L.P. Beria to I.V. Stalin on the organization of radio surveillance of German aircraft. August 11, 1941

 Politburo and state security agencies. To the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Cheka, pp. 580-581

AP RF. F.Z. On. 50. D. 341. L. 133-135. Script. Typescript

No. 2436/B

TOP SECRET

State Defense Committee of the USSR

to Comrade Stalin

The NKVD of the USSR organized radio surveillance before the flight and during the flights of German aircraft to Moscow. It was established by observation that the driving course of German bombers is carried out with the help of direction finding of aircraft by radio stations located on the territory of the USSR occupied by the Germans, as well as those located on the territory of Poland, Romania, Finland and Germany.

These stations regularly begin work in the evening, 2 hours before the bombers' departure for Moscow, and continue until the morning.

As a rule, after a certain period of time, enemy radio stations give their call sign, consisting of four or five letters, within a few minutes (for example, “Karl”, “Otto”, “Hans”, etc.).

During the entire flight to Moscow, German bombers, taking these call signs, orient themselves by them and correct the course of the aircraft.

The interrogation of flight radio operators captured from German planes shot down near Moscow, this position is fully confirmed.

In addition, German bombers are assisted by broadcasting stations in Germany, Finland, Romania and the territories of Latvia and Poland now occupied by the Germans, which, broadcasting a musical program, transmit identification signals for fascist pilots at short intervals.

To interfere with radio beacons, as well as fascist aircraft in the air, the NKVD of the USSR considers it appropriate to carry out the following measures:

By relaying (i.e., receiving the call signs of the German station by our radio station and then transmitting these call signs on the air) to give a false course to German aircraft.

For these purposes, it is necessary to allow the NKVD of the USSR to use some radio stations of the People's Commissariat of Communications.

In the event that, for technical reasons, it is impossible to carry out retransmission, to drive enemy beacon stations with radio stations of the People's Commissariat for Communications.

To carry out these measures, the People's Commissariat for Communications needs to urgently install "Bee" type generators on the Vologda-Yaroslavl-Ryazan-Voronezh-Voroshilovgrad-Rostov line. The necessary number of generators in Narkomsvyaz is available.

In order to carry out operational measures to block operating German radio stations, which are landmarks during bomber raids, the NKVD of the USSR to establish continuous monitoring and direction finding of these radio stations. The data obtained as a result of observation should be compared with the testimony of captured German flight radio operators about the location of radio beacon stations, their call signs, waves and operating hours.

To create a special group of 5 people of the engineering and technical staff of the NKVD of the USSR and the People's Commissariat for Communications, to carry out the above activities.

I ask for your instructions.

People's Commissar of Internal Affairs of the USSR L. Beria

AP RF. F.Z. On. 50. D. 341. L. 133-135. Script. Typescript .