Operation Trust and Syndicate - 2

[Magda Hassan]

Trust Operation


Operation Trust (операция "Трест") was a counterintelligence operation of the State Political Directorate (GPU) of the Soviet Union. The operation, which ran from 19211926, set up a fake anti-Bolshevik resistance organization, "Monarchist Union of Central Russia", MUCR (Монархическое объединение Центральной России, МОЦР), in order to help the OGPU identify real monarchists and anti-Bolsheviks.
The head of the MUCR was Alexander Yakushev (Александр Александрович Якушев), a former bureaucrat of the Ministry of Communications of Imperial Russia, who after the Russian Revolution joined the Narkomat of External Trade (Наркомат внешней торговли), when the Soviets began to allow the former specialists (called "spetsy", "спецы") to resume the positions of their expertise. This position allowed him to travel abroad and contact Russian emigrants.
MUCR kept the monarchist general Alexander Kutepov (Александр Кутепов) from active actions, as he was convinced to wait for the development of internal anti-Bolshevik forces. Kutepov originally believed terrorist action was necessary to defeat the Bolsheviks and formed the "combat organization," a militant splinter from the Russian Armed Services Union (Russkiy Obshcho*Voyenskiy Soyuz) led by General Baron Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel
Kutepov also created the Inner Line as a counter intelligence organization to prevent Bolshevik penetrations. It caused the Cheka some problems but was not overly successful.
Among the successes of Trust was the luring of Boris Savinkov and Sidney Reilly into the Soviet Union to be arrested and executed.
Some modern researchers say that there are reasons to believe that both persons had doubts in MUCR, and they went into the Soviet Union for their own reasons, using MUCR as a pretext.
The Soviets did not organize Trust from scratch. The White Army had left sleeper agents and there were also Royalist Russians who did not leave after the Civil War. These people cooperated to the point of having a loose organizational structure. When the OGPU discovered them, they did not liquidate them, but expanded the organization for their own use.
Still another episode of the operation was an "illegal" trip (in fact, monitored by OGPU) of a notable emigré, Vasily Shulgin, into the Soviet Union. After his return he published a book "Three Capitals" with his impressions. In the book he wrote, in part, that contrary to his expectations, Russia was reviving, and the Bolsheviks would probably be removed from power.
The one Western historian who had limited access to the TREST files, John Costello, reported that they comprised thirty-seven volumes and were such a bewildering welter of double-agents, changed code names, and interlocking deception operations with "the complexity of a symphonic score," that Russian historians from the Intelligence Service had difficulty separating fact from fantasy.
Defector Vasili Mitrokhin reported that the TREST files were not housed at the SVR offices in Yasenevo, but were kept in the special archival collections (spetsfondi) of the FSB at the Lubyanka.
In 1967 a Soviet adventure TV sequel, Operation Trust (Операция "Трест") was created.[SUP][URL="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trust_Operation#cite_note-2"]
[/URL]http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062079/[/SUP]

[Magda Hassan]

The formation of the Foreign Intelligence (1921 - 1925)

Introduction

After the end of the Civil War, began a period of diplomatic recognition of the new state. Our country had a task to rebuild the war-ravaged economy and to begin peace building. At the beginning of 1921 in Russia an acute political crisis, caused discontent of the peasantry Prodrazvyorstka. He turned into a peasant uprising of the masses in a number of provinces, particularly in Tambov, where peasant unrest were called Antonov.Under the pressure of the peasant masses, who demanded the introduction of solid natural tax return for the surplus, and the apparent failure of the policy of "war communism" takes leadership of the RSFSR at the Tenth Congress of the RCP (b) in the course of 1921, the so-called "new economic policy" which called for the abolition of surplus appropriation and distribution system, allows for the existence of the private sector in agriculture and industry, the change in the rental business, foreign concessions in the areas of mining, free trade and the use of hired labor. This will reduce the time to fill the market with goods and solve many economic problems of the country, especially the food.With the change of the political situation inside the country and in the international arena, and accordingly changed the function of the Cheka. In particular, no longer need to use extraordinary measures to which the KGB resorted during the Civil War. Therefore, January 23, 1922, it was decided to abolish the Cheka and the creation on its base the State Political Directorate (GPU), the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs.In December 1922, was created by the Soviet Union, which united in one state virtually most of the territory of the former Russian Empire. After the formation of the USSR was transformed into the GPU United governance (GPU).This reorganization was not a mere change of signs. In contrast to the former Cheka, which had the right to make extrajudicial sentences OGPU address political problems. And all the issues concerning the scope of Justice, addressed through prosecution and trial.

The main tasks and activities of foreign intelligence in the 20s

In accordance with the provisions of the GPU, it was created by the secret-operative management, which includes the Foreign Department (ISE), engaged in the conduct of intelligence abroad. INO OGPU was significantly extended in front of him were delivered new, more complex tasks, taking into account the changed situation.In the early 20-ies of the OGPU foreign intelligence abroad solved the following problems:

• detection in the neighboring states of counter-revolutionary terrorist organizations preparing the overthrow of the Soviet regime;
  
• development of intelligence and counterintelligence organizations of the enemy;
  
• obtain political and economic, including documentary, information abroad;
  
• implementation of measures to discredit and split the white emigration organizations and their leaders.
  

At the head was a resident zakordonnyh razvedapparatov INO OGPU. In accordance with the provision of a resident, he was granted the right to own, without asking the Centre to recruit agents. For communication with the Centre for resident use its own code. Every three months a resident reported to the Centre on the expenditure of foreign exchange funds.

The structure of the Foreign Intelligence

INO OGPU consisted of the following units:

• zakordonnoe department;
  
• Office of zakordonnogo Division;
  
• Bureau of visas;
  
• Table departures;
  
• table entries;
  
• table entries and exits echelons;
  
• table for receipt of applications;
  
• general stationery.
  

Heads of foreign intelligence in the 20s

The first head of the ISE GPU was appointed Davydov (Davtyan) Yakov , who combined this post with the work of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs. Foreign intelligence he headed from 1920 to 1921.In 1921-1922, foreign intelligence led Mogilev G. Solomon .From 1922 to 1930 he was head of the ISE M.A.Trilisser , who was both chief zakordonnogo office. In INO OGPU in 1922, worked a total of 70 people.In June 1922 approved the Regulations on the ISE department Zakordonnom GPU. According to this document, Zakordonny department was "organizing center, concentrates all the leadership and management of the work of foreign intelligence and counterintelligence character."For conducting intelligence operations abroad residency created the ISE. To guide razvedapparatami (residency) abroad was formed six sectors:

1. North, which included the Baltic states and Scandinavia.
   
2. Polish.
   
3. Central European (residency in Berlin and London).
   
4. Southern Europe and the Balkans. (GPU Residency - in Vienna).
   
5. East. (Organisation zakordonnoy intelligence engaged OGPU plenipotentiary representative in the region. So, The Embassy of the OGPU in the Caucasus has been working on Turkey and Iran, Khabarovsk - against Japan and China).
   
6. American (residency - in New York and Montreal).
   

Fields of activities of foreign intelligence in the 20s

In the 1921-1925 years. the main task of the INO OGPU was the creation of a system of "legal" resident agents who operated under the cover of Soviet diplomatic and trade missions. At the time of residency were few and consisted usually of 2 - 4 people. Employees of "legal" residency undercover sovzagranuchrezhdeny - envoys, trade missions and other institutions.In the 20's stood out the following activities of foreign intelligence:

• development of Russian emigre groups and parties
  
• foreign counterintelligence,
  
• diplomatic intelligence,
  
• economic intelligence.
  

In the 20's the main opponent of the White Guard was considered emigration, prepared the overthrow of the Soviet regime. Therefore, prior to foreign intelligence was the primary task to penetrate the White emigre organizations identify their plans, objectives, structure, funding sources, etc.In 1922, the counselor of the Soviet Embassy in Beijing has been sent to the first head of the Foreign Intelligence Yakov Davtyan, who was also chief resident ISE in China and led the work stations in Beijing, Harbin, Shanghai. Residency in Beijing focuses on the period paid obtaining information on the activities of the White Guard units in the territory of China, detection and suppression of subversive activities against the Soviet Union and the opening of Japan's aggressive plans against our country.In January 1923, Ya.H.Davtyan sent to the Centre all the archives of the White Guard counterintelligence agents extracted ISE in Harbin.Here is what he wrote in a letter to the head of the ISE M.Trilisseru in May 1923. "I am very pleased that the Far Eastern affairs were in Moscow to give more value. Work here is very interesting, exciting, awesome, but very difficult, complex, extremely responsible. Remoteness of Moscow, a bad relationship is further complicated by our work here.A few words about our special work. It is going well. If you follow the materials sent, you see that I managed to cover almost the whole of China, nothing substantial has been slipping away from me.Shanghai unit works perfectly ... Thumbs works Manchurian apparatus, in particular in Harbin and the station of the Border. Unfortunately, Harbin resident still subject and Chita and Vladivostok. I think this is a mistake, and I believe the need for full centralization at me. The organization should have one. I beg your respective orders. "In December 1923 Davtyan again informs Trilisser on Beijing residency. "Our relations - he wrote - are expanding. Overall I can say safely say that no step of white in the Far East is still unknown to me.'ve All learned quickly and proactively. On this side, this is good."In the 20 years of exploration zakordonnaya Troops managed to secure undercover penetration in almost all active White emigre formation, such as the "People's Union for Fatherland and Freedom" Savinkova, "Russian Military Union" (EMRO) and others.The main results of the activities of foreign intelligence on the White emigre line at that time were: "Operation Syndicate 2" for the withdrawal B.Savinkova in the Soviet Union and the defeat of his organization in our territory and the operation "Trust" in the attitude of the British agent S.Reyli and his arrest; expansion EMRO 's, the defeat of the White Guard organizations in the Far East, and other promotions.An active role in the operation "Syndicate-2" played A.P.Fedorov security officer, who managed to lure B.Savinkova in the USSR.

Operation "Trust."

In late 1921 - early 1922, the OGPU was neutralized underground anti-Soviet "monarchist organization of central Russia" (MOTsR). From the testimony of the participants revealed that the conspirators were associated with foreign counter-revolution. The organization has been eliminated, but no reports in the press about this did not appear.OGPU leadership had already decided to use a non-existent organization for online games to break into foreign counter-revolutionary centers. The operation was code-named "TRUST".The main protagonist of all operational games are taking place under the guidance of Dzerzhinsky and V.R.Menzhinskogo was A.A.Yakushev who acted as de facto head of MOTsR. Yakushev, former State Councillor, in February 1917, refused to accept the post of companion (deputy) Minister of the Provisional Government, considering that it is contrary to his monarchical convictions. After October, has been involved as an authority in the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade. Was been recruited by the Cheka, voluntarily agreed to cooperate with her, all the tasks assigned to him by performing honestly, with great skill. Not once risked his life.Developed by security officers legend, the selection of participants, the roles have been thought out so that the "Trust" believed the former Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich, a monarchist general Kutepov and B.Savinkov and former Russian citizen, a Jew from Odessa Sidney Reilly. For his part in the conspiracy of the British Ambassador Lockhart, he was convicted in absentia and sentenced to death in the case of the territory of our country.When they heard about MOTsR in April 1925 after his arrest B.Savinkova, he sent a letter to the organization, which provided advice to go to the terrorist acts against the leaders of the Soviet state. It was decided to use the operation "Trust" to display S.Reyli to the territory of the Soviet Union and his arrest.In mid-September S.Reyli arrived in Helsinki, where he was met by a White Guard Bunakov and niece Maria Kutepov Zaharchenko-Schultz. This also arrived and A.Yakushev, who also spoke about the reliability S.Reyli "window" across the border. Reilly decided to visit the Soviet Union to inspect MOTsR. September 25, together with his companions, he crossed the border in the vicinity of the station Kuokkala.The station Pargolovo S.Reyli was planted in transit train. In the coupe it expected A.Yakushev, "legally" gone over the border and "ordinary member MOTsR" Shchukin, the role played by security officer G.Syroezhkin .In Leningrad G.Syroezhkin took S.Reyli prepared by security officers at the apartment, which is issued for her. Here Reilly met with an emissary of General Wrangel Mukalovym.In Moscow S.Reyli met members of the OGPU, posing as leaders MOTsR. Guest was taken to the country to Malahovka, where it was staged meeting of the political council of the organization. To finance the activities MOTsR S.Reyli proposed a "expropriation" of art treasures from Soviet museums, as well as active cooperation with British intelligence.After the meeting, everyone went to Moscow. At the request of S.Reyli they call in to the apartment of one of the security officers accompanying him and S.Reyli, without knowing it, write postcards to friends in Germany and the United States "of the Bolshevik's lair." Here he was arrested, and November 5, 1925 was executed sentence imposed in 1918.

Operation "Syndicate-2."

After the Civil War, settled abroad, a large number of Russian immigrants, many of whom have not abandoned the armed struggle against Soviet Russia. Active in the fight against the Soviets led Boris Savinkov closely associated with the Polish intelligence. In these circumstances, the OGPU decided to lure him to the territory of Russia and arrest. Was conceived and successfully carried out the operation "Syndicate-2," which took an active part G.Syroezhkin . When the border was arrested aide Savinkova - Sheshenya, who went on a mission to re-establish communication with the residents of the underground anti-Soviet organization "Save the Fatherland and Freedom" in Minsk and Moscow, G.Syroezhkin was sent to Minsk with the task to capture the Minsk resident, former captain Gerasimov. For this task he managed successfully.Sam adjutant B.Savinkova Sheshenya and Moscow resident Rekunov arrested by security officers, have agreed to connect to the online game "Syndicate-2."According to the plan V.R.Menzhinskogo, who led the operation, B.Savinkova had to make them believe in the existence of the USSR unknown to him a solid anti-Soviet organization needs an experienced and influential leader. Was created legendirovannaya organization "of the Liberal Democrats." Data were obtained on Kiev's attempts to establish a counter-revolutionary organization because of "the Liberal Democrats." Isachenko professor, who believed Syroezhkin Moscow son of the late industrialist, persuaded to introduce him to the leaders of LD.At this time, arrived in Moscow emissary Savinkova Fomichev, who had to check the information about the existence of the organization by LD. A meeting was organized with Fomicheva Isachenko in the hotel room "Novomoskovskaya." Fomichev returned abroad in the belief in the existence of the organization, "the Liberal Democrats."Soon B.Savinkov sent to Moscow his closest aide, Colonel Pawlowski to check the activities of Sheshenya A.Zaychenok and his wife, who was also been recruited by security officers. In Moscow, Pavlovsky was arrested.In order to test the effectiveness of the organization's existence legend LD V.R.Menzhinsky G.Syroezhkina directs under the name Serebriakova to Poland for the transfer of Polish intelligence disinformation next batch of materials, and for Savinkova - memo L.Shesheni. However, in Vilnius G.Syroezhkin unexpectedly met a former colleague in the army Strzhelkovskogo that it had identified. G.Syroezhkin was arrested and taken to the police. G.Syroezhkinu managed to convince the police that Strzhelkovsky brings with it scores, and he was released.G.Syroezhkin successfully met the captain of the Polish Secret Moments and Fomichev, who delivered a letter to L.Shesheni B.Savinkova. Fomichev again soon arrived in Moscow to regular audits of LD. Was called "meeting" with the participation of Pavlovsk, Fomichev and security officers, who played the role of members of the organization.After that, it was decided to send a second G.Syroezhkina in Vilna letters Pawlowski Savinkov and a specially designed secret order of the Red Army on maneuvers near the Polish border. The operation has entered its final stage. In July 1924, Fedorov and Fomichev arrived in Paris for a meeting with Savinkovs. He decided to go to Moscow.On the night of August 15, Savinkov and accompanied his men crossed the Soviet-Polish border and were arrested. The next day delivered to Moscow.

Foreign Counterintelligence

The main focus of foreign counterintelligence in the 20 years has been the penetration of intelligence and counterintelligence agencies of foreign countries that have implemented a policy hostile to the Soviet Union, revealing their agents, bombarded the territory of our country, as well as recruitment approaches to Soviet citizens. On the foreign counterintelligence also assigned the task of providing security sovgrazhdan and institutions abroad.As a result of active operations of foreign intelligence managed to acquire a number of agents of the secret services of Japan, China, Germany, Turkey and some other countries. As a result, the INO OGPU was able to obtain documentary evidence of subversion of the German counter-espionage against the German Communist Party and frustrate provocations against members of the Soviet diplomatic mission.Foreign Counterintelligence in the 20s also was able to obtain documentary materials on the subversive activities of secret services of Great Britain, France and Japan against the Soviet Union.

The results of the activities of foreign intelligence in the 20s

Despite the complex for our country the international environment in the 20s foreign intelligence has made serious results. The most successful was its operations in Germany and China. Berlin residency INO OGPU has been working not only for Germany but also against England, France, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, and Czechoslovakia. Berlin has managed to get residency in the governing bodies of the counter-revolutionary White emigre organizations, and government agencies and special services of this country.Already in 1922, the foreign intelligence received important information about the French policy toward the Soviet Union. Valuable information and acted on U.S. policy. In the extracted material covered in detail the activities of the anti-Soviet organizations monarchists B.Savinkova, exploration of Wrangel.Berlin residency has also received information on the work of French intelligence in the Soviet Baltic Fleet, which helped neutralize the activity. In the period of the Genoa Conference of foreign intelligence received materials about upcoming terrorist attacks of white emigration to the members of the Soviet delegation, as well as the positions of some European countries in respect of the recognition of the USSR.Exploration against Japan and China initially was carried out only by authorized representatives of the OGPU in the Far East. In 1923 he established residency in Beijing and Harbin. Soon they began to receive information not only on the activities of the White Guard emigration, but also Japan and China.In May 1921, the Cheka was created by Special Branch 8, in which there were four branch headed by A.G.Gusevym. It was engaged in "the opening of foreign and anti-Soviet ciphers and codes and deciphering the documents." In Chapter 8, the special department was a prominent statesman G.I.Boky. As a result of division by deciphering foreign secret correspondence of foreign intelligence was able to read documents in the Japanese Foreign Ministry, intelligence and other government organizations, as well as access to the secrets of a number of European countries, including Britain, France and Germany.In 1921-1925 foreign intelligence OGPU was active in a number of foreign countries, has made progress in addressing the challenges it faces and has contributed to the consolidation of the positions of the USSR in the international arena. In this case, foreign intelligence acquired a lot of valuable agents that mainly worked on an ideological basis.

Conclusion

In the 20 years of the foreign intelligence made the first steps in the international arena. For her, in that period was characterized by greater freedom of operational staff to recruit agents, extensive rights of residents who, without coordination with the Centre claimed newly acquired agents. From the intelligence needed one thing: to extract secret information of interest to center. At the time, there was a clear distinction between "legal" and illegal intelligence: the same could scout first undercover official Soviet representative, and next business trip to perform under the name of the alien.It was in this role were well-known many others. The international situation in the 20s was generally favorable to the action of the Soviet foreign intelligence service. In those days there were no tight surveillance, threatening operatives hardware intercept, control and proverki.V 20's external intelligence was able to express themselves and successfully performs the tasks of the Centre.
Russian Foreign Intelligence Service today[url=http://svr.gov.ru/svr_today/director.htm][/url]

Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation
http://svr.gov.ru/history/stage02.htm

Official site of Russian Foreign Intelligence Service

[Magda Hassan]

Soviet movie from 1967 about Operation Trust. Some great archival shots but in Russian language and no subtitles.
http://kinofilms.tv/film/operaciya-trest/26357/

[Jan Klimkowski]

The Soviets did not organize Trust from scratch. The White Army had left sleeper agents and there were also Royalist Russians who did not leave after the Civil War. These people cooperated to the point of having a loose organizational structure. When the OGPU discovered them, they did not liquidate them, but expanded the organization for their own use.

Such intelligence agency techniques are doubtless stilll alive and bombing in the C21st.

[Magda Hassan]

The Soviets did not organize Trust from scratch. The White Army had left sleeper agents and there were also Royalist Russians who did not leave after the Civil War. These people cooperated to the point of having a loose organizational structure. When the OGPU discovered them, they did not liquidate them, but expanded the organization for their own use.

Such intelligence agency techniques are doubtless stilll alive and bombing in the C21st.

Yes, I immediately thought of Gladio and the stay behind networks.