Russian Federal Security Service publishes archival documents on the role of Soviet intelligence services during the Battle of Moscow during World War II. According to the documents, the security organs of the Soviet Union, including the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of the Interior, made a significant contribution to the fight against the enemy from the first day of the German invasion. They had to protect significant state and industrial objects, as well as top officials, neutralize the subversive work of the enemy in the Soviet rear and organize armed resistance and intelligence and sabotage activities in the German rear.
On the morning of June 22, 1941, the Ministry of State Security of the Soviet Union issued a directive instructing the security agencies to take immediate measures in connection with the outbreak of German military operations. Another document from July 1 stated: “The Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union is continuing. The goal of this invasion is to destroy the Soviet system, enslave the Soviet people and restore the rule of landlords and capitalists. Our homeland is exposed to the greatest danger.”
In the same document, the security agency employees were instructed to remain on their combat posts in cities and villages until the last minute and to fight the enemy with all means “to the last drop of blood.” Evacuation was only allowed with the last units of the Red Army on the retreat.
On June 26, 1941, as the enemy was already able to bomb Moscow, measures were taken to protect the most important objects of the capital. The Moscow Kremlin and 11 major industrial enterprises of the city were camouflaged, including thanks to the blackout.
The difficult situation at the front in the early fall of 1941 required the Soviet security services to develop a series of emergency measures, in case Moscow had to be abandoned. In this context, they dealt with the mining of large objects of strategic importance and the establishment of intelligence and sabotage groups that had to remain in the capital. The Ministry of the Interior also founded an underground organization, consisting of 20 independent groups, as well as several smaller autonomous groups.
The archival documents of the FSB also mention so-called destruction battalions. As partisan units, these battalions had to support the Red Army units in the combat zone, fight enemy spies and prevent sabotage acts.