FBI
Originator: FBI
Document date: 05/25/1956
Document type: Paper

## Page 1

Released under the John

Kennedy Assassination

Records Collection Act of

1992 (44 USC 2107 Note).

Case#: NW/ 64954 Date:

11-14-2022

Date :

11/12/97

Page :

1

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION

FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : INSCOM/CSF

RECORD NUMBER : 194-10001-10278

RECORDS SERIES : DOD AFFILIATED PERSONNEL AND INCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

: C6013559P - PAGES 169-177

DOCUMENT

INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM :

TO

TITLE : FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS

05/25/56

DATE

PAGES

: 9

SUBJECTS : VALENTINA ONICK

VALENTINA BELOBRODSKI

MRS. FREDERICK WILLIAM ONICK

WALTER BELOBRODSKI

FREDERICK WILLIAM ONICK

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION : SECRET

RESTRICTIONS : 1C, 4

CURRENT STATUS : RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 10/19/17

OPENING CRITERIA : COMPLETION OF REVIEW BY FBI

COMMENTS : COORDINATION WITH FBI HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND

DETERMINED TO BE RELEASABLE, PER MEMO DTD 5 NOV 1997.

NW 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 1

---

## Page 2

Torin

FD -72 (5-12-55)

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

REPORTING OFFICE

OFFICE OF ORIGIN

DATE

SEATTLE, WASH.

TITLE OF CASE

SEATTLE

5/25/56

REPORT MADE BY

REESE Ho: CHIPMAN

CHARACTER OF CASE

INVESTIGATIVE PERIOD

4/30;5/24/56

TYPED BY

bjr

VALENTINA ONICK, nee Belobrodski,

aka Mrs. Frederick William Onick

INTERNAL SECURITY - R

15-7-46

SYNOPSIS:

X

DECLASSIFY ON: 25X_

SOY SHERE SHOWS

Findinisa

SEORET

(JFK)

VALENTINA ONICK interviewed on 4/30/56 at which time she verified previous

background concerning herself and confirmed her employment with the Office

of the Commercial Counselor (Soviet Goverrment) in Vancouver, BoCo, Canada

from about 5/46 to 2/47. She claimed to have no knowledge of espionage

activity by Soviet personnel, or any of their Canadian contacts whom she

cannot now recall.

Mrs. ONICK said

she was a member of National Council

for Canadian-Soviet Friendship Society during 1943-44, (Which organization

came under Communist control about 1947, according to T-2, a confidential

source abroad.) She admitted being a member of Federation of Russian

Canadians and said her parents were also members of this organization.

She stated her brother, WALTER BELOBRODSKI, was a member of Polish

Democratic Association.

Both of the above organizations are Communist

controlled,

according to T-2.

Mrs. ONICK declared she and her parents

engaged in activities of the above organizations for social reasons.

She asserted she has never engaged in espionage or disloyal activities,

and she knew of no such activity on the part of her husband or relatives.

APPROVED

COPIES MADE:

179Y331

JER TICK FOFCE - G -

titan cat.

SECRET

SPECIAL AGENT

IN CHARGE

A.SAOE IN PART

FOCAL DENIAL

169

Continued on page la

DO NOT WRITE IN SPACES BELOW

PROPERTY OF THE FBI

This report is loaned to you by the FBI,

and neither it nor its contents are to be

distributed outside the agency to which

loaned.

067DEC/62

SAn Francisco - 4.

2

EXCLUDED

FROM AUT MATC REGRADING;

DOD DIR 200.10 DOE: NOT APPLY

PROPERTY OF FBI.—This report is loaned to you by the FBl, and neither it nor its contents are to be distributed outside the agency to which loaned.

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

16-60637-4

NWV. 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 2

---

## Page 3

SECRET

SE 65-3458

COPIES MADE:

7 - Bureau (REGISTERED).

(5-100-347657)

(1 - FREDERICK WILLIAM ONICK)

(1 - WILLIAM FREDERICK ONICK)

1 - DIO, 13th ND, Seattle (REGISTERED)

1 - US, INS, Seattle (REGISTERED)

San Francisco (REGISTERED)

(1-105-3689) (Infoo)

1 - 105-3945) (1nf0.)

1=105-3907 11n10.

3 - Seattle ( 5-3t56)

Sixth Army, Presidio of San Francisco)

11.0

SECRET

NW. 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 3

---

## Page 4

SECRET

SE 65-3458

DETAILS:

AT SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

On April 30, 1956, VALENTINA ONICK, maiden name BELOBRODSKI,

also known as Mrs. FREDERICK WILIIAM ONICK,

was interviewed at the

Seattle office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation by SAs DOUGLAS

J. KRAUTER and REESE H. CHIPMAN. Mrs. ONICK furnished the following

information:

BACKGROUND DATA

Born February 12, 1923 at Szereszow, Poland, the daughter of

JOHN P. BELOBRODSKI and PAULINE KALINIEKO BELOBRODSKI•

In addition to

background data previously furnished to the U.S. Immigration and

Naturalization Service, which was previously reported, Mrs. ONICK

stated she has a brother ALEXANDER BELOBRODSKI, who also lives in

Vancouver, B. C., Canada.

She stated that ALEXANDER is 47 years old

and is married to one NADIA BARMUTA

BELOBRODSKI.

Mrs. ONICK advised that she was married on April 23, 1955 at

Vancouver B. C. rather than on April 28, 1955 as previously reported.

She stated she and her husband still reside at 3717 - 26th

Place West, Seattle•

Her husband is presently employed as Assistant

Field Director, American Red Cross, 13th Naval District, Pier 91, and

she is employed as a secretary-stenographer at the Sylvania Radio

Company, 3346 East Marginal Way, Seattle.

EMPLOYMENT - Office of the Commercial Counselor

Soviet Government

Vancouver, B. Co

Approximately May, 1946 to February, 1947

Mrs. ONICK related that she was employed by the Office

of the Commercial Counselor, also known as the soviet Purchasing

Commission in Canada or the Office of the Commercial Attache, from

about May, 1946 to January or February, 1947 when the office closed.

She related that the office at that time was located in an old

residential area on Granville Street but had previoulsy been located

in the Marine Building in down town Vancouver, B. C. The personnel

in the office during her employment were as follows:

SERGEI GRIGORIEVICH LUKIANOV, Chief;

PETER P. GAVRILOV, Port Engineer;

ALEXANDER E. NAZAROV, who was some sort of shipping inspector,

(FNU) SEMENOV, she was not certain of the latter's name.

171

SECRET

20

NWV. 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 4

---

## Page 5

SECRET

SB 65-3456

She was

secretary to Mr. LUKIANOV and occasionally

did minor correspondence for some of the other men.

She

recalled that Mr. LUKIANOV left some time late in 1946, and

that GAVRITOV was

the last remaining soviet who closed up the

Mrs. ONICK stated her duties consisted of writing

letters in English to the Impire Shipping Company, Yarrow's

Shipyard and other Canadian firms doing business under a

"lend lease"

arrangement with the Soviet Government.

the soviets did not entrust her with any highly confi-

dential information, usually taking care of this themselves.

She said she knew very little concerning their day to day

activities except for what appeared

to be legitimate matters

connected with Russian-Canadian trade.

She recalled that

LUKIANOV frequently called the American Consulate concerning

clearance for soviet seamen and

also made arrangements for

travel of other Soviet personnel.

She said GAVRILOV appeared

to be handling repairs of Soviet ships and NAZAROV also had

duties which frequently took him to the soviet ships in port.

Mrs. ONICK recalled a Lieutenant ALEXANDER G. PAVLOV

whom she believed made two trips to Vancouver from Ottawa,

Canada, and she said she had also heard of Commander NIKOLAI

IGNATIEV, who hac formerly been a Navy convoy officer at

Vancouver.

She had also heard of one GUNNADI TYRIANOV, who.

preceded LUKIANOV as hoad of the office.

Mrs. ONICK was also acquainted with Mrs. LUKIANOV,

who claimed to have been a dentist in Russia.

She said the above Soviets occasionally attended

social affairs with some of the well known people in Vancouver,

B. C. of Russian descent, particularly Mr. LUKIANOV, however,

she said she can not now recall any of these people specilically.

She said she had no social contacts with the above soviets

except on one or two occasions and she said that nothing of

any security interest transpired at these events:

Virs. ONICK was shown photographs of a considerable

number of Soviet personnel who were attached to the soviet

Government Purchasing Cormission in the Seattle, Washington -

Portland, Oregon offices in the United States, however, she

was not acquainted with these individuals and could furnish

no information concerning them.

SERGEI GRIGORIEVICH LUKIANOV

In August, 1943, Confidential Informant Se I-1,

of unknown reliability, advised that one LUKIANOV,

member of the Soviet Government Purchasing Commis-

sion In the United states?

was one of acnumbertoft

CRET

NW. 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 5

---

## Page 6

SECRET

SE 65-3458

Soviet Government officials who were then engaged

in espionage in the United States.

It is believed

that this individual is identical with SERGEI

GRIGORIEVICH. LUKIANOV, who was a member of the

Soviet Government Purchasing Commission in the

United States from about 1943 to 1945 at which

time he was transferred and became Chief of the

Soviet Purchasing Commission in Vancouver, B. C.,

Canada.

LUKIANOV is believed to have departed from

Canada on September 23, 1946 enroute to Moscow via

New York. He departed from New York on October 23,

1946.

According to records of the United States

State Department, he returned to the United States

in Jan uary 1949,

as Secretary to the Soviet

Delegation

. to the International Conference on Wheat

and remained in this country until March 25,

1949.

Investigation during this latter period

did not disclose he was engaged in intelligence

activities.

Mrs. ONICK advised that she had no knowledge of

any espionage activity or any activity upon the part of the .

above soviet personnel which was against the best interests

of the Canadian Government and as far as she was able to

determine, their business in Canada appeared to be entirely

Legitimate. she said that none had ever approached

her to engage in any type of activity in behalf of the Soviet

Government.

no eat a no, to or a soil e

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR CANADIAN-SOVIET FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY,

Aka THE CANADIAN-SOVIET FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY, CANADIAN-

SOVIET FRIUNDSHIP LEAGUE

The National Council for Canadian-Soviet Friendship

Society is the forerunner of the present Canadian-

Soviet Friendship Society which has been described

"Communist Front" by confidential informant

I-2, a confidential source abroad.

T-2 advised

that this organization was not considered under

open Communist control until 1947.

Mrs. ONICK related that the above organization, to

the best of her knowledge, was organized in approximately

1940 or 1941 when Russia

and Canada were close allies.

She said it was

a cultural organization to begin with

and

173

SECRET

NWV. 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 6

---

## Page 7

SE 65-3458

SECRET:

was sponsored by many prominent and loyal Canadian citizens in Vancouver,

B.C. She claimed that originally the Prime Minister of Canada, the

Lieutenant Governor and such prominent individuals as Dr. (FNU) MacKENZIE,

President of the University of Vancouver, B. C., were among the members

and sponsors. She recalled that LEON LADNER, an attorney, was chairman.

Mrs. ONICK could not recall the exact circumstances surrounding

her joining of the above organization, but believed she had read about

it in the local newpapers.

To the best of her recollection, she joined

the organization about 1943 and attended functions of the organization

at infrequent intervals during 1943-44. She said that sometime during

this period, she was nominated to the Board of Directors of the organi-

zation, which position was entirely honorary and involved no work or

activity. She asserted the activities of the organization were handled

by the president and secretary.

Mrs. ONICK recalled attending several social functions of the

organization in the form of dinners which were held in the salon of the

Hotel Vancouver. She also attended one function at the University in

Vancouver, B. C. She described the above functiorsby stating they

appeared to be purely social and cultural in nature, and there were

discussions concerning an interchange of music, drama and literature

between Canada and Russia.

Nrs. ONICK said she could not recall specifically any person

asking her to join, nor could she recall at the present time the names

of the officers or members.

Mrs. ONICK stated that at the time she felt flattered to belong

to an organization of that kind since she was a very young, naive girl

just out of high school. She said that at the time she was a member,

Russia and Canada were on very friendly terms and it appeared the

fashionable thing to do.

Mrs. ONICK believed that her attendance at

functions of the organization ceased during the latter part of 1944 or

very early 1945.

She said it was possible the organization continued having

her name on the letterhead of the official stationery after she had

ceased attending functions and said her severance of connections with

the organization was very gradual. She recalled that some time in 1945,

it was disclosed that Soviet Government officials had been engaged in

espionage in Canada and relationships between Canada and Russia became

strained. Mrs. ONICK was of the opinion that many members of the organi-

zation who had been active during

World War II, dropped out at that

time although she could not furnish any details.

She

said that none of her relatives belonged to this

organization.

174

SECRET

5.

NW. 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 7

---

## Page 8

SE 65-3458

SECRET

FEDERATION OF RUSSIAN-CANADIANS

The Federation of Russian-Canadians has been described

by I-2 as a Communist controlled organization.

Mrs. ONICK related that her parents belonged to the above

organization as long as she could remember purely for social reasons.

She explained that neither could speak good English and that her

mother, particularly, sought enjoyment in the musical and social

activities ofthis organization.

She said that her brother, WALTER,

was also a member of this organization. She advised that she had

attended social functions of this organization since she was a little

girl and during World War II, she was asked to join the choir and

etfe and durine lorat tar

orchestra. She also took music lessons there when she was small.

Mrs.

ONICK stated she was aware there were persons in this organization who

were interested in political matters, but she said the organization

contained a great variety of people whose interests were variously

175

5a.

SECRET

NW. 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 8

---

## Page 9

SECRET

SE 65-3458

divergent and she claimed to have

knowledge of any Communist

influence or control of the organization.

She could recall no

attempts by the organization to teach Communist principles. Mrs.

ONICK stated that subsequent to World War II she began working

and her contacts with this organization were less frequent.

POLISH DEMOCRATIC ASSOCIATION

The Polish Democratic Association has been described by

I-2 as a Communist controlled organization.

It has previously been reported that I-2 advised in August,

1955, that WALTER BELOBRODSKI, brother of Mrs. ONICK, was a member of

the Polish Democratic Association and as of January, 1950, was secre-

tary of this association at Vancouver, B.C. T-2 also advised that

Mrs ONICK's parents were reportedly active in this organization as of

January, 1950.

Mrs. ONICK claimed she knew nothing of the above organization

and itsactivities.

She knew her brother WALTER, also known as

VIADIR, was a member of this organization, but she did not know

that her parents had been members of it.

Mrs. ONICK related that her brother WALTER immigrated to

Canada separately from the other members of the family, coming in

1939. He lived with the family in Vancouver, B.C. only about one

year and then moved to Vancouver Island. She said he went into the

Canadian Army in about 1941 and was wounded at the battle of Dunkirk.

Subsequently he married an English girl and came back to Canada after

World War II.

After living at home for about six months, he and his

wife went back to England for about one year. They then returned to

Vancouver where they established a separate residence.

She stated

that WALTER's wife was formerly BETTY MARCHANT. She believes BETTY

is also a member of the Polish Democratic Association.

THE LABOR PROGRESSIVE PARTY OF CANADA

The Labor Progressive Party of Canada has been described

as a Cormunist controlled organization by T-2.

Mrs. ONICK said she was aware of the existence of the

Labor Progressive Party in Canada, but stated she has

no informa-

tion concerning its' activities or membership and she stated she

does not know whether her brother WALTER and his wife have ever been

affiliated with this organization in any manner.

She stated that it

was possible they could have been members without her knowledge due

to the fact she and the other members of the family have not been

"close" to WALTER and his wife.

176

6.

NW. 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 9

---

## Page 10

JLUNLI

SE 65-3458

She related that WALTER, since

oximately August, 1955,

has been employed by some Polish language newspaper at Toronto, Canada.

She said she has not been a member of

any organizations

in Canada other than those mentioned above, and she has not joined

any organizations since coming to the United States in August, 1955.

MISCELLANEOUS

Mrs. ONICK said she has not discussed her family history in

detail with her husband, FREDERICK, and she has not told him anything

about her activities in the Canadian organizations mentioned in this

report.

She also advised that FREDERICK has never told her about

any organizations which he formerly belonged to.

She could not

recall that he had ever mentioned the Russian-American Society, RAS,

Which has been designated by the Attorney General of the United

States pursuant to Executive Order 10450.) She advised that she and

her husband have been primarily interested in music, drama and art

as hobbies,

and that aside from their work, they spend most of their

spare time in these pursuits.

She said they are not interested in

politics other than being loyal to the country of their choice. She

said she has applied to become a U. So citizen.

Mrs. ONICK declared that she has never engaged in espionage

or activities which would be contrary to the best interests of Canada

or the United States, and to the best of her knowledge, neither her

husband nor other relatives have been so engaged.

177

GROUP 1

Excluded from autonatio

downgrading and

declassification.

SE CHEL

NWV. 64954

Docld:34517369 Page 10

---