border ..kosiendattma...
has at his disposal secret agents who do intelligence work in. populated.
areas.
A discussion of the particular structure of a border otr$ad staff and
the subordinate border komendat'ures- will be the subject of another article.
The Border Outpost (Zestava); the highest executive? wilt of the border
?triad, and it is directii subordinate to the border kome.ndattra.k. The
number of border zasta.vas subordinate tcre border komendatura. is like
the number of komendaturasc.; in. an .otriad; it depends ,on the length and -
importance of the border sector.
The border zastavas are situated eight to ten Vs from one another.
The length of the border sector belonging to a zastava depends on the
character of the terrain of the neighboring country, and the number of
zastava personnel depends on the length of the sector. If the terrain
of the neighboring country is easily approached on foot or by driving,
the sector of the border zastava is shorter, and. the number of personnel
greater. Andovice versa, where the terrain of the neighboring country
is difficult to approach and. where it is easy for far and deep observe.*
-tion from some points of the border belt (impassable swamps or Vide 'Water
spaces) the sector of the border zastava it longer and the number of
personnel smaller*
The border zastava with the least number of personnel is similar to the
half company (Polurota) of the Soviet infantry. Its staff is
as follows"PmdinatelY
:
a. The zastava commander (senior lieutenant or lieutenant) with the
authority of a company commander - one.
h. Assistant to the zastava commander (lieutenafit) - one.
c. Adjutant (t bunchahniel ipunachuk sr mace of a hetman, or standard b
one.
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d. SuPPlY Officer (senior sergeant or sergeant)one.
t. JUniar officers (? ...nonoommissioned officers) (Sergeants) three
or fOur.
Soldiers (frontier guards) forty,
Horses (saddle and train) . ten.
h. Military dogs - three to five.
Armament of the soldiers: 40 rifles 200 hand grenades, and 2
submachine guns.
The.barder zastava with a great (normal) number Or personnel is nearly
twice as large.
Above is the internal organization of the Frontier Troops of the MVD.
in. _TheTrainisBnd.dues_EtionorOfficersitheFrontierorTr000Lt_heMVD,
The training and education of officers for the frontier services Or the
MVD is carried .out in specially designated military schools (VOyennoye
Uchilishche). There, except for indispensable military subjects, special
pressure is imposed ttPon the students to get acquainted with a) history
or the Communist Party, b),history of the strnagle and the deeds or Lenin
and Stalin in regard to the strengthening of B04-41eviktactice in carrying
out the world reyolution and all its secrets,- and c; tihe Bolshevik:way
of uncovering and catching so-called "counter.irevolut,,,,itten.\\
Special attention is paid to basic military training. Any,officer
should know how to shoot perfectly his personal piStolg as Iffe:L'4411 the
rifle and machine gun.
The military school, on the basia of instructions received. from the.
political apparatus of the MVD? assigns tk!sa.atildents-bef;D:4behaud to
specific frontiers. Therefore, every ,student while still in school
already knows to what frontier he Will be attached (Turkish, Romanian,
Chinese, etc.) after graduating from the school as an officer and
where he will start his career. Therefare, the student Should become
well acquainted with compulsory subjects and learn: A) the geographical
situation of the neighboring country whose frontiers he, will guard; its
history, resources, industrYy, economic conditions, and the structural
conditions in that country - the cities, toWna, and villages, particup.arly
those which are situated 'within the frontier areal b) the Organization
and the tactics of the army, and the historic particulars and special
national changes of the, people against Whom he has to protect the SoVie
frontiersq and. c) the language of the people or the peoples who are living
in this country.
Such information is supplied, the students so that?in.executing their
duties and in examining arrested foreigners, they learn the characteristics
and are able to distinguish between a smuggler and a.spy and on the
of their.own,opinion to report the case to their suPeriars. The foreign
language is necessary to enable them to ,converse with the frontier guards
of the neighboring state while solving ,misunderstandingA and incidents which
might occur at the frontier.
Every student, after graduating from the. school and after having received
the rank of an Officer, starts his military career at a border otrkad as
an assistant to the Commander of a border zaOtava. In this position be
Is obliged to become acquainted with the Population Or the area to such an
extent that he knows every house and even the names of all the inhabitants.
That knowledge appears to be one or the main prerequisites for receiving
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a. good effict e. .ratings. which le given 67037 yeari and for 'being ege
to the paeitioe,of .commenftr .of a border seetave, if "mph time,
tomee. ? flee it *bead be. Wee that only a ,convitteed.CommenietOsey.be?
appointed to .the reitiOn Of ta. border zestevak,oemmander.
Aesigements to leiOsere,p0eitione"andepromotione. to 41010 effiOer reek5.
come very slowly in comparison eitle.thel.Tefficers'fof.,:Other..services?:_.:. That
because the responsible poaitiene:. et the frontier aret:.'entruqedete
officers..enly after O leeg and. careful,. eXemieatioe.of oat personal -
qualitielit?by.seperior eoessoedeto an d by the political :4:wet* of the.
MVP ie aUstatee, AU of thie i eXplained with. the.)PraS..e::.'!goed .of the
gerrice for the Soviet government."
IV. The Training and EdeleatiOn Of Beldiere .for the B. der Service, .tb, .MV.
term of vice for aOldiers in -the Border ot the MVD ig for
e years. In the event o tenglee in the ieterna onal political
eituation,tbat tem may be extended. for six to eight months by a special
of the supreme military comma.
Besides po1itici. and Communist reliehility which is a necessary require.,
meet foa* a-election for serviceewith the MO, the candidates' physical
,eonditieellays a majer role, 4,1e., good health, eerfect sight and hearing,
an& the phySital, ability to eedere various climatic conditioned A draftee
Who meets all of these requirements may be certain thaii:.*::/till be selected
fer service with. the Border Troops . of the NIVD,/ Therefore, going to the
Voyenkomat he reeSives? in his place of residence? written recommendations
from the raion public organs or fntan tb.e oblast Party or Komsomol conmeittees.
The draftee accepted for service with the Border Troops on the basis of these
recommendations is assigned to a proper. border otrtad. There he belongs
to a training battalion or company (rota) and is trained, and educated
-during the fi,rst year of his service. The draftee at' a young guard. 'soldat
is drilled, takes gunnery training (rifle, machine gun, hand grenades and
grenade latuicher); and combat training. The training takes place during
various. seasons, during the day and. at night, and ?under varioua climatic
eonditions (fog, rain, snow, and frost). At the same time he is given
eeucation.
During the training and political education the young guard oolaer. :
le ie carefealy watched by political officers and is taut SorlitiL
"patriotism" (faithfulness to the Soviet government, ability;to protect
the "Soviet 'fatt4erland"-), accuracy, discipline, and bia indtediedil ahortcomines
are encovered.'?
After one year. of training the young guard aOidters worn in for faithfUl
duty for the Soviet government ath is then assigeet to. one .of the border
za,stavasorhere he servee to mere years.
It should. be noted that Communist, idealist and the Komeomols are assigned
to zastavae which :are on, important crossiega. The soldiere who are less
.able or thos,e who showed an imeoral.,eharecter during the year are sent
to border zastavaa a less importance Or are utilized in the leadcriarters
of the otzlad for internal duties (trains e-te.). At the border zestava.
the newcomer is assigned to one of the, older 'soldiers 'whop is about to
finish hie three-year:. term ,oe serviee. Every day he teachee his reed-
Army serf" practical frontierduties and .one or teice a week he givee
him lirrit,ten test. ond. trains him in ;tight serviee,
The Border Troops of the FWD ha.ve a rule that the watch ,sentries are
always carried out by two men together: in the field. service the
.'"ceseovoy and "odehestok" exists - here there is always one older an,1
one ..younger euare.on.duty.. Officially, it is explained that a yotmg
guard ii..strata to $tand sentry at eight by himself) in r1ity, however,
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the reason for this is the distrust of the young .guard and. the fear of
the command. that the young .guerd may let a foreign agent crops? the bOrder.
Negligence in .thie respect is consid.ered aS an extraordinary event and a
at. :rime For this the 'commander. of the zastava iaeourt-martialed
by the MVD and With. him the sentries .1Mo:did not See the crossing .Of the
boder by a foreign agent from the out-or inSide.
V. The Or anization of the Protect n S rvice in the Sect
B der?Za
ta a
? We already /MOW' fzom. the internal organization of the Border Troops of the
ivrn that the border zaatavas are not equal as tO the number of personnel as
well as to the length of the frontier sectors. This indicates that the
distribution of 'manpower is not routine but is adapted. to the real needs
of the terrain and eventualities. Such utilization of manpower provideS a
great opportunity for initiative by the commander of the border zastava
and for ?excessive zeal after duty hours. Aceording to. the Soviet method,
the border line is considered more or less as a defense line and. therefore
the parallel sector of the terrain Which joins the border is divided, into:
a) the forward portion of the frontier zone, ed the First Line# and
h) the rear portion of the frontier zonepea13.ed the Second Line or simply
the rear. -Theee lines. are separated-b7 'roads .ifinich parallel the
frontier and cormect populated points or by the nearest natural or
artificial terrain obatacles which aee situated along the frontier and
-cover entry from the border into the frontier zone.
In those placea along the frontiel,, where important military installations
are situated just on the border and the width of the border exter4de from
100 to 500 meters thP, rear edge of the frontier' extends accordingly to the
rear of the frontier zone
For better observation the terrain in front of the border is cleared (trees
and bushes are felled and the grass is oet). Sometimes the grass is not
cut but then a tudp (maloza,mgnoyo prewitstvivis installed - that is, a
ctiss-croes network of very thin wire which can ensnare a border crosser.
'Wile attempting to e.xtricate himself from the vire, he is Oscovered and.
is arrested by the- guaxds. For the everuality of enemy action from the
neighboring state and for deTense of the border zastava?military trenches
are prepared along the frontier'.
Direct protection of the frontier is carried. out byg
a. se.ntries placed at proper intervals along the border at certain terrain
features Ighich provide excellent possibilities for observation of the
border and the sector or segment of the frontier zone assigned to the
sentries. The sentries are armed 'with, rifles and hand. grenades for
self-defense and *with binocsula,rs for observation.
b. Secret observers along the border in those places which cannot be
properly watched. by the sentries.
lkikriltlig patrols along the border, particularly at night or during bad
climatic conditions (fog, rain, or snow) which make the obeervation ?
of the border difficult for the sentries.
Indirect protection ,of the .frontier is. .carried .out byt
a. anige stationary patrols Y?erho. stand, or lie. along. the rear )7ortton Of
the frontier zone in places hidden from the eyes of the population
or special.tiding ,placete fromiWhere they are able. to.,Wateh the
assigned SeetOr of the terrain or .direetiOn.and?.cen leave.. the place
unnoticed to .arrest a border crOeisor in itime and. at the 1,)pur defined by
, intelligence.
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Single 111011141V patrol8 who valk in a covered space in an attempt to
make any penetration of the frontier from the border into the
frontier zone impoasible? as well as any attempt to approach the
border with the intention of choosing the proper moment for crossing
it.
Patrols in pairs who, particularly at night, patrol the main roads in
the rear of the frontier zone which lead. to the border or those parallel
to itiand search or, in case of need., stop autquobiles and hOrsedrawh
carts.
. Night patrols witk military doge, placed in. important areas
concealed. 1?1eces.
Secret observers in pairs who are placed. in covered places
hiding places close to major bridges and road, crossings.
The suspected. persons are Stopped after they are very close to the secret
observes by an energetic .outcry t "Stopf .who goes?" (Stoi?kto iatT)
During the winter they veer fur coats. -Sometintes they have dogs with them.
In. the event of an alert the pair of secret obserVers strengthen their
observation and actively support other fiinctionaeies in the arrest of
violators (smugglers or agents), if they managed, to cross the border and,
find themselves. clwe to the secret observers..
Carrying out duties in connection with the direct or .indirect protection, of
the frontier is fulfilled according to a plan personally drawn. up by the
commander of the border zasteva and. announced to subordinates one week ahead.
in the so-called Schedule of _Daily Duties.
The rotation of sold.iers for guard duty is handled in such a fashion that
every guard has: a) one day and. one night on duty, b) one day and one
night rest, and. c) one day and one night training and education according
to the training plan. (fifl.e practice, regulations of frontier duties, and
political educatiOn).
During the one day and night on duty the sentry carries out his duties at
two places and is changed from one sentry post to another in succession.
Thus,, after a period of time he has, served. at all the sentry poets in the
sector of the zastave. The official purpose is to_mkkox the sentry well
acquainted with. all sentry posts and in case of an alert signal to make
him recognize promptly `where the signal came from. The real purpose,
however, , is distrust of the guards, because one can .orient himself in the
area by means of sight and. the alert sigra:ta adopted by the Soviet frontier
eeriee..require orientation by hear
Signals given by the sentries are, usually, by gunshot...One hot
zing signal and three shots indicate a major incident at the sentry
The reaction to these alert signals by the border zastava is as folloVSli"
a. At one shot - all sentries., patrols, and. secret observers strengthen
their observation in the direction, the signal owe from, and from the
headquarters of the zaatava a messenger on horseback is sent along
the border to find. out which sentry gave the signal and the reason-,fU'r
the signal.
At three shots all sentries, patrols, and ecret observer's do the
same thing an, 'with the one-shot signal and, from the zaatalta headquarters
the commander of the border zastava, together 'with proper personnel),
es on horse-back to ascertain the reason for and. attempt to eontroi
the situation which brought about the alert.
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In bOth eaaes the diree-tion ;signal is given by Sentries who are potet
along the border.
The heaclquartera alwa .maintaiw addled horses in the event a suden
alert,
The changing of the guard. Is carried out by the sentries themselves without
a noncommissioned officer. Every guard who reports for sentry duty receives
instructions and paroles (passwords) ,for that day from the commander of the
border zastava, after an examination of his knowledge of border 'duties.
After release from ,duty *Very sentry reports to the commander Of the border
zastava the transfer of duties to his successor and about the tour of duty
itself (what happened of importance: and what he heard and. saw). '
Paroles (passwords) used. at the border ,zaettavas are threefold: a) in Words,
14) ciphers, and e) special.
A parole in words is not new and is like that used in .the pre-revolutionary
Russian Army. It eonsiste of two -words: .the parole and the answer. - The
name of a city is usually used as the parole; and as the reply,- the name
of ye-rice:a weapons, the first letter of which is the same as that of the
parole, e.g., Moscow - Muschlra, Kiev Xurok, Pav.I.ograd - Pistol, etc
The parole for every day and. the reply is fixed by the local military
post commander and is secretly given to all military detachments under
his command) among them to the border zastava commander. It is used for
mutual recognition among the guards of the frontier and the soldiers of
the military field forces, who often train during the day ab41 at night
within the frontier zone -nd may appear along the border.
A parole in ciphers? like the parole in work,consists of two two-cipher
numbers. As the parole one one- or two-digit number is used and as the
reply two one- or two-digi.t numbers are used., the sum of Which is equal
to the one- or two-digit number which is the parole: For example: parole
"23", reply -10 +13", or: parole e "le" and. reply - "7+ 8"o or: parole
"8" and reply - "5 $3". The plus sign is not given when actually used.
The parole and rep17 are useful even if they are overheard by an unauthorized
ndivid'eal, even a member of the military," as It Titi difficult for that 14,40.
diVidaa to learn the zombination of digits making up the parole and reply
because in using a parole the reply may be either a two- or a oneedigit, number,
the sum of which Is equal to the parolelvtioh is, known only by authorized
personnel. The. constituent numbers of the parole are not the same at those
of the reply.
A parole in words or in elphers is eheeged every day.
A special parole is determined by means of the. simplest of eigns. agreed
upon, e.g., three.... on the pouch, or two.... on the etc. This
parole is only used in special circumstances by the secret observers and
sentries( or by thos.e. persorts. Who control their service whore speaking is
prohibited or .is impossible. It usaelly occurs when, on the basis -of in-
telligence information, an ambush is planned to catch an important smuggler
or foreign ,agent :who Is 14.enning to cross the border.
This parole is fixed by the border zastava eommander, and is changed very
often.
An ambush of foreign agents or smugglers, who are also considered agents,
evokes special interest on the part of the guards themselves. The agents
may carry with these such precious things as medicines (cocaine, morphine,
opium, etc.), American or other foreign currency, golden coins and objeets,
Which they need forexcheeee into the Soviet currency inside the See, let
Union. Such a catch results in financial reward, or a two weeks' leave
for tie guards Who carried out the arrest.
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Except for the paroles and replies mentiOned above, cipher erntonYma are
used. for telephone cal is Or radio telegrams between the commander of the
border zastava arud, his superiors in the border service and. the rtapi army.
For instance;
a.."30" means the Qentral_Commutation.Station
b.,r31" means the Commander of the Border Otryad
nion means the Chief Of Staff of the Border Otryad
d. ."15" means the Commander ofthe Border Zaatava in .the village of
PodOyma.
Calling .a station sounds like this: "Thirty, give me thirty-one. Who
is calling? Here is ten, fifteen speaking." The cipher CrYPtonYmrn. are
changetionce a month or so.
.The lists of the Omoies and cryptonyma are considered very secret. They
are kept by the commander of the border zastaya:personally, and the frontier
functionaries who receiTe them for official net are not authorized to band
them over to unauthorized persons,
.Every border zastava has telephone connection with the border liXamendataira
and with the neighboring bode.r4astavas, In some cages mounted messengers
are used. for contact among them,
Along the -border sector of the zastava contact with sentries and patrols is
maintained only by messengers, mounted or o. foot. If, however, the
commander of the border zastava has to -carry out an important Plan or a
ta0t ordered from above ,(receving Soviet agents from the neighboring -country
or dispatching them abroad) a specJa.1. telephone line is built between his
headquarters and the sentry post
The commander of the border zae:caVa may use xedio contact but only that
of the border ltamandatura.
Such -is the -organizatio4 of :9roteeting
zastaya. But that is not yet the f7121 pictuve.
VI. Protective Measures inulArPo?ieee
Besides the protection of the frontier by the border zastavaao the MVD also
-applies sPecial meaSures to the population residing,in frontier populated
areas (cities, towns, and villages).
.Every Shift of the Soviet frontier to .a new line has a most sensitiYe effect
upon the local population because of the protective measures of the MVD. In-
dividuals or all inhabitants of populated. frontier areas. who in the opinion
of the MVD are- not loyal enough are deported deep into Soviet. territorY-
,Those.Who-are allowed to remain by the "grace" Of the kirio are under steady
and otr.1.,ot surreillanoe.bY the trOOpS. of frontier services.. Free movement
of the population 40 impossible. All persons who arrive in the frontier
zone, either as employees at on leave from other places, ar* Obliged to
register personally:' a) wit the border komn4,aly.).1,ra. to Whioh.theipPulated
area belongs,: and")) with the local Soviet offIcesj it villages with the
mouradan (village council)A in towns with the "raispollt, (Raion Executive
Committee), and in citieswith the "gorsoyetn ' (city council).
At the registration every newly arrived person presents his passport and
the document defining .the purpose of arriVel (document Of trauefer:Or:40Cu*
ment issued by the MID about the former residence; In case the latter is
not aira4sb1epa stamp from the MD with the date and signature of the officer
T the Pe.sePort desk o'the. MVD is sufficient). lWithout 'earning out these
OONFIPENT4L
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? formalities a4d without an excellent knowledge of frontier regulations and
the personal acquaintance with an ;official of the border zastave. it is
almost impossible to stay in the villages, tosourt, or cities at the frontier
zone.
Leaving the frontier area requires again checking out with .offices mentioned.
Persons who .aybid. these formalities ere searched for by the MO .and they
have to appear in eovrt. The. controls on railroads and waterWaYS within
the frontier zone. a' ,On roads 15 to 20 km from the border,- Where from time
to time mounted. patrols cheek all persons who go! from the border into the
interior ;of the zone are carried. Out by organs of the Internal Troops of Tr
the MVD.
In villages eitlaated. along riverbanks.which are the bOrier line the
selsovets (village councils) cheek for newcomers every day and immediately
inform the oommander of the nearest border zaetava about them. He eXAMPleS
this information with the aid. of secret agents.
Places along the riverside allotted to the looal population for bathing are
fenced in by wire and. are under the steady surveillance of a sentry who
carefully watptes that nobody crosses the frontier line of the river Which
is marked, by special signs (barrel*
Where the local population consists of fishermen and. they have fishing boats
On the river, special agents from among the fishermen are hired, by the MVD
to watch their villages and secretly inform the commander of the border
zastava about those who lent a boat to somebody or those who crossed. the
river ?with somebody.
If the villagers have their land across. the river-frontier which is included
in Soviet kolkhoz farms or vineyards as, e.g., on the Dnestr River, then
every day the villagers must ask for vessels which contain the signature and
seal of the commander of the border zastava and atter .completing their Work
they must turn in the pass.
It must be mentioned thatsalthough the frontier was moved further west after
the war, the Dnestr River is still considered as frontier. Therefore, -
watching population movement from west to east le carried out at both the
new frontier line and the Dnestr River. All the methods and. measures
mentioned above allow the MVD and. their border zaetavas to -carry out their
protection duties very well and. make the frontiers. impenetrable.
ommsellt. 'Various soureis have reported that since May 1.950 the
cops and the Internal Troops, as well as several others, have been
d to the MGR. However, the personnel and. respective functions of
in the same,
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