SIGNIFICANT INSTALLATIONS ON SOVIET TERRITORY IN THE ARCTIC ZONE AND THE ZERO TO TWENTY-FIVE DEGREE ZONE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01083A000100080014-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 7, 2008
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: August 12, 1957
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2008/07/07: CIA-RDP80BO1083A000100080014-2
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U.S. Delegation
to the
Subcommittee of the UN Disarmament Commission
State Dept. review completed.
MEMO RANDUM
To Governor Stassen
From . W. A. Tidwell
London
August 12, 1957
Subject: Significant Installations on Soviet Territory in the
Arctic Zone and the Zero to Twenty-five Degree Zone
1. Zero to Twenty-five Degree Zone proposed by the USSR
The territory of the Soviet Union contained in the zero
to twenty-five degree zone proposed by USSR consists entirely
of territory which belonged to Poland until 1939. Over half
of it is relatively impassable terrain composed of the Pripet
marshes in the center and the Carpathian mountains in the
south.
There are no major land fortifications in the area al-
though there are some ground force units stationed there.
There are a few radars in the area although the main
Soviet radar screen lies outside of the area.
There are five airfields in the area actually or poten-
tially capable of carrying medium and/or long range bombers.
One of these is a base of the Soviet long-range air force.
Population in the zone is fairly dense, particularly
in the south. There are no precise figures available but
the total is probably about l~ to 2 million.
There are three major rail routes leading from Eastern
Europe into the USSR through the area.
The former Polish towns of L'vov and Brest have some
industry. Lvov in particular has a fair amount, but neither
town contains any industry of major strategic importance.
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MORI/CDF
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I have no information concerning anything else of note
in this area.
Of course, there are considerable numbers of Soviet
troops, airfields, radar, etc., stationed outside the USSR
in Eastern Germany, Poland, etc. in this zone.
2. The Arctic Zone Proposed by the U.S.
Soviet territory contained in the Arctic zone proposed
by the U.S. is primarily arctic and sub-arctic terrain, but
for the past twenty years the Soviet Union has expended con-
siderable effort through the Chief Directorate of the Northern
Sea route to develop the economy of the Arctic Coastline.
The zone includes one major port, five secondary ports
and forty minor ports. Included in the foregoing are eight
naval bases. Four lying in the vicinity of Murmansk are of
considerable importance.
There are thirty airfields in the zone that are actually
or potentially capable of carrying medium and/or long range
bombers. No elements of the Soviet long-range air force are
stationed in the zone, however,
The population of the area is estimated at about 1.1
million.
Workers in this area are given a substantial bonus and
the Soviet government is constantly trying to encourage people
to move into the area.
There are no land fortifications of consequence in the
zone, but the major portion of the Soviet radar screen in
the northern and northeastern parts of the USSR lies in this
zone.
Major industries in the zone are timber, fishing and
mining which includes mining of tin, uranium, nickel, gold
and coal, There is some processing connected with some of
this mining activity. There is no important manufacturing
in the zone.
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-3-
There is a great deal of scientific activity in the
zone including work on various aspects of climate, geography
and geodesy, astronomy, geology, etc.
I have no information concerning anything else of note
in this area.
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