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XsAs6s December 52.
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Soviet Union stretching out in the direction of Turkgy, Greece and
Serbia; thus in the direction of the vital Bosporus and the whole
Eastern Mediterranean Basing Bulgaria too holds an important
position on the Black Sea, Finelly - besides this highly strategie
importance - Bulgaria is among the satellites one of the most
vulnerable points, It has only one common border with the Kominfo
world: the Northern line, formed mostly by the Danube river, shared
by Bulgaria and Rumania,
It is understandable that, under such conditions, Bulgaria rates
very high - preswtmably as primo loco - among satellites, in the
realm of Russian-planned military preparationse |
Our informant in Turkey and a highly placed military
observer in Yugoslavia have sent in recent weeks the most important
informations, which add up to give the detailed following picture,
At the head of all military planning in the bo piggy, Moo
of Buligeria's People's Army is a "junta" of five generals. ree
among them are Bulgars,but with many years! training and with aetive
war service in the Soviet Amy, They are the Minister of Defense
Panchevsky, Vice-Premicr Ivan Miheiloff (who according to rumors
circulating in Bulgaria would be the man to replace Chervenkoff
as Premier, in ease of the latter's disgrace), and the Chief of
the Bulgarian General Staff Grekoff. Two other gencrals are Russian
they are the Comaander<in-Chief of the Army Novikov and the Deputy
ef of the General Staff Kronove
There is also an unusually strong Svoiet military mission in Sofia.
It has a staff of not less than 2.350 members; some of them Army
officers, other civilian emplovees and clerical staff.
According to expressive Moscow orders, Bulgaria has to
keep in active service six annual sets, besides the reeruits of the
year, As for a pobufation of approximately seven million, the
yearly set amounts to 30,000 young valid men, the total Bulgarian
People's Army counts 210,000 men in active service.
The Army is composed of 12 Infantery Divisionsgwith two
more to be added within the next six monthsg~ of two Cavallery
Brigades and three Anti-Aireraft Regiments, To these units have
to be added eight regiments of State Security Police, twenty
“volunteer corps" and two special divisions set up by the Ministry
of the Interior within the general frame of the national milieia
{see above).
All the Infantery Divisions are entirely or at least partially
motorized. Several divisions are entirely equiped with Soviet
armoured cars}; 80% of the trucks and jeeos are equally of Russian
production, The Bulgarian People's Army has been given the most
modern Soviet Artillery and equipment, as none of the other satellit
is known to havee Its divisions are ofganized on the pattern of the
Soviet elite tropps and count each between 8 to 9,000 mene
The Navy, as suehy is as yet less developed than the Army.
However it is strongly re-enforced by Soviet units, stationed in
and operating from Bulgarian harbors. ‘the Bulgarian Navy includés:s
three torpedo=boats, two minesweepers, two training ships, a speed
boat unit and about hwo dozen smaller ships.
Bulgaria's main port is Stalin (previously Varna). According to
Soviet planning, it has been develpped into e powerful Navy and
Lh,
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