SELECT PAGES OF REPORT FROM DEBRIEF OF NOSENKO ON SEVENTH DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES (JUNE 1955 - JANUARY 1960)
Originator: CIA
Document date: 2000-01-01 00:00:00
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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Heleased under the John F. Kennedy

Assassination Records Collection Act of

1992 (44 USC 2107 Note). Case#:NW

65990 Date: 10.29-2021

(SEVENTI: NEPAPTHENT - June 1955-January 1960)

Oscrational Actirities (1958-1960)

Deputy Chick of the irerican-arttish Commentealth Section

According to Mosruio, the rercath bepartrent vas rcorgar-

izcd in june 1959, and NOSE:lO's section, nich

theretofore

had been concerned with opcrations against foreigr tourists

countries, vas split into tro ne: sections, one

tourists from tie linited states and the

Critish Corroavealth anc the otice viti tourists

from EuropE,

Latin Merica, and all other ccuntrics. NOSEliO claimeo

that at that time he was proroted to the position of Deputy

Chief of the imerican-britis: Cormonwealth Section, "the

most impostant section of the Soventh Department".

In septenuer 1958, he claired to have personally recruited

Gisclla HAiRIS.

It was also in 1938, he

said, that he super-

visce the scxual entrapment of Virgil KRAfT, although Seventh

Department Chief DU3AS nade the actual approach.

Beginring

in the spring of 1959 he saic he directed his agents YEFREMOV

and VOLOV in

a series of successful entraprents--DRE%, LUNIS,

HILDY, TAYLOR, and MERTINS.

NOSEKO stated that he also

used

these homosexual agents in 1959 in compromising two

American guides at the sokolniii Exhibit, BARRACT and MILLER-

FORD.

Finally, NOSENKO said, he recruited the Moscow

repicsentative of the American Express Company, FRIPPEL.

NOSENKO clained that his operational success during 1959

carnca him a commendation fron the KGB Chairman.

[He has

since retracted all claims to any awards carned during his

KG? service.)

It nas because of his position as Deputy

Chief of the American-British Co-montealth Section, NOSENKO

said, that he first became involved with lee Harvey OS'iALD.

MOSENKO asserted that the recruitment of agents among

foreign tourists was secondary to his department's principal

mission, the detection of jestern intelligence officers and

agents among the increasing flo: of tourists visiting the

Soviet Union.

In line with that counterintelligence mission,

on General GRIBANOV's order in the fall of 1959, NOSENiO

Document Number 1549-497

for FOlA Rerior on

FEB 1978

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(SEVENTH DEPARTIENT - June 1955-Januazy 1960)

-FRIPPEL claims that he saw liOSENio on three occasions,

twice in Odessa, while visiting the USSP. in

: 1962 and

1963.

NOSENKO insisted that he ret FRIPPEl, but once

in Odessa and once in Moscow in that period.

]

corrent elated i call of the to 5 30 2.

February

1963 meetings with FRIPPEL in the

His account of FRIPPFL's activities is

not teeth repress verson ence age

Lee llarvey OSALD (1959-19602

1959-1960 and in 1963

In that capacity he participated

Comment: NOSENKO's information on his involvement with

OSWALD in 1959 is insufficient to serve

evidence confirming or refuting his claimed

of he save men cy

service as Deputy Chief of the American Sectio

f the Seventh Department in 1959

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(SEVENTH DEPARIMENT - January 1962-January 1964)

las promoted to the position of a (one of three) Deputy Chief

of the entire Seventh Department.

A year later, he was made

First Deputy Chiuf, and thus second-in-commano

to CHELNOKOV

and general supervisor of all Second Chief Directorate tourist

operations.

The Seventh Department, which had a strength of

about 100 kGs officers, was responsible for all operations

against tourists in the soviet Union.

From this period NOSINKO

clained to have learned, either by virtue of his position as

Deputy Chief or otherwise, or

a number of KG3 opcrations

against imericans, including two arrests, one recruitment, and

investigations of a suspected FBI agent and of Lee liarvey

OSHALD.

HOSENKO as well attributes to his senior KGB posi

tion during this period his inowledge of an American GRU agent

and of the KGB investigation of a disaffected imerican Embassy

Section officer,

the

latter

occurring

just before NOSENKO Ie-

turned to Geneva for the second time, and defected.

Recruitment of SVENCHANSKIY

NOSENKO'S Information

In September 1963, NOSENKO took over from his subordinate.

Seventh Department case officer YXe.N. NOSKOV, the management

of KGB agent Alexander SVENCHANSAlY (cryptonym

"ANOD").

SVENCHANSKIY was the president of "Afton

Tours", a travel

agency in New York City, and the owner of a Chicago Russiar-

language bookstore.

that SteNCHlANSkil might

sonnel in New York City.

'felt" that SVENCHAWS*IY was not an FBl informant an

ecruited him in 1960 or 1961 after he was arrested fo

SKIY's cooperation was secured against KGB

inturist would refer business to the agent's New York trave.

SVENCHANSKIY's task was to screen visa applications of

prospective tourists to the Soviet Union for persons who

might be connected with American Intelligence.

If he suspected

such a person, he would make a signal by moving the photograph

on the visa application slightly,

or making a small pin-prick

or pencilled mark on the application form.

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(SEVENTH DEPARTIENT' - JanUary 1952-January 1964)

3

The OS LD CASE

NOSENKO'S knowledge of the KGB's interest in

OsiniD sterned from his clained Tourist Department

assignrents.

He asserted that while Deputy Chief

of the imerican Section In 1959 he participated en

the i:3B deternination that OSWALD was

of no operational

interest.

In September 1963, when MOSENKO was Deputy

Chief of the Tourist Departrent, he was informed of

ostrid's visit to rhe soviet Enbassy in lexico City to

apply to return to the USSR. Inmediately following

President Kennedy's assassination, NOSENKO,

as

Deputy Chief of the Tourist Department, reviewed KS3

records of OSwAlD's stay in the soviet Union including

the Second Chief Directorate file on OSWALD.

For continuity of presentation, both periods of

NOSEiXO's alleged involverent with the OSWALD case

(1959-60 and 1963) are discüssed here.

The infornation NOSE:ViO provided on the OSliLD

case is significant if it substantiates NOSENKO's

claired positions

the KG3 and

confirms the validity

of his clain that he knew the extent of KGB involverent

with OSKALD.

NOSENKO's Infornation

Residence in the USSR

Prior to OSWALD's arrival in the USSR, he was

completely unknown to the KGB.

Moreover,

upon

receipt of his visa application, the KGB

Second Chief

Directcrate determined that he las not of sufficient

importance to justify any special interest by the

Seventi Department.

Not until about October 1959.

when OSWALD expressed a desire to remain in the USSR

did he come to the attention of HOSENKO, who was, at

that tire, Deputy chief of the American Section of

the Seventh Department.

him sere thereupon collected and examined -

the visa

of KGB Archives.

interviewed the

interpreter to whom OSWALD had stated

his wish to stay in the Ussr.

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(SEVENTH DEPARTIENT - January 1962-January 1964)

Although the KGB considered it possible that OScALD

might be an American agent, the kgb did nothing to

investigate this possibility because "this would be

done after the person 1s alloved to stay in the soviet

Unson."

Survelliance of OSWALD was not increased after

his request, and OSALD was not interviered by the KGB

in an attempt to establish his intentions.

sent NOSENiO, his caref, a memorandun on information

which had been recerved

concerning OStAlD.

The razorandun

cated reports by rG3 informants at

the liotel Berlin, where

OSTALD was staying in accordance, with an Inturist Itinerary

and a two-page report by tha Inturist Interpreter to whom

OSWALD made his anitial request to ronain in the Soviet

Union.

A file incorporating all information which KRUNOV

had collected was thereupon opened In MOSLiKO's section.

From this inforration NOSENKO and KRUPNOV concluded

that OSWALD was of no interest to the KG3, and both agreed

that OSWALD appeared sonowhat "abnorma!."

For this reason

NOSENKO Instructed KPUPNOV to advise OSHALD through

the

Inturist interproter that he would not be permitted to

serain permanently in the USSR and that he must depart on

the expiration of his visa, then seek re-entry as a

permanent rusident through

normal channels at the Sovict

Embassy in Washington.

KRUPNOV follo..ed HOSANKO's orders,

and either that day or the next Hostio learned that OStiALD

failed to appear for a scheduled tour arranged by his

Inturist guide.

This promoted a search, and after several

hours,

OSWALD was found in his hotel room, blerding heavily

from self-inflicted wounds.

After hearing of this

incident

fron KRUPNOV, NOSa!KO then reported it to K.N. DUBiS, Chief

of the Seventil Department.

NOSENKO believed that DUBAS In

turn reported it to GRIBANOV, head of the KGB Second Chief

Directorate. GRIBAHOV upheld NOSENiO's original decision

that the KGB should not become involved with OSWALD and

that OSWALD should not be permitted to remain in the USSR.

There was no attempt to debrief OSWALD because "he was

not an interesting person and wasn't normal." OSTiALD was

never questioned on his past nor asked to write an

auto-

biography.

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(SEVENTH DEPARTMET - Jaruary 1962-January 1961)

HosENio did not know who eventually granted

OStiALD permission to reside temporarily In the USSR

or who approved issuance of his temporary residence permit.

The KGB gave

instructions that he not be allowed to live

in the Moscow area.

Either the Soviet Ped Cross or the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs may have made this decisior

to assign OSWALD to linsk.

The Seventil apartment updated

us file, and it was sent, along with a cover letter pre-

pared by KRUrNOV, to the local KGB organization in winsk.

KRUPtOV's letter summarized the case and specifically in-

strusted local authorities there to take

no action con-

cerning OSWALD except

to

observe his

activities

"passivaly"

to make sure that he was not an American Intelligence agent

on temporary

"sleeper" status. NOSENKO read this letter,

and It was signed by DuBAS.

on the basis of the instructions

containca in the letter, NOSENiO said,

no active steps could

be taken

in Minsk without KGB Headguarters approval.

It was

HOSENKO's opinion that the only coverage of OSWALD during

his stay in Minsk consisted of periodic checks

at his

place of employment, questioning of his neighbors

and

associates,

and

coverage of his mait.

After OSWALD's

threatened second suicide attempt, the KGB "washed its

hands of him" and that even though there was considered

to be some possibility that he was a

"sleeper agent,"

KGB Headquarters intcrest in him while he was in Minsk

was "practically nil."

Request to Return to the USSR

The KGB Second Chief Directorate was not concerned

with OStALD's return to the United States in June 1962,

nhach time NOstino was Deputy Chief of the Severth

repartment.

No further word on him was received at KGB

readjuarters until he appeared at the Soviet Embassy in

Mexico City in September 1963 and requested a visa to

return to the Soviet Union.

The Nexico Legal Residency

reported his visit to KGB Headquarters by cable, re-

guesting information.

The KGB First Chief Directorate

lad no record on OSwAlD.

the first Chief Directorate: I. TURALIN, Deputy Chief of

Service Number Tro (Counter-

intelligence Abroad) called the Seventh Department to

spe if the latter element had

any information on OSWALD,

Tile Chief of the Sixth

Section of the Seventi Department,

J.X. ALEKSEYEV, received the call and reported the in-

quiry to seventi Deparcment Chief CHELNOKOV or to KOVALENKO.

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(SCIENTI DLARTANT - January 1902-January 1961)

rosanNo thought he himself das present at the time.

ALEKSEYEV

was given OscALD's background,

including his suicide attenot

and the faot that he was not considered normal,

and was

tole to advise the First Chief Dircetorate that OS-AlD should

not be purmitted to return to the sovict Union.

ALIKSEYEV

rclayed this information to the First Chief Directoratc.

oscio did not know to whom OSKALD had spoken at the

Soviet Inbassy in Mexico City, and he kres of no contacts

between OStalo and Cubans or representatives of the Culan

Government there or elsewhere.

Comment:

Independent sources, however, reported on

visits by OSHALU to the Cuban

as well as

Soviet Invassies in Mexico City beticen 29

September and 3 October

1963 and on his

(apparently overt) contact with a KGR officer

under consular cover at the Soviet Embassy

there.

NOSENKO ori jinally said he knew

nothing of any such contact.

In October 1966

he revised this to say

that OSHALD did not

have contact with the liGh in Moxico City.

NOSINKO explained that he had been sitting in

the office of Scenth Department Chief, k.i.

DURAS, when a cable arrived at Moscow Head-

quarters from the KGB Legal Residency in

Mexico.

The caule, which roscio

said he did

not personally see, Icported that OSWALD had

visited the Sovict Embassy in Mexico City

requesting permission to return to the USSR

and that the cable specified that OSVALD had

dealt with Soviet Forcign Ministry personnel

only.

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ÜJ

(GIVENTH DEPARTHENT - January 1962-January 1964)

ront-Ausassination Review of. KGH File

NOSENKO next learned of OSSAID's activities as a result

of President kennedy's assassination.

About two hours after

President Kennedy was shot, NOSINKO vas advised of this

fact

in i telephone call to his

again by telephone, that the

President had died.

Aboyt two hours later, NOSENKO was told

that OStALD had been arrested, and he and

the other

officers

of the American tourist Section

to determine

whether the KGB had any information concerning him.

After

establishing OSWALD's identity from KGB files and lcarning

that his file was still in Minsk, NOSENKO phoned the KGB

office in Minsk on GRIBANOV's orders.

The local KGB dictated

over the telephone a gunmary of its file on OSWALD.

This

summary concluded with the statement that the KGh in Minsk

had attempted "to influence OS!ALD in the right direction".

GRIBANOV had been greatly disturbed about

the local KGB's

efforts because it had been given specific instructions to

carry out nothing other than passive measures against OSWALD

there.

He ordered that all Iccords in Mirst: pertaining to

OSKALD's stay there, as well as an explanation of the

meaning of the statement about influencing OS"iALD, be flown

immediatcly to Moscow by military aircraft.

NOSENKO personally

read the explanation from Minsk conccrning

the meaning of

this statement and thoroughly reviewed OSALD's file when

it arrived by plane.

He then turned the file over to s.M.

FEDOSEYEV, the Chief of the American Department of the KGD

Second Chief Directorate, who prepared a two-page summary

memorandun for GRIBANOV.

This memorardun,

which NOSENKO

read, was forwarded to KGB Chairman Semiciastnys, and

Semichastayy in turn reported to the CPSU Central Committee

and to Khrushchev concerning it.

OSWALD's file from Minsk contained no information to

indicate that the KGB in Minsk had taken any action with

respect to OSWALD contrary to instructions from KGB Head-

quarters. From the date of OSWALD's arrival in the USSR

until his departure, the KGB had no personal contact with

him and had not attempted to utilize him in any manner.

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(SEVENTH DEPARTIENT - January 1962-January 1964)

OSAID never received any HiGB trainirig or KGh assign-

ments.

If any other department of the liGh or the cau had

wanted to use oswild in any way, it would have had to secure

permission from the Seventh Departnent, which originally

opened his case file.

In view of OS ALD's apparent mental

instability, no Sovict intelligence organization, particu-

Jarly not the Thirleenta (Assassination and Sabotage)

Department, would have considered using him.

kGB licad-

quarters did not maintain a control filo on him following

his scttlement in Minsi

as it would have done had OSALD

been of any operational interest.

The only KGB record on

OSALD maintained in loscow was an index card giving his

name and the fact the Seventh Department had originated a

interest in Marina either while she was

or after she left for the United States.

Comment: NOSENKO later told CIA

of OSWALD for the first time.

optember 1963 is provably incorrect.

onsular file turned over to the U.S. Govern

after the assassination indicated that the KGB

First Chief Directorate would have known of

OSHALD as early as February 1963 if not earlier.

That file contained Marina OSWALD's letter of

E: :

February 1963 and a letter of July 1963 from

OS'IALD, both of which indicated that OSWALD had

E.

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(SEVENTIl DEPARTIENT - January 1962-January 1964)

comment:

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(Continued)

carlier Irquested pormission to relurn to the

Soviet Union.

In the

last dated letter of the

file, one of 9 November

1963, 0S1ALD advised

the Sovict Embassy in "lashington of his travel

under alias to lexico, his fruitless contact

with an official (wiom CIA identifics as a

KGB officer) of the Sovict Brassy

in Noxico

City, his contact there with

the Cuban Consulate

. and his efforts to reach llavana in order to

visit the Soviet Embassy there.

"ithout regard

to possible carlier correspondence, OSWALD'S

request for a soviet visa addressed to the

Embassy in Washington in July 1963 would require

the Washington Residency to report the matter

to Moscow just as NOSENKO described the Mexico

City Residency later did. NOSENKO'S apparent

ignorance of OSWALD's communicationg with

the

Soviet Embassy in Washington discredits his

claim to complete knowledge of all aspects of

the KGB relationship with OSWALD.

The CHEREPANOV Papers

Comment:

On 4 November 1963 in Moscow, a MEZHKNIGA

employee claiming to be one

CHERFPANOV, passed

to an

American book-buyer a package which he

requested the American to deliver to a trust-

worthy person at the American Enbassy.

Embassy

officials found the package to contain a

bundle of typed or handwritten documents which

appeared to have originated in classified KGB

files.

rearing a soviet provocation which

could lead to a denunciation of the Embassy

for possessing classified Soviet Government

documents, Embassy officials had the documents

photographed and on the next day, 5 November.

returned the

originals to

che soviet Ministry

of Foreign Affairs.

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(SEVENTH DEPARTHENT - Jaruary 1902-Jaruary 1964)

Operational Activities - July 1262-January 1264: Summasy

so substantiate his claims to having served as Deputy

Chief of the Seventh Department during

period, loSENKO

describes liGs involverent in the recruitment of sUNCilANSHIY,

the arrests of kore: and BarGHOoRN, and the

of SULSIGER, OSALDe and of former KGB officer CHEREPANOV,

his discovery That SHURIN! was a GRU agent, ard his assignment

Even if ROSENKO learned of the operations as

he described and they were as he described (there are substan-

tial reasons why they might have been conducted by KGR

elements other than the

Seventh Department), they are atypical

with respect to NOSE::kO's oun description of Seventh Depart-

ment operations.

They do not accurately characterize,

NOSE io claims,

tourists, ana thus do not

substontiate his

service.

NOSEYKO's explanations for his assignment to

Geneva in 1964 are no more plausible than for his carlier

assigment there in 1962.

NOSENKO has asserted that he was

not a licutenant colonel as the temporary duty authorization

Chief of Department and

have been promoted as he

senior iGb positions

which he claimed to have held.

Lastly, his credivility is

diminished by his assertion that he invented the recall

telegram (nevertheless apparently confirmed by SCOTCH) to

pronot immediate CIA acceptance of his defection.

KGB Counterintelligence Operations

Among American Tourists

1962-1963

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