Tales from the Lithuanian KGB Crypt No. 4: A List of KGB Undercover Measures During the Lithuania Visit of U.S. Journalist Tom Brazaitis in 1989

 Blog Series: Tales from the Lithuanian KGB Crypt

Tale No. 4: A List of KGB Undercover Measures During the Lithuania Visit of U.S. Journalist Tom Brazaitis in 1989

 

The original document was scanned and uploaded by the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania on July 24, 2020. It can be accessed here.

 

Translation below by Filip Kovacevic, PhD

 

Secret

Doc. No. 1

 

Approved

Deputy Chief of the 1^st Department of the KGB of the Lithuanian SSR

Colonel G. G. Chernikov [signed]

17 August 1989   

 

A List of

Undercover and Operative Measures

Concerning Object [of Interest] DPI No. 2348 BROTHER

 

According to the information from TsPOIS VGU KGB SSSR [Central Operative-Search System of the Second Chief Directorate of the KGB of the USSR], from August 10 until September 2, Object DPI No. 2438 BROTHER will be on the Moscow-Vilnius-Kaunas-Riga route -

 

Brazaitis Thomas, born in 1940,

native-born citizen of the U.S., the Washington Bureau

chief of the Cleveland newspaper The Plain Dealer,

resident of Washington, DC.

 

From 17.08.1989, Object will be in Vilnius at the invitation of the president of the organization “Tevishke” (“Homeland”) Comrade Sakalauskas (in accordance with the petition of the prominent Lithuanian émigré activist I. Bublen).

 

With the aim of detecting the potential signs of collaboration with the intelligence services of the U.S. [and] the conduct of hostile activities, and also the study [observation] of political, business, and personal qualities of BROTHER, the following undercover and operative measures are to be conducted:

1. Send agents [name redacted] and KRASHTOTIRININKAS (Comrade V. Bitinaitis) to study [observe] Object.

2. Conduct OTM “S” [operative and technical measures i.e., wiretapping] at the place of BROTHER’s temporary residence in Vilnius (Hotel “Draugyste,” Room No. 606, Tel. 66-16-37).

3. Search in the operative databases for the contacts of Object detected in the course of his study [observation].

4. Decide whether it is useful to establish a direct operative contact with BROTHER by Comrade V. Bitinaitis under the appropriate cover. 

Operative of the 1^st Section of the 1^st Department of the KGB of the Lithuanian SSR, Captain R. Chapas [signed] 

No. 1/1 – 2226 on 16.08.1989.