"On the methods and techniques of the work of fascist intelligence and their Trotskyist-Bukharin and bourgeois-nationalist agents."

P.V. Karamyshev. "On the methods and techniques of the work of fascist intelligence and their Trotskyist-Bukharin and bourgeois-nationalist agents." May 24, 1938

Archive: Yuzhnaya Pravda, May 24, 1938, No. 111

May 24, 1938

We will inevitably return to the question of the subversive activities of foreign fascist intelligence agencies and their Trotskyist-Bukharinist, bourgeois-nationalist and other agents operating on the territory of the USSR, again and again for two reasons.

Firstly, because “as long as the capitalist encirclement exists, we will have wreckers, spies, saboteurs and murderers sent to our rear by agents of foreign states” (Stalin).

Secondly, because as the Soviet intelligence agencies of the NKVD penetrate deeper and deeper into all the cracks and holes where espionage and sabotage formations of foreign states nest, to the extent that Soviet intelligence exposes and smashes these formations, it reveals to that unknown, new, extremely subtle, brought to exceptional perfection, methods and techniques of the activities of the fascist agents, with which it is necessary to acquaint the broadest sections of the working people of our country.

This must be done primarily because the constant acquaintance of the working people “with the goals and objectives, with the practice and technique of sabotage, sabotage, espionage work of foreign intelligence agencies” (Stalin) with an extremely diverse arsenal of techniques and methods of activity of fascist agents on the territory of the USSR, increases the armament of the Soviet people in the fight against the enemies of our country, gives them the opportunity to recognize the enemy, no matter what mask he hides under, no matter how cunning and insidious he is.

The trials of the so-called united Trotskyist-Zinoviev center, then the anti-Soviet parallel Trotskyist center, the recent trial of the anti-Soviet "right-wing Trotskyist bloc" that have taken place over the past 2-3 years have shown with their own eyes that it was the Trotskyists, Zinovievites, Bukharinites and bourgeois nationalists who were the most valuable find for fascist intelligence agencies, that they are the most rabid gang of spies, wreckers and murderers, which, in terms of the vileness and disgust of the methods, methods and means of subversive work, has surpassed everything that the history of mankind has known and knows up to now.

As you know, in the plans for a military attack on the USSR, developed by the general staffs of the fascist states, a special place is assigned to Soviet Ukraine. It is no secret that the German and Polish fascists are plotting to deliver their first blow to Soviet Ukraine, tear it away from the Soviet Union and, turning it into their colony, use it as a springboard for a military campaign against the USSR. That is why it was on the territory of Soviet Ukraine that all kinds of anti-Soviet formations of fascist intelligence services, primarily from Trotskyists, Bukharinites, bourgeois nationalists, Mensheviks, Socialist-Revolutionaries, White Guards and all kinds of other fragments and remnants of the anti-Soviet groups and parties that we crushed, widely launched their subversive activities.

In the Nikolaev region, which is one of the major components of Soviet Ukraine, as well as in other places of the Union, the wasp nests of the Trotsky-Bukharin and bourgeois-nationalist agents of fascism were opened and destroyed. Some were ready to rest on their laurels, to indulge in complacency, believing that everything was over with the enemies, that no one was threatening us from anywhere. However, experience has shown that the struggle begun to root out enemy agents is far from over.

This is evidenced at least by the fact that lately in the city of Nikolaev, in a number of districts of the Nikolaev region, a number of anti-Soviet Trotskyist-Bukharin, bourgeois-nationalist groups and formations, which are in the service of the intelligence services of various foreign states and carried out for many years, on the instructions of these intelligence services, espionage, sabotage, and sabotage work directed against the interests of the people and the motherland.

As already reported in our regional press, a few months ago, the NKVD authorities uncovered an anti-Soviet right-wing Trotskyist sabotage organization at the Nikolaev factories, headed by Stepanov, Shishatsky, Lukanov and others.

Subsequently, it was established that this organization, through one of its active participants, S., contacted one of the foreign intelligence services and, on the instructions of the latter, launched extensive sabotage and espionage activities at the factories of Nikolaev.

This same S., who held a responsible post at one of the factories, was recruited into the service of foreign intelligence under very interesting circumstances. S. very often visited Moscow on factory business. There he met a certain P. and began to visit her house, often leaving his things, a briefcase, etc. there, in this house. Other responsible workers and foreign specialists also visited this "lady". Of these, a certain T., a journalist for a foreign newspaper, was especially close to the mistress of the house. The mistress of the house recommended this foreigner as a person very sympathetic to the Soviet Union. Journalist T. approaches S., conducts frequent conversations with him on political topics, posing as a zealous champion of Soviet power. A friendship began, in which the “lady” P.

In 1936, S. goes to Moscow with very important documents, and, as always, he stops at P.’s house, meets the foreigner T. there again. Just before leaving Moscow, during dinner, journalist T. unexpectedly opens his cards and with cynicism , characteristic of old hardened spies, invites S. to become a spy for foreign intelligence. S. hesitated in surprise. Then T. said: "We need to hurry, we need you now and immediately, so let's not delay."

Immediately, journalist T. shows S. a complete copy of all those important documents that S. brought for approval to the head office.

“Agree, or I will immediately hand you over to the authorities,” says T.S., who signs up and becomes an agent of foreign intelligence, which he carefully provides with very valuable espionage information about the activities of Nikolaev’s factories.

What were the specific forms of subversive work carried out by this counter-revolutionary espionage and sabotage Trotskyist organization.

Firstly, a bacchanalia with drawings was arranged. As a rule, wreckingly drawn up drawings were redrawn dozens of times, then the production of drawings and their issuance to the sites was incredibly delayed, which caused absolutely fair criticism from the workers.

Secondly, for the manufacture of parts, metal was issued that was inappropriate in its composition and standard, as a result of which the manufactured parts were largely rejected and reworked.

Thirdly, not those parts that were required were deliberately put on production facilities, which, again, caused frequent alterations of already completed work and delays in the delivery of manufactured units to the state.

Fourthly, the less powerful workshops were given a large amount of work, while the more powerful workshops were deliberately underloaded.

Fifthly, the appropriations allocated by the state were spent simultaneously on the manufacture of many units, and this led to the fact that not one of the started units could be completed, colossal funds were deadened for many years, etc.

All sorts of anti-Soviet elements—Mensheviks, Socialist-Revolutionaries, etc.—flocked to the Right-Trotskyist sabotage organization that had dug in at the factories of Nikolaev.

This is what the Menshevik K., one of the participants in the subversive organization, is showing.

“In the beginning, we were engaged in relatively “minor” sabotage in the line of factory equipment, and later, starting around 1928, we already switched to larger wrecking and sabotage acts. We put machine tools out of action by covering the rubbing parts of the machines with sand, deliberately letting oil out of the motor bearings, as a result of which the bearings wore out prematurely, etc.

To carry out all these wrecking acts, we very often used the kulak, White Guard elements who had settled at the factory.

Characteristically, this right-wing Trotskyist espionage and sabotage organization recruited mainly workers who led responsible production sites; By virtue of their official position, these workers had great opportunities for sabotage and wrecking work. Gradually, the main workshops of the plant fell into the hands of enemies - members of this organization.

For the purpose of concealment and deep secrecy, in order to prevent the possibility of failure, wreckers and spies are getting their hands on some leaders of the Party, Komsomol and trade union organizations of factories, placing their own people in the committees, enemies like themselves. They manage to do this with the help of disguised enemies who were then in leadership positions in the Nikolaev city committee of the party and the Komsomol.

Thus, a vicious circle is created, through which it is extremely difficult to break through to anyone who tries to raise a voice of protest against the outrages happening at the plant.

Those who tried to criticize the management system at the plant, numerous malfunctions and outrages, who posed even the slightest danger to pests, were discredited, defamed and hounded in every possible way, like buzzers, grabbers and expelled from the plant.

(To be continued).

Yuzhnaya Pravda, May 24, 1938, No. 111 .