HOW USSR IMPORTS ARE HANDLED THROUGH BREST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 14, 2013
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: April 19, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
50X1
COUNTRY USSR (Belorussian SSR)
SUBJECT How USSR Imports are Handled
50X1
50X1
Through Brest
This Document contains Information affecting the Loa
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
Ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.B. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of Its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT 1S TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
LIBRARY SUBJECT AND AREA CODES
2-02-th o6
755.1I
755.421.
755.73
4/55
2~99N2t^` 5N
225N
19 April 1955
S E-C R-E T
NAVY I #x IF I#XIFBI
(Note: Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field Distribution By "#".)
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
50X1
COUNTRY USSR (Belorussian SSR)
SUB]ECT How USSR Imports are Handled Through Brest
DATE OF INFORMATION
PLACE ACQUIRED
THIS IS UNEVALUATED, INFORMATION
DATE DISTR. 16 Mar'. 1955
NO. OF PAGES 4
1. Various numbers were assigned to rail-freight shipments for the USSR
which originated in East Germany. Military transport numbers were
probably assigned by the Transportation Section of the Soviet Control
Commission in East Germany while civilian numbers were probably
assigned by the all-union association which had ordered the freight.
Two different terms were used in connection with rail-freight numbers:
a. Transport number (nomer transporta) which was used for an entire
train that transported similar freight and which was used only
for military transports. It appeared as a plain number of several
digits, such as "No. 17425".
b. Trans (trans) numbers were used for pieoe-freight which occupied
only a part of one freight car or one of several cars of a train.
This type of number was used for civilian freight which was
normally ordered by an all-uniop association. In giving orders
to their foreign counter-agents (kontr-agent), the all-union
association specified the trans number under which the freight was
to be shipped. These numbers were made up of two components stated
in the form of a fraotion; the numerator represented the identi-
fication number assigned to the specific all-union association
while the denominator indicated the current registry number of
the specific order. Thus, the trans numbers usually read as
follows: Trans 59/10587 or Trans 24/27372. Numbers "59" and
"24" represent identification numbers of two all-union associa-
tions. Although source was. unable to remember any specific numbers
assigned to associations he vaguely remembers that TekhnoEksport`'?
was assigned the number f'64".
2. There was a basic difference in the way that transport numbers and trans
numbers were written on documents or used in. business correspondence;
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
PE.CRET
the term "transport" never appeared as a component of the number 'but
the term "trans' always did. Thus, the numbers would appear as
"No. 17425" and"Trans 59/10587". In the movement of the freight from.
!. its; point of origin to its destination,the trans numbers remained un-
changed, whereas transport numbers were often changed in Brest, where
the freight was _reorganized. Source does not know how the reorgani-
zation of the freight was accomplished and is not certain whether or
not the method of numbering was ever changed. However, he believes
the all-union associations retained their assigned identification
numbers, if not permanently, for at least a period of several years.
Because source's associates in Brest knew all of these numbers
assigned to various all-union associations so well, source assumes
that they were in use fora long period of time. Another reason for
the permanency of drabs.r,numberis]-iwa ..t.he tfaet ! th&t ]arge- _,.o ,de.ra W~ `? .'l
over a period of several years. A change in numbering during this
period would result in confusion on the part of the firms executing
these orders.. ,
3. As a rule, Soviet'freight cars did,not travel into satellite countries
nor did satellite freight cars travel into,the USSR. Transloading
was done at the border, usually Brest, by placing both trains beside
a railroad platform and carrying the piece-freight from one train to
another. Freight such as coal and similar products was transloaded
with the aid of an elevated scaffold bridge from which the contents
of railroad cars on one gauge was merely placed in cars of another
gauge. Axles were changed on some passenger cars at Brest to enable
thes~ecars to travel all the way from East Germany to the interior of
the USSR. However, source doubts:that freight cars were ever handled
in this manner because a'specially-.designed axle which was too
expensive would have been necessary. Source heard that some time ago
a railroad line running between Moscow and Berlin had been opened;
which was presumably Soviet gauge in its entirety. Another railroad
line of Soviet gauge was presumably to connect Moscow and Vienna via
Chop and Budapest. In mid-1953, this line had allegedly been completed
from the USSR-Hungary border as far as Budapest.
4. The counting of freight car movements: in tons or by carloads depended
solely on the purpose of the counting. For instance, DERUTRA A.G.
was interested in determining only the tonnage that was transported
and did not care about the number of cars used. 1 DERUTRA carried.
this system so far that even new railroad passenger cars: manufactured
for the USSR, in East Germany and shipped to the USSR by DERUTRA were
recorded in tons as piece freight (].1.4 tons per car as source'
remembers). The Brest office of LenVneshTrans was interested in both
the tonnage of freigt passing through the Brest railroad station and
the number of cars. For the latter purpose serial numbers of the
cars were registered, but even then the counting of cars was done with-
out any specification as to whether they had two or four axles. In
a similar way, counting was done at the regional office ,of DERUTRA A.G.
where, in addition to the tonnage, serial numbers of the freight cars
were registered; The freight was always weighed when carloads of
homogeneous freight were concerned.) estimates were never made. In
cases of piece-freight, such as machinery and similar items,. weight
was of no particular importance; only the number of pieces involved
mattered, In these cases weighing-was usually disregarded.
5. All trade agreements concluded between the USSR and East Germany had
a clause which stated that both parties must insure their freight as
far as the border. East Germany always complied with this rule;
however, the USSR never insured its freight, preferring to pay any
claims instead of paying a great deal more to insurance companies?
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
50X1
SECRET
3 _
6. Although source was not familiar with the procedure followed for
ordering cars and did not know which authorities were charged with
the approval of car requests, it was his opinion that this was left
to the railroad authorities and that. the Soviet transport agencies
were not concerned with these problems. Based on source's experience
in serving with the Brest office of LenVneshTrans for several months
in 1950, the procedure was the following:
a. Any foreign firm or shipping agency forwarding freight to the
.USSR, sent notification to the concerned parties at the time
of the actual shipment.. The all-union association which had
placed the order was notified that freight.(Order No. .....)
had been shipped for the association's disposal to the Brest
railroad station. Also nolude'd.was-the date of shipment, the
number of freight cars,,involved'and serial numbers,as well as
notification that one copy of.the,letter had been simultaneously
forwarded to the regional office of LenVneshTrans in Brest.
b. Shipping documents also, a,ecompanied?the freight sent tothe Brest
railroad station. These documents described the contents of the
shipment and its destination,. for.example,10 drilling machines,
Siemens Type No....,,tonnage....,, consignee: VO Tekhnolmport,
Brest.
c. When the freight arrived at the Brest railroad station] during
office hours, the railroad authorities informed the regional
office of LenVneshTrans.withjn:30 minutes that specified freight
had reached the railroad station..
d. As soon as this notification was received, the Brest regional
office of.LenVneshTrans informed the Brest railroad station
within one hour regarding the disposition of the freight, giving
the names of the plants or installations where the freight was
to be shipped and the addresses:,of recipients in the USSR. The
Brest regional office of LenVneshTrans also notified the Bret
railroad station of the import license'number to be used for
customs clearance,
e. The regional office of LenVneshTrans in Brest meanwhile had.
received all the data for'this notification from the appropriate
all-union association as soon as the latter had received notifi-
cation from the manufacturers that the,freight had been shipped.
(See a, above, )
7. Source does not know whether or not there were delays in receiving
the cars requested because, this matter was under the jurisdiction
of the railroad authorities; LenVneshTrans in Brest had nothing to
do with this problem. However., source heard that occasionally, the
cars were-received in poor condition'. for loading and that they had
,to be returned, but this happened only rarely.
8. Commodities handled by LenVneshTrans went through Brest. Soviet
exports to the West were not disguised and the names and addresses
of consignees were stated openly on all shipping documents. Because
of this, the LenVneshTrans.regional.office in Brest had nothing to
do with such shipments. and practically all.procedure for such ship-
ments was handled by the ' railroad, administration. In other words,
the LenVneshTraps office in Brest. was: concerned solely with commodities
going to USSR.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1
50X1
Diagram of procedures used
i imports of goods to USSR
Legend:
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/06/14: CIA-RDP82-00046R000400430009-1