WITHHELD
Agency: CIA
Originator: CIA
From: HEADQUARTERS
To: DIRECTOR OF SECURITY
Document date: 3/11/64
Document type: PAPER - TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

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Date: 02/14/05

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : CIA

RECORD NUMBER : 104-10437-10056

RECORD SERIES : JFK

AGENCY FILE NUMBER

: RUSS HOLMES WORK FILE

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

Released under the John

F. Kennedy

Assassination Records

Collection Act of 1992

144 USC 2107 Notel.

Case#:NIT 53320 Date:

06-24-2017

AGENCY ORIGINATOR : CIA

FROM

: DIRECTOR OF SECURITY

TO : HEADQUARTERS

TITLE

WITHHELD

DATE

: 03/11/1964

PAGES

7

SUBJECTS : BIOGRAPHY

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER

CLASSIFICATION

:SECRET

RESTRICTIONS

CURRENT STAONS RELEASED IN PART PUBLIC - RELEASED WITH DELETIONS

DATE OF LAST REVIEW

: 11/20/98

COMMENTS

:JFK-RH05 : F108-5: 1998.11.20.10:30:07:966129 :

DETAILS INFO REC'D FROM PROMINENT KGB DEFECTOR

[R] - ITEM IS RESTRICTED

104-10437-10056

53320

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SESKET

IO BE OPHIED BY ADDRESOME ONLY

DIstrict Field Office

J7 March 1904

IATIORANIUN FOR: licadgunrüci's

SUBJECT

: LESNIK, George M. (1)

1262 622

C SD/1

Rescronce in made in leadquartoro letter of assignmont in

this cace dated & larch 1904.

During the perial 20-23 robiny 196t, while SUBJNCI vas

under the protective custody of Specinl. Agents Stanley C. LACHl,

George R. BRUER and Arred B. McGARACY, SULJECT voluntarily

Munished information conccining his backcround and activities,

as vell as other informiion of oncraulonal interest, the substance

of which is cet forth In the succeeding mrographs.

It is to be

noted_that at.no.time did.anj.or the above-named agonis solicit:

any of this inforation or idle inquirion of the SURJiCT regarding

any of the matters discusced by hill.

SUBJECT spoutaneougly relaied

those Incidonis in casual conversation quing leisue perious ond

while enroute with the agenis to and sion places of enteriainrent etc.

In most cases newspapers, munzinen and TV programs prompied the

SUBJECT to nake comments relative in these muttein.

a sumarization of this Information:

STORES, 110383.25

(a) On 20 Februaiy 1061 friCT disclooed that he enjoys the

colloring cporto: foothnll, hockey min billiards.

FORTEN TRAVEL

unityst the

He nleo revealed that he has previounly leen in the; United

Stateo while enroute to Cubn, Venezualn and other Inüin American

countaies. He has it one time or nnother during his corvice with the

KuB vinited and torted on openitoul projects for the Soviet Union

in pracilcally n1l. of the countrles of murope; hoover, he hos never

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TIONIK, Georce 11. (A)

1/262 622 C SD/1

traveled to the far Euct, excope while handling on ngont who is

active ngainst the Japanece.

He (SURJUGT) stayed lil the Kurllo

Ialands intch are within sight of Japan.

This was in 19d. le

said that he rae active in te picking up of agentr by plane and

chiy in this area.

FAWLY BACKGROUND

(c) In the latter part: of the coning on this came daie,

20 February 1904, the SUBJECT süated that his facho, vas a member

of the Communiot Contral Comnitice,

one of the fircs nenders of

the Conmunist Farty, and that he had great respect for his father.

The cUrJECi also indicated that his facher vas a shipbuilder and

Inter becano one of the firci to organize and sou ny the Mussiun

Aboule Encrey Plant.

It was during this latter activity that ha

(the SUBJECT's father) and three other offtclola cuno in contact

with radiation, which aifccied his futher's liver end a few years

Jator ot the uge of 54 his fatber died of cancer. The SUBJECT

vend on to stace that his father, being a very proninent Conunist,

was given treaumant loi this cancor in a enocial hospital which 1s

located in the hille outside of the city of Moscow, and during his

tenure in this hooplial the farily reuided wich his facher.

They

lad five roon living quaiters beside the room in which nis father

was confined.

This privilege, he unid,

is only giron to the capecially

promineut VIPs of the Cormunict Farty,

indicating that his facher mas

oue of the top men in the Corminist Farty.

(2)

The SUBJUGE revenled that in 1949, at the age of 10, he vas

a Haval Cadet. He vas called into the cervice before graduating from

wat 15 our equivalent of a high echool.

lio had inlen Inrt in the

Eighing in the Black Sca Arca

where he

desalibed Mind-to-hand combat

with Cermane, claimed he was wowded, and because of his bravery he

rag atarded the soviet Order Medal und the Order of Stulin.

The QUIJECT

stated this was unusual for a person of his age and faired him excat

rnapect.

At the end of the war la had no more doolie for military 11fe

ulthough his superiors tried to keep him in the milltary. Instead, he

vene for sour yeare to the Institue of Forcien Telntions and Icarned

the Englina language. Uyon amation, a min choe to him and told hin

that he hnd a joo 1ine0 up foi him.

He statod that this accunlly tas

nore like being ordered to take this mrticular job mich tuined out

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SECREL

LESHIK,

Geoige M. (A)

1/262 622 C SD/1

to be with the laval Intelligence.

No claimed that there vere tro

militnry intelligence organtrations nt the tine, the lavnl and the

Ground Force military iye.

IME OSBALD IN RUSSTA

(e) On 23 Februmy 1964, an GURBUr approacher the table for

the evening neal, he noted that the Tire magazine lying on the coffce

cable in the living room had a nicture nf Inric OSWiLD.

doin lic hit the table wich his fiot and snid,

"I fecl that I could

have stoped OStAnD". At this point Speclal Agent Stanley C. LACIL

asked him

"howi", He proceeded to chrie that he (SUBJECT) vas head

of the ICB Tourint and Visliora Section wilch lope control over the

ncüivlties of OSAID while he mas in the soviet Unint.

Ile caid at

the dire, OStALD vas of no spocin? concern on lutchort to the KGB

because he lacked inüclligence bacground. 'Therefore,

when he applied

Coi seinission to leave Fuscia, they (KiB) under his (SUBJECT) directior

informed OstALD that he would have to wke his appliertion thinugh the

amopriate chamels of the State Inpartment, to in mun would request

his relcuse fron the luosian countel parlie in handlini, of vicas.

This

he caid no all donc for pionelanda na shou murporer. He teut on to

etate that if they realty nted to celchoe OStID, li could have been

done on the chur of the moment, but aince OSWALD had nothing and tas

not worth anything, they accland that this vas an omportunity to show

the Anerican State Departmont that they did not lind releasing Individ-

uals if they applica for reloace through the appropilate channels.

Trior to this application for releare of OSHALD, the SUßJECT stated

that since he mo of no rarticular intereni to them and there vas

nothing in Moscow that they could une him for on place him Inio, they

decided that they wold send ObtaID to liluck where he would be placed

in a faciory working on raddos in the loge that sone training in the

decirical und elecironic field nicht r.cult in hie devclopment into

in elocironies engincor; houre, he chowed no carability in chia ficla.

the cusJEct then craied chet in man jai ne thin beriod, before serding

OStED to binsk, that a vory cinnuce thing hansened.

OswALD tas cupposed to have a vecting wlih a travel. agent In regard

• nehratime for his going 10 linck at. 4 o'clock In the afternoon

it 6 o'clock ho chill did not sonore to the travel agent, so the trave.

gent doclued to do to the houel there OswALD tan ringing to see it he

could locate him.

Whon he got to the hovel he asked the clerk if OSWALD

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LESNIK, George il. (1)

#262 622

C SD/1

was in his room, the clork nolded affimatively, nut the travel agent

piocceded to OSWAlD's rooM.

lie tried lhe door, but the door vas 10°ad.

le linocled, Got no rcoponse, and then rith the ascistance of the cli is

thcy broke into the room and found OSwALD Jying across the bod with boch

of his wrists slashed.

the travel. ngout and the clerk scoponded Immediairly

by caking OStALD to the nearly lodical facllity were he mo given blood

trenfunions and affor a period of tin: regained his direngch.

Imostigation the folloing day the SUNJICI stated that the docior indicated

that had OSWID not been found for approtimaicly don noic minutes,

have been dead. It is here that the suBinct again pounded the trule and

caid If the travel agent hod not broken into the room, but und incicad

contacted the KGB office like they are incbrudied in then they do not

set any responce from people wich non hey have appoinchense,

(SUBJECT would have most lifely direciod the tiavel agent to forgot

about him, and on the folloving day or later that cioning he rould have

sunt one of the KGB agents to chock en OctAlD, no nich thur he would

have been touna dead.

This, he vent on to stars,

16 wat burto him

thon he rcalizes that he could have boon inaturemial in disposing of

ostALd without any special inquiiy or cerlour Investigntion,

being nothing, and nt the sume time coday the Precident of the Untied

Ctates, President KiMmY, vould in alive.

The suluner then went on

to ciate that after OSMALD uns cont to llinok it was there that he net

Marie. Like himsclr (OSHALD), larie vis a girl fro a pencone fanily

vich no apecial background und sorehot 1iliterate.

of her poor background that she vas elven permincion to mariy OStAID

and return to the United Strics ne hin wife.

The SUBJECT then went on to describe tut took nince on the day

that Procident MMEDY vas accabainased.

Is cald that this mus actually

on Saturday In Moscor, the 22nd of Movetber.

lie mad home at the

and happened to have the radio on, ten he heard that the liccircui or

the Untied States had boon ascarcinnied. Amrocinicly one hour laïer,

the jadio Informed him that the accoutin to Ice OStLD. This announcement,

he said, really stunned hir.

He crabbed hile cout cur doched to his office.

Timediately upon his nirivil he searched

for the OSiALD file.

found the file he reviered it and round thai OSWALD had not been uncd

or even approsched for use by the Runsion Intelligunce.

He gut in a

Jong distance call to the Chief of the Ki Section in linch and Inqwied

mother they had uned, trained of wepted OStAl in any say for Initi-

The Chief incomed him that according to that he could

they had not made auy nee of ontAr,d.

Just about this time, he

(SUBJECT) chaied that his superior valled Into the

office and dircciod

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SEBRE!

ILONIK, Coorce M. (1)

1262 622 C SD/1

the SUBJECI tO Ect

all the infontion vailable on OStALD and prepare

a curmary to be furniched the top

ofirtals of the Communist Farcy.

The SUBJECi then diracied the KGB igone In Minsk to likewise prepare

a cumaty of his file on OSWLD and Inforned him thut vithin trenty

minutes a ICB acon vould nurive by special milliary plane to pick

up the mumary for return to loco. lle said this as accoplished,

and within one hour they sore mentine a detailed report on OStALD'S

activity In Russia. Thie, concluded the cUbJEC!, I: the story of

OSUALD in fueGia.

C. P. AMETCTATTONI

The subtict alco indicuted illi he did not join the Comnist

Party unill he tas 27 yars old,

and he did this out of respect to his

father, to at the cine ms on his death bed and asled him (CUBJECT)

whether he would do him one more favor before he died.

That is how

the sUBJECT stated he joined the Comnist Inity. Otherlac, he prowshly

would not have been a monder to this day.

DIPLOATS AID INCHTTIGNICE FIFTS

The SUBJECT couicd that the EGB nre able to differontiate

bolticen Anaricans tho are assigned to libscow and are actually the

State Deparinent ipe, fron those tho have on Intelligence background,

by the Inct that the

Intelligence inpa of people do not decociate with

the Russian girle, that is they will not do out with them alone, incrcas

the diate Department type will.

1150, over a period of a month or ito,

they Invarlebly are able to find evidence that the Intelligence tyres

have been nocturbating

this 1o urually dotceted chrough close cran-

inition of the individunl's tovels and lied chceüs.

NUGGIAN U-I AIRCRAFT

(h) On 25 Fchaunty 190k during the evening worl,

had regarding the reccut cliplane

etastes noted in the nurspapers and on

I'V In the Unlted Strtes.

The SURJACT commented thnt he has a lot of

frienos who are tect pilots und to ard now engaged in testing what he

referred to as a U-l iyne of nireract that is factor than any ocher

aircraft in the vorld.

ile added thut these friends are hichly yaid

Turt they trive very dengerous jobo.

SERRET

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SECHET

LESNIK, George M. (A)

f262 622

C SD/1

SUBJECT'S FATHER

(1) The SUBJECT aldo rade reference to his father during this

meal, descrthing him as a very tall and extronely ll-built individual,

and one who was extremely intelligent rud a self-mare, sclf-caucated

man. He learned the chipbullding trade mostly throngh his on rercarch

and study, and niso from the surfECI's grandfather,

wo was one of the

first shipbuilders in Musia.

The surici added tit his crandfather

died at the age of 94.

also siated that aftcr the death of his

father, a memorial tas built in hio monry cince he tas considered

a very capable director of the goveronent shipping industry.

tan about the lust tine he saw his nother and hrother and sister, as

they all went to this cerchony in honor of his tacher.

indicried that there ves a periodical rich gave a complete ill-don

on his candly background, including that of his grandencher and his

father, and it ras vell publicized; and this he belteres had a lot

to do with his being able to get some cecial preferchee and move

along as fast as he did In tho kill orgunization.

KGB PRESSURE ON FAROLY

On 27 Februazy 196k during Lunch, the SUETECT stated that he

has been Informed that the KGB 15 putting brascure

on his inuicdiate

family, particularly his mother.

said he was not overly

worried about her because she 1s well-off

financially, and being up

In age there is not much they can do to her.

Hovever, what concerns

him most is the fact that they have ilready starter to play on the

sympathies of his two children and his wife.

The SURJECT stated that

he was anticinating thie; horever, he did not think chit they would

stuit so soon to prescure the tumily.

Herever, he does trive conc hope

that in due time he nay be able to set his family ai of locla. 'This

hope he caid

tus given to him by the Ciler of SR Divicion.

LIBRARY OF COGRESS PWO:CRALTOL

(k) 0u 25 February 1061 during a sichteecing Cour of lashington

by vchicle, an ve prosed the libinny of Congress, tie SUBTECt pointed

to the building and stated that "ve have people rorking In there"

Spocial Agent Stanley C. INCH cain,

unstered,

"KGB". He contimed by stating that this vas a good place

to place people becaure they could randily Icorn by just miching

what research was being done in the Illrly of Congress ly the nilitary

SEGRET

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SECRET

LESHIK, GeOrEC M. (A)

#262 622 C SD/1

and thereby cot au idea as to what the nilitary was blonning in the

riy of armaments

and things of that mire.

The SUBJECT alco advised

that the recponsibility for telting incormation curepticlously from

American Enbassica in foreign countrie: who employ. Indigenous personnel,

Falls within the confines of the KGB.

le stated that the way they to

mhout this le to nork through the indicenous personnel ond arrnuge to

enter the embassy at special tines during the night.

They would flist

minke a close curvey and a phoiograph of the area in thich the embassy

keeps its classified material, then they would subsequently enter this

nica and open up the safes.

stated, "oh, conbinationg to cafes are not hard to acquire". He cuid

that the importunt and altficult pari of this activlüy is taking the

malcrial out and shocographing it and then placing it cractly as it

was before they touched it.

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