RAIL SPUR, EAST OF POLOTSK, USSR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T04751A000400010012-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 21, 2003
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: July 1, 1959
• Content Type: IR

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Joint Photographic Intelligence Report
RAIL SPUR, EAST OF POLOTSK, USSR
PIC/JR-16/59
JULY 1959
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COORDINATED, PUBLISHED, AND DISSEMINATED BY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
PHOTOGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE CENTER
This document contains information usable only within thel 25X
It is to be seen on a MUST-KNOW BASIS ONLY BY PERSONNEL ESPECIALLY -
TRINATED AND AUTHORIZED. Reproduction is prohibited unless approved by the
originator.
Declass Review by NIMA / DoD
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This material contains information affecting
the National Defense of the United States
within the meaning of the espionage laws,
Title 18, USC, Secs. 793 and 794, the trans-
mission or revelation of which in any manner
to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
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 Approved For Releasf0p3/QFR -RDP78T0 751A000400010012-8 25X
RAIL SPUR, EAST OF POLOTSK, USSR
PIC /JR-16/59
JULY 1959
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PIC/JR-16/59
RAIL SPUR; EAST-OF POLOTSK, USSR-'
A hooked rail spur, approxi-
mately 4,500 feet long including the
lead track, extends northeastward
from the Polotsk-Vitebsk railroad
into a wooded area at 55?25'N/
29?03'E, approximately 10 nautical
miles southeast, of Polotsk (Figure
1). The installation occupies a flat
area, a mile southeast of the rail-
road station of Goryany-. The sur-
GORYANY
STATION
rounding terrain, level to undulating FIGURE I ORIENTATION MAP
with general elevations approximately 400 feet, is largely covered by forests
interspersed with cultivated, fields, grasslands, and areas of marsh and
lakes. Polotsk with an estimated population of 40,000 is primarily`a railroad
center; military installations are limited to a supply depot and, Army bar-
racks. A small airfield with limited, facilities is located near the town
The installation area into which thespur extends covers approximately
115 acres, with a maximum northwest-southeast dimension of 2,400 feet
and a maxirrium southwest-northeast dimension of 3,500 feet (Figures 2 and
3).'' A firebreak, approximately 110 feet wide, separates the installation
area from a wooded area to the northeast. The remainder of the instal-
lation area is bordered by. grasslands and scrub growth.
The installation and its associated activities appear to be essentially
the same as on
photography. At that time it appeared as a
heavily-tracked area of activity within a belt of field fortifications. It
included the spur line, roads, several small buildings, and several -under-
ground bunkers. Photography, shows some modification of
1.the road network, improved road surfaces, several new buildings, and
;additional areas-used for. open storage.
The. single=track rail 'spur, apparently' uhehanged since
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FIGURE 3. PHOTO OF RAIL SPUR TAKEN
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radius of 1,350 feet; the terminus of the spur has a true azimuth of
About midway on the spur, it is paralleled by a siding for a distance of
600 feet. No rolling stock was visible within the installation area. Other
spurs and sidings in the vicinity of the installation do not appear to be
associated with any military activity. Two parallel sidings, each ap-
proximately 2,750 feet long, are located at Goryany Station and several
spur lines and sidings extend to peat-cutting areas between Polotsk and
Vitebsk.
Roads service the installation. An all-weather road extends northward
across the railroad from the Polotsk-Vitebsk highway a distance of 4,000
feet, and is the principal access road. Several thousand feet to the west
a second all-weather road parallels this road and connects with it via
a local road extending 2,500 feet eastward from a road junction north of
Goryany Station. The only other road to the area is a local road or
track which extends to the main access road from a farming community
north of the installation.
The installation associated with the spur consists of three general
storage areas (Figure 2, Areas A, B, and C) and an unidentified area
(Figure 2, Area D) which does not appear to be associated with the re-
mainder of the installation.
Area A appears to be primarily used for storage. Earth scars and
open storage areas border the all-weather roads which form a rectangular
pattern connecting with the main access road to the installation. The
greatest activity is centered between the road on the southeast side of
the rectangular road pattern and the railroad siding. A large central
building, 100 by 50 feet, is the principal building within the entire instal-
lation; it may be used for storage. Southwest of this building is a small
building with dimensions of 60 by 20 feet and northeast of the central
building are two small buildings separated by an open space in which are
six objects, probably vehicles. Track activity indicates that these build-
ings are oriented to the road rather than to the rail spur. Two other
unidentified buildings are located along the road west of these buildings.
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The open storage area immediately north of the central building contains
a considerable amount of unidentified material and the open storage
areas in the northeast corner of Area A appear to contain rows of objects.
Area B is an open storage area which contains three rows of un-
identified objects oriented 90? from the road and rail spur and located
a few hundred feet to the west. No road extends from the main road to
the storage area, but there is some indication of light trackage; part of
the storage area is obscured by tree cover. The individual objects, which
measure approximately 15 by 10 feet, appear to be uniform in character
and are similar to the objects in the northeast corner of Area A.
Area C is bisected by a road which appears to terminate under tree
cover in its northeast corner. The road may possibly extend southward
through the woods and connect with the road which appears to terminate
in the south central part of Area C. The main road services three
and possibly four earth bunkers. These bunkers were present on
photography and could be either underground storage facilities
or personnel shelters.
Area D contains six rectangular enclosures or shallow basins formed
by low walls or embankments and constructed since These en- 25X
closures, which range in width from 30 to 60 feet and in length from
60 to 90 feet, are arranged in a shallow arc against the inner curve of
the spur, and appear to be filled with water or some other liquid except
the eastermost enclosure which appears dry. Several areas of dark
tonal quality are visible between the spur and the enclosures; these dark
areas may be deposits of material accumulated during loading or unloading
operations. Three small buildings are situated immediately behind the
enclosures. One building with an "L" configuration adjoins the eastern-
most enclosure. The buildings and enclosures are connected with the main
access road by a short secondary road.
The installation appears to be used primarily for storage. There are no
indications of significant military activity. Security measures consist of
a single fence which probably extends around the general storage areas and
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a possible guard house or vehicle checkpoint where the access road enters
Area A. No electronic equipment, pipelines, or specialized construction
equipment appear on the photography and no indications exist that the rail
spur is associated .with guided missiles.
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REQUIREMENT: Prepared in answer to RR/E/118/58 and Army SRI-.142--1-
58 requesting detailed study of a rail spur southeast of Polotsk, USSR,
suspected of guided missile association.
US Air Target Chart - Series 100,1 100A, 1st. Ed.Nov 57. (C)
US Air Target Chart - Series 200, 0168-5A, 1st Ed., Nov 57. (S)
USAF Aeronautical Approach Chart, 168B. IIG, Polotsk, 1:250,000. (C)
USSR Series 1:50,000, General Staff, Red Army, N35-23C.
REFERENCES:
Army Special Photo Intelligence Report Nr. 24-58, 1. Jun 58.
COORDINATES: 5528'N/29'03'E
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