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.

 

Tales from the Lithuanian KGB Crypt No. 3: KGB-Moscow Asks KGB-Vilnius to Wiretap Visiting American Students

Blog Series: Tales from the Lithuanian KGB Crypt

Tale No. 3: KGB-Moscow Asks KGB-Vilnius to Wiretap Visiting American Students

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

The KGB of the Lithuanian SSSR

Encrypted Telegram No. 9123

Received 24.12.1986 9:55 AM

[signature illegible]

From Moscow No. 16245 Secret

Vilnius: To the Chief of the 1^st Department of the KGB of the Lithuanian SSSR, Karinauskas V. L.

From December 27 to December 30 of this year, a group of American (11 individuals) and Italian (3 individuals) students studying at the Maurice Thorez Moscow State Linguistic University will be visiting Vilnius.

The group will be housed in the dormitory of the Vincas Kapsukas Vilnius State University.

We request, if possible, [for you] to set up operative observation, including the use of operative-technical means, of the objects of interest Peter Byrne, Eric Nehrbauer, Bryan Connell and Sally Patterson.

For the coordination of this task, an officer of the Directorate RT, Lt. Colonel Yuri Sergeyevich Tumanov, will arrive as a member of the group.

No. 61561/RT Deputy Chief of the Directorate RT PGU KGB USSR Goncharov

23.12.1986.

[The document contains the handwritten short remarks and signatures of several Lithuanian KGB officers.]

 

Tales from the Lithuanian KGB Crypt No. 2: A KGB Source Reports Rumors About the Continued Production of the Israeli Jet Fighter Lavi

Blog Series: Tales from the Lithuanian KGB Crypt

Tale No. 2: A KGB Source Reports Rumors About the Continued Production of the Israeli Jet Fighter Lavi

The original document was scanned and uploaded by the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania on October 16, 2020. It can be accessed here.

Translation below by Filip Kovacevic, PhD

Secret

Doc. No. 1

 

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

Colonel Comrade Karinauskas, V. L.

 

Regarding the Production of the Israeli Jet Fighter Lavi

From our source [ARIEL], on a private visit in Israel [January 6, 1988], we have received information regarding the production of the new secret Israeli jet fighter Lavi in an aircraft plant somewhere near Tel-Aviv. Relying on the information from the Israeli press as well as the data received from the person who works at the plant where the jet fighter was developed and is, at this time, being produced, our source reported the following: The jet fighter Lavi was completely developed by Israeli specialists. Its documentation was classified as top secret; however, the fact of its existence became known to the military-industrial complex of the United States and since the jet fighter was, according to its characteristics, superior to the U.S. jet fighter Phantom purchased by the Israeli Ministry of Defense, the U.S. put maximum pressure on Israel to give up the production of the fighter jet. In 1987-1988, there was an official announcement in the pro-government newspapers of Israel that the production of the new jet fighter Lavi was “frozen” and would not be re-started any time soon; however, according to the report of the person who works at the aircraft plant, the production of Lavi has continued in the conditions of secrecy from the Israeli public and possibly also from the United States. All persons who are engaged in the production of the jet fighter Lavi have been moved to the night shift. One aircraft is allegedly produced every week. 

For your information.

Acting Chief of the 2^nd Directorate of the KGB of the Lithuanian SSR

Colonel Kosakovsky, G. I. [signed]

24.03.1988