by Alexander Tikhonov
[RedStar] In just over two years, this detachment carried out many daring successful operations against the Nazis deep behind enemy lines on the territory of Poland and the Ukrainian SSR.
On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the death of a special agent of the state security agencies, Hero of the Soviet Union Nikolai Ivanovich Kuznetsov, at the hands of Ukrainian nationalists, the Public Relations Center of the FSB of Russia posted digital copies of a previously unpublished declassified report from the funds of the Central Archive on the official website of the agency in the “Archival materials” section of the “History” section FSB of Russia about the combat activities of the operational group of the 4th Directorate of the NKVD-NKGB of the USSR “Winners” under the command of State Security Colonel Hero of the Soviet Union D.N. Medvedev.
“DO YOU SELL A SLAVIC WARDROBE?”
This phrase became known throughout the country from the feature film “The Feat of a Scout,” released on USSR screens in September 1947. Although the image of our intelligence officer in this film is collective, the plot is based on the activities in the German rear of the legendary Soviet intelligence man Nikolai Ivanovich Kuznetsov. Later, feature films “Strong in Spirit” (1967), “Special Forces Squad” (1987), and “On the Razor’s Edge” (2014) were created about him. So the country knew and knows well this Hero of the Soviet Union and a number of feats that he accomplished while operating in the German rear in the form of Oberleutnant or Hauptmann Paul Siebert.
Members of Nikolai Kuznetsov’s group carried out several daring operations to eliminate German military leaders and major Nazi leaders of the occupation regime in Ukraine, and also obtained valuable intelligence and counterintelligence information.
Nikolai Ivanovich himself was a special counterintelligence agent as part of the “Winners” task force under the command of State Security Colonel Dmitry Nikolaevich Medvedev, who personally supervised Nikolai Kuznetsov’s combat operations. And in the detachment Kuznetsov was known under the pseudonyms “fighter Grachev”, “Pooh” and “Colonist”.
Some episodes of combat activity behind enemy lines of this task force are well known from numerous books, newspaper publications and the above-mentioned feature films about Nikolai Kuznetsov. Perhaps the most famous books on this topic were the works of Medevedev himself, “It Was Near Rovno” and “Strong in Spirit.”
However, to date, archival materials about the “Winners” detachment have not been published. And now, having been declassified, they are posted on the official website of the FSB of Russia in the “Archival materials” section of the “History” section.
For about two years, on the temporarily occupied territory of the Ukrainian SSR and Poland, deep behind enemy lines, the task force carried out intelligence, operational, reconnaissance, combat and sabotage activities
So, the operational group of the 4th Directorate of the NKVD-NKGB of the USSR began its combat work in mid-May 1942, and in the early summer of 1944 reached the location of the Red Army units. Thus, for about two years, on the temporarily occupied territory of the Ukrainian SSR and Poland, deep behind enemy lines, the task force carried out intelligence, operational, reconnaissance, combat and sabotage activities.
On October 6, 1944, the commander of the operational group “Winners”, future Hero of the Soviet Union, State Security Colonel D.N. Medvedev reported to the head of the 4th Directorate of the NKGB of the USSR, Commissar of State Security 3rd Rank P.A. Sudoplatov about the work done by the task force. Today, the pages of this report are among the documents declassified and posted on the website of the Russian FSB.
Initially, the detachment consisted of 100 people from among the commanders and fighters, most of whom were selected from OMSBON (Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade for Special Purposes). The task force also included operatives and special counterintelligence agents, one of whom was the future Hero of the Soviet Union Nikolai Kuznetsov.
In the “Report” of the task force commander, attention is drawn to fragments related to the daily activities of the task force personnel. These include maintaining military discipline and order, organizing educational work, and treating wounded and sick comrades.
“[...] The commander’s order was a law subject to unconditional and immediate execution. Entering into any kind of argument with a superior comrade was strictly forbidden. […] Foul language and swearing were considered hooliganism and were strictly prohibited. […]
The struggle to maintain weapons in exemplary order and for the safety of ammunition, sapper and other property of the operational group has always and everywhere remained the focus of our attention. […]
Despite the large availability of captured alcoholic beverages, drunkenness was considered the worst vice that could harm our business and was strictly prohibited. Drinking alcoholic beverages in populated areas was especially prohibited. Soldiers and commanders going on missions not only did not have the right to buy alcoholic beverages there, but had to answer that they did not drink if local residents offered them a drink as a treat […] The task force introduced the strictest order according to which fighters and commanders handed over to the economic unit everything, down to the last needle, captured items, as well as food and property confiscated from traitors to the Motherland. […]
We paid exceptional attention to the relationship between our fighters and the local population. Each fighter of the operational group, encountering local residents, was not only a cultural fighter of the Red Army, but also an agitator and propagandist. […]
We did not ignore a single case of violation of the procedures we established: the perpetrators were punished according to their deserts, and their misdeeds were discussed and condemned in all divisions of the task force.”
The report also contains a few words about the organization of leisure time in the task force. If card games were strictly prohibited (as was the very presence of playing cards), then “games of chess, checkers and dominoes were the favorite pastime of all soldiers and commanders […] From time to time, tournaments were held between the best players, especially chess players.”
This may seem surprising and unusual to some today, but sports and mass work was also carried out in the task force deep behind enemy lines. “In the summer, the personnel engaged in military-applied sports: throwing grenades, climbing trees, etc., as well as playing volleyball and gorodki. Team competitions were also held in these sports.”
Amateur artistic activities were also not forgotten. “Upon returning from a successfully completed mission, after the changing of the guards, and in other free time, if the situation allowed, there were singers, storytellers, reciters, and dancers. From time to time there was an amateur performance show between individual units.”
“Of the customs that have taken root in the task force, we should also note the attitude towards wounded and sick comrades.
We took into account the enormous educational importance that attentive attitude towards wounded and sick comrades has on the surrounding soldiers and commanders.
Firstly, we demanded that, despite the circumstances, not only to carry a wounded comrade out of the battlefield and provide him with immediate assistance, but also to carry out and take away the corpses of killed comrades […]
All the best that was obtained as a result of battles and operations, like -sugar, jam, butter, cigarettes, tobacco, honey, blankets, bed and underwear and much more - were primarily given to the medical unit for wounded and sick comrades. […]
By concentrating our attention on the issues of educating fighters, using for this everything that could be used in the conditions of our work, we have achieved great positive results.
The soldiers and commanders considered it a great happiness for themselves to be sent on the most dangerous missions.”
In his “Report,” Dmitry Nikolaevich Medvedev dwelled in detail on the episodes of the operational group’s combat activities. Fragments are published about the “Kafra Case” - the kidnapping of German Major General Max Ilgen, the explosion of the station and the officer’s casino in the city of Rivne.
The operation to kidnap General Ilgen, who commanded special forces in Ukraine, is impressive, on the one hand, with the audacity of the plan and, on the other, with the flexibility, resourcefulness, courage and restraint in its implementation of the group members, especially Nikolai Kuznetsov, who in this case is mentioned under a pseudonym "Colonist".
There were six agents in this group, including two women who played major roles in the initial phase of the operation. Both were introduced into Ilgen’s entourage, began working in his house and were thus able to inform the detachment’s command about the general’s lifestyle, his external security, routes, means of transportation, etc. At a pre-arranged signal from one of them, on November 15, 1943, Kuznetsov, dressed in the uniform of a German Hauptmann, and three other agents drove up to the general’s house in a six-seater Adler limousine that had been previously stolen at the detachment’s base and repainted in a different color. Naturally, the license plate on the car was changed; the new documents for it were in perfect order.
The disarmed Ilgen was captured in one of his rooms, but his hands were poorly tied. And on the street, five meters from the car, he managed to escape from Kuznetsov, who was holding him by the arms, his hands were untied, he grabbed the handkerchief from his mouth and began to call for help. “But by the measures taken […] Ilgen was “calmed down” hands and feet, despite his general rank, brought into proper condition and placed in a car.”
TASK FORCE “WINNERS”: PUNISHMENT FOR PUNISHERS
In response to the general’s cries, four Germans ran up to his house, and at the same time a changing of the guard appeared at Ilgen’s house. The car with him had already driven 200 meters and stopped waiting for the “Colonist”, who was supposed to, as they say now, resolve the situation. And he did it brilliantly. Here's what the report says about it.
The “colonist,” in response to the Germans’ questions “what is happening here, who is being taken away,” showed them a real Gestapo badge with a number, stated that he and other Gestapo officers had arrested a long-wanted bandit and were taking him to the Gestapo. Seeing that the Germans were at a loss, “Colonist” announced to them that the Gestapo was also looking for accomplices of the captured bandit, dressed in German uniforms, etc. he doesn’t know why they ended up here and who they are - he is forced to detain them all and take them to the Gestapo.
The Germans, obviously having no desire to get acquainted with the Gestapo, stated that they were employees of the Reichskommissariat and accidentally found themselves here, running to the cries that they were in a hurry and asked “Kolonist” to let them go.
One of them […] behaved actively and expressed some distrust of “Kolonist” as a Gestapo employee.
“The Colonist” was forced, with persistence, to arrest him, take him and put him in a car, and release the rest of the Germans, having previously written down their names according to the documents they presented.”
It remains to add that both of our female agents had an alibi thought out and provided in advance, as a result of which the Gestapo removed suspicion from them and left them alone. Due to the tense situation in Rivne and its environs, they decided not to deliver Ilgen to Moscow. Naturally, he was not left alive.
The “winners” actively carried out counterintelligence work in the German rear, introduced task force agents into the enemy’s punitive agencies:
“[...] Through them we not only learned what the Germans were doing to search for the perpetrators of terrorist and sabotage acts committed by us in the city of Rivne, but they also obtained counterintelligence data. […]
[…] “Larissa”, on our instructions, stole and gave us the main seal and stamp of the Gestapo, as well as books of search and arrest warrants, forms of search reports and Gestapo certificates. She delivered us secret topographic maps. She took a German typewriter out of the Gestapo and gave us, and, most importantly, delivered up to 50 sheets of copy paper, used by the Gestapo once at a time.
By deciphering and translating documents written through this copy, it was established that the Gestapo were engaged in eliminating traces of the mass executions of civilians and prisoners of war they carried out, burning corpses and camouflaging graves in every possible way.
These documents, delivered by Larisa, were subsequently used and widely published in newspapers by the emergency state commission to investigate the atrocities of the Nazis.”
The Nazi operation to hide traces of the extermination of civilians was called “Action 1005.”
A significant place in the “Report” is occupied by the story of the sabotage work carried out by the task force. Here are just a few examples:
“[...] on November 7, 1942, a group of demolitionists under the leadership of Comrade Malikov blew up a train with officers on the Kovel-Sarny railway. The train was heading to the front. The mine explosion destroyed the locomotive and carriages. four carriages were heavily damaged. Over 100 German officers were killed and wounded.
On November 26, 1942, a group of soldiers under the command of Comrade Stakhov on the same railway was blown up by a mine and fired upon by hurricane fire from machine guns, rifles and machine guns, a train with officers of flight and tank units traveling on leave from the eastern front. A steam locomotive was smashed and shot through with a heavy machine gun, three passenger cars were destroyed, over 70 German officers were killed and wounded […].”
The task force lived up to its name - “Winners”. The results of their combat activities behind enemy lines speak about this better than any words. They brought terror and panic to the Nazi occupiers. The enemy did not feel safe in the rear.
The “winners” conducted about 120 combat operations; killed about 12 thousand German soldiers, officers and Nazi accomplices; liquidated 11 German generals and senior officials of the occupation administration; blew up more than 80 enemy trains
Unfortunately, there were also losses in the detachment. Nikolai Kuznetsov also did not live to see the Victory - 80 years ago, in early March 1944, he tragically died at the hands of Ukrainian nationalists. He remained in the memory of our people forever.
The “Report” contains a detailed list of trophies of the “Winners” group. These numbers are also impressive: 4 45mm cannons, five battalion and five company mortars, up to 60 heavy and light machine guns, over 200,000 rounds of ammunition, up to 70 mines for mortars, up to three tons of explosives and mines and much more.
Getting acquainted with the first published fragments of the declassified “Report” from the funds of the Central Archive of the FSB of Russia, you realize that our ancestors were excellent at fighting, including deep behind enemy lines. Much of the experience of intelligence, operational, reconnaissance, combat and sabotage activities of the operational group of the 4th Directorate of the NKVD-NKGB of the USSR “Winners” remains in demand now, when the city of Rivne is again occupied by the enemy.
(The document's spelling and punctuation have been preserved. - Auth.)