SOVIET TROOPS AND INSTALLATION IN THE TAURAGE AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R009900340010-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 23, 2003
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: February 12, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

25X1 CENT
COUNTRY USSR (Lithuanian SSR)
SUBJECT Soviet Troops and Installations in the Taurat,e Area NO. OF PAGES
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
25X1A
25X1A
25X1X
n .i,airy~'
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
12 Feb. 1.952
Taurage.
25X1X 25X1
the old barracks installation in Taurage (55?141N/
22-151E)., which is located at the large street intersection in the town center,
;? quartered a unit of soldiers who wore red epaulets and were armed with carbines.
. In the fall of 1950, the new barracks installation near the post office in the
eastern section of the town was occupied by a unit, which was referred to as a
border guard unit by Lithuanian residents. Troops observed there wore dark-,.green
epaulets and were armed with submachine guns exclusively.
25X1X
A line of concrete pillboxes and emplacements was under construction on either
side of the street to Shaulyai (55?55'N/23?17'E), in the area from 5 to 10 km
northeast of Taurage, at the end of 1950. ','Mork on this project was still in progress
in May 1951. J. contours of concrete bunkers were clearly recognizable in the
woods lining the street. It :.as rumored that an old boviet line o de'f'ensive
installat=ions was being improved.
25X1 Heydekrug.
In !;larch 1951, a Soviet unit of 250 to 300 men arrived in Oeydekru (5>??.0'N/
21?22'E) and was quartered in a four-story building at 9 Partisanenstrasse, which
previously quartered an MVD unit. Personnel of the unit wore ruby-colored epaulets
and were armed with carbines and light machine guns. 5oldie.rs stated that the unit
had previously been stationed in Vilnyus (5L?38'N/ 25?15'E).
Members of the 1929 through 1931 classes in Heydekrug were registered for the
in March 1951. For the first time they included ethnic Germans living in the
draft
Jemel
River Region. About two weeks following the registration, those
and subsequently taken to the rail-road station under an es
According to rumors, the inductees were shipped to Vilnyus
31?25'E) to receive basic training. It was said that they , to `' Q? 1 arrYSf~erred~
to the interior of
25X1
Approved For Release 2004/01/28 : CIA-RDP82-00457R009900340010-9
 ILLEGIB
Apps
25X1A
comment. In 1910, after Lithuania had been annexed to the U.S.S.R., the
s started building a line of defensive installations betwoen Palanga
and Alitus. This line ran a short distance to the east of Taurage and consisted
primarily of field fortifications,$ with only a f,12w concrete eilacements on
the principal lines of west-east communication. he construction work mentioned
in the'preseint report is credible in view of the Soviet practice to fortify
border areas even if they are not exposed to aggression. The report has not been
bs? .iated however.
25X1 A Comment. The information on the induction does not agree with information
.the 193 clas.s.was completed and the registration of the. 1932 class, was in
progre s by May 1951, However, previous information indicates that inductions
in the former Baltic states lags behind that in the U.S.S.R. by six months to
one yepr.
rom: h other portions of the U.S ?S