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KeAsl3. September 522 - page four Sntirely rebuilt after the destructions of World War I1., the Soviet establishements and their surroundings are kept as top secrets. Their of the island speak of an increasing amount of Russian labor, brougRt from the mainland and living in the "Arktik Ugolj" barracks. their present number is estimated at approximately 4.000. It is felt however that their work is not entirely used for coal mining purposes. he great building activity and the unusually large traffic of Soviet Ships, coming to the islands, heavily loaded, seem to point towards definitely strategic activities. While Norway remains faithful to intemmational agreements and has @m Svalbard nothing but a purely civil administration, it is strongly feared that Soviet Russia is already advanced in the establábhment of its military key position on the islands. It might involve - according to local informants - as well a territorial tropp basis and & sea port, as an airfield to be used in case of an open conflict. in that very moment, Norwegians feel, Soviet Russia might openfly take over entire Svalbard -nd from £ there dominate the Northern air routes, leaving to the Scandinavian and Baltic areas, to Groenland and to the North Polee ——_— —
