Venona Special Studies doc

 
- 161 - 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Special Study 
 
THE KOMAR (KRAVCHENKO) AFFAIR IN . . . MESSAGES 
 
 

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- 162 - 
TO     FROM    DATE   SUBJECT 
Chief, 
AS-90  AS-93 17 May 48  Study of nnnnnnnn Messages 
 
     The attached study of messages in nnnnnnnn involving cover  
names is forwarded for your information. 
 
 
 
Incl                              Hugh S. Erskine 
                                  HUGH S. ERSKINE 
                                  Lt. Col, Signal Corps 
                                  Chief, CSGAS-93 
 
 
 
                   Col Hayes: (By hand) 
                         Another! 
                             B 
 
AS 90 AS 10  24 May   Original copy delivered to  
                     Col Forncy 
 
  HAS 
 
 
        xxx 
 
 
 
 

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- 163 - 
 
Chief, 
AS-90  AS-93 17 May48  Study of nnnnnnnn Messages 
 
     The attached study of messages in nnnnnnnn involving cover  
names is forwarded for your information. 
 
 
 
Incl                              HUGH S. ERSKINE 
                                  Lt. Col, Signal Corps 
                                  Chief, CSGAS-93 
 
 
 
 

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- 164 - 
                                                        x May 1948 
 
 
 
                                                  7 
 
 
       THE KOMAR (KRAVCHENKO) AFFAIR IN nnnnnxnnMESSAGES 
 
 
 
 
     1. The messages translated below are submitted for their possible 
 
intelligence value.  They were transmitted from New York to Moscow in  
 
the system nnnnnnnn during 1944. 
 
     2. It is evident from the contents that the deserter KOMAR was 
 
Viktor Andreyevich Kravchenko.  The word KOMAR may be translated 
 
Gnat.  
 
     3. New York-Moscow message 613 [first part of 327] of 3 May 1944: 
 
     To (?PETROV?). 
 
          Your telegram no. 195. 
          1. 
          1. Our --1U--, as a result of (?your?) "interrogation"
a
, 
     visited Carthage [Washington], met the well-known Fascist (known 
     to you) ST--?--PENKOV (is working now at --2F-- (?book?) 
     "DOK"), who when he had drunk quite a bit, let on that he had a  
     connection with the desertion of KOMAR, with whom he had gotten 
     together four times, had gotten him drunk and had carried on 
     "cordial conversations."  KOMAR acted, as it were, from considera- 
     tions "based on ideas"
b
, "sufficiently --4FU-- 20 years".  At the 
     same time, ST--?--PENKOV acknowledged that a no less powerful 
     motive was the desire for an easy, comfort-affording life and did 
     not deny that this was just what produced on KOMAR an irresisti- 
     ble impression.  S. helped KOMAR come into contact with urbanites 
     [citizens of the U.S.].  --1G-- [at this time? for security?] he 
     met him in a club for military personnel located in the same  
     building as the "Associated Press," conducted K. to the doors of 
     that agency, which at once got in touch with SHAPLIN.  Thereafter 
     SHAPLIN took the affair of K. into his own hands and K. went to  
     Tyre [New York].  By what ST--?--PENKOV said, SHAPLIN knows K.'s 
     whereabouts and continues to maintain contact with the latter. 
     K. at present does not doubt that "they will liquidate" him. 
     Constantly --1F-- (?to inflate the importance of?) --2F-- and 
     in that way obtain (?the possibility of?) --3FU-- (?to lead?) a  
     quiet and comfort-affording life.  The letter in the Times
c
 was  
     written by SHAPLIN.  Inquiry was choked off because (?the 

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- 165 - 
                                   2 
 
 
 
 
League?) (did) not --32F-- 
SKRIAGIN.  The last meeting between them was six months ago, 
after which contact was so to speak nipped off.  By S.'s account 
he met
d
 SKRIAGIN for about two weeks.  The latter was interested 
in the newspaper "ROSSIYA" and attempted through S. to influence 
RUIBAKOV
e
, apparently not realizing that S. was a long-time con- 
tributor to the paper. 
 
     327 
 
                                   MAY 
 
                                                    3#May 
 
                    Continuation follows 
 
 
     a 
      Or "pumping," or perhaps (quasi-judicial) "examination"; 
Russian: OPROS. 
     b 
      Russian: "IDEYNUIM" SOBRAZHENIYEM. 
     c 
      Presumably Kravchenko's letter in the evening edition of 
3/4 April 1944. 
     d 
      Or "according to the story, S. met." 
     e 
      Nikolay P. Ruibakov (Rybakov), editor of Rossiya. 
 
 
4. New York-Moscow message 614 [conclusion of 137] of 3 May 1944: 
 
To (?PETROV?). 
 
                   Conclusion of telegram no. 327. 
 
     --1U-- SKRIAGIN, ST--?--PENKOV --2F-- (?during their acquain- 
tance?) --2F-- (?wrote an article?) "(?Russia?)" --2F, 1U-- 
SKRIAGIN and thereafter discontinued the appointments.  The meet- 
ings took place in SKRIAGIN's apartment.  One day ST--?--PENKOV 
met there (?12?) Soviet persons, among them KOMAR. 
                                                         ZHAR 
     Recently ST--?--PENKOV --1U, 6F, 2U-- a member of xxxxxxOV's 
chorus, ALEKSEYEV (--5f-- N.T.S.N.P.:  OSIPOV, a cavalry man
a
). 
 
     2. OLA in Carthage [Washington] has made the acquaintance of 
the American (woman) CUNNINGHAM
b
 of the well-known PEABODY family. 
The latter works at a secret receiver of foreign radio trans- 
missions,including those from the U.S.S.R.  To listen to trans- 
missions from the U.S.S.R. with this receiver is the business of 
 

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