LARGE SOVIET NAVAL FORCE MOORED IN ODESSA ROADSTEAD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A008000180002-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 12, 2008
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: September 19, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA008000180002-5
CENTRAV114TELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the rational Defense of the United States within the meaning of the 1 p1onas Laws, This 25X1
18, U.S.C. Secs. 783 and 784, the transmission or reyetatlon of which in any manner to an unauthorised person is prohibited by law.
S-E.C-R-L-T
COUNTRY USSR (Odessa Oblast) REPORT
SUBJECT 4 Large Soviet Naval Force Moored, DATE DISTR. 19 9sptelaw ]OKA
in Odessa Roadstead. 25X1
NO. OF PAGES d
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
DATE ACQUIRED
REQUIREMENT
REFERENCES
This is UNEVALUATED Information
ship passed Smsinyy Island on 21 July 1955, at 2000 hours,
while oun for Odessa. Bright swathe of light from idely
scattered about the sea north, west, rd east of ship
searched the sky and sea they continued to operate roug out the hours
of darkness. these searchlights were mounted on
vessels which were operating in a darkened-ship condition since they
could not be seen.
2. At 0530 on 22 Julyy'here were two battleships anchored in the outer
harbor at Odessa. One was probably of the pAF..IZHM= 11D*UXL Class, and
..The former wAn easily raeoantzah1A by its wharnlV ralrarl
funnel
This vessel was displaying an ensign which was a white rectangular
field with a blue lower border and two insignia not further ident1fied,
but there was some gold embroidery in the upper left (sic) corner
The vessel carried the armament s well
as every modern means of navigation, including radar.
3. There were at least 2000 men aboard this vessel; a good number of them
were lined up on the deck. Between the hours of 0600 and 0800, they
performed collective diving and swimming exercises. Each section dived
in perfect unison at command and swam to a designated point so that
letters of the Cyrillic alphabet were formed on either side of the
battleship.
4. At about 0800 hours, a fast patrol vessel left the harbor with a small
target in tow and disappeared in an east-southeast direction. Meanwhile
a vessel of some 3000 DWT,with a hull shaped much like a large barge,
a funnel amidships, and considerable white-painted superstructure, was
moving from one berth to another in the port area with the aid of tugs,
it must have been a barracks ship. From the head of
oron sov k.1 Pier southward there were rows of small buoys in more or
less regular alignment.
5. At about the same time some flights of three fighters each circled
overhead; their speed indicated that they were jets. They flew at a
S-E.C_RLE.T
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great alti uda as f s;3~ the clear morning sky. The trails
6. The number of merchant shipq in the herbo was small and traffic was
somewhat lighter than usua
rywie Nll~
Ian undetermined number of
ovit snips* in the open storage area near the Customs House, near the
coaling pier, there were hut piles o coal, considerable amounts of iron
.,end steel products, cotton sales, bunes of wooden axles. cases containing
machinery, etc.
merely 15 ailea which had been installed in a relcently built tower.
e onterroadstead was wars ps.,moored to the small buoys
Th y, were fdrmed in g double
heavies fr9m the so Ahern piel'rhead sou wlard about'three miles.
vessel was obliged, Wherefores', to head'nartheastirard to clear the formation,
acid thence to follo4 a southerly course along the eastern aide of it. The
naval force consisted of more than 100 vessels. After thP`~hattleships,
p?evioualy described there were eight, cruisers, possibly Hof the"KIROV
Class, but here may have been some older cruisers with three funnels,
such as the AVRORA Class. About twelve.li ht cruibere or scout ships
followed, among which was a vessel thought to be of the
former Italian CONDOTTIERI Class. ou o een estroyer* in two lines
of seven eagh were moored in the rear of the lines of heavies. Outboard of
the two center linea,were sixteen coas',al destroyert,followed by the same
nwnber of minor units similar to US minesweepers of the RIMS Class.
Outboard ofctthese lines were o lines imposed of some 24) submarines of
heavy and medium tonnage, all wash. Fia],ly the outboard Ines were
composed of~'isome 30 mall eu inea,abottt 13 meters long, fully surfaced
with their nine-man crews assepbled on clack. To the south ~f the moored
force were about ten.eubmarinq;!chasers moving,,around "as if"screoning the
formation. Farther south was a buoy to which a. few motor boats were moored.
(See attached sketow0
8. During the passage of ship along the aide of the formation a
submarine chaser, which,apparently carried someone of importance, was
passing between the twd lines of major vessels on a northerly course. The
crews of the vessels rendered honors as the submarine chaser passed. The
crews wore summer uniform and rendered the honors with the faultless pre-
cision that only comes of discipline and training. Review ndtwithstaiicing,
the vessels answered the salutes rendered by ship a ,sailor was
promptly released from ranks to perform this duty.
On the head of this piker was a Asd light with a visibility of approxi-
Comment: This was probably the flag of the Minister of Defense.
C n
"hoist" rather`,th "left"
the flag could
the flag o e n s er of Defense.
However, t must be bor:te in ind that Soviet vessels,
honored with such awards as the Order of nin,
.
also display a' n ensig ,-hich has gold embrr ide;y
in the upper how corner.
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3-Sketch of naval fo ce moored in Odessa Roadstead:
0
is r~lt
Gut? .11".I1ES
r o 21.ib,;: r :i_nes
\~Q
r swop pei's
Zmallor Cruisers
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 Approved For Release 2008/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA008000180002-5
Approved For Release 2008/03/12 : CIA-RDP80-0081 OA008000180002-5