Memorandum from S.N. Mukha to Comrade V.V. Shcherbitsky, 'On the Reaction to the Speech of the Secretary General of the CPSU CC, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR, Yu. V. Andropov'

135

193

September 1983                                                                                                              

No.238

24/2-3352

08/ 20/13

Classified Declassified[1]

                                                                                                                                                Copy No.3

CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF UKRAINE

to Comrade V.V.Shcherbitsky

Memorandum

On the reaction to the speech

of the Secretary General of the CPSU Central Committee,

Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR, 

Yu.V.Andropov

Information we are receiving at the KGB of the Ukrainian SSR evidences that the speech of the Secretary General Of the CPSU Central Committee, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR, Yu.V.Andropov, which he made in response to the militaristic course of the US and the intensifying anti-Soviet psychosis in the West, was received by the republic with a lot of interest and approval.

In their statements workers, farmers, students and representatives of artistic intelligentsia are pointing out, with particular satisfaction, that the Head of the Soviet State has exposed the rampant anti-communist course of the current US administration and presented well-grounded evidence of the peaceful foreign policy of the USSR. Many of them express confidence that the firm and consistent course of the Soviet government to harness the arms race and to preserve peace, will help prevent any further sliding towards nuclear war and will ensure the fulfillment of current objectives aimed at strengthening the economic might of our country.

The statement of I.A.Kayel, a mill-worker at Zaporozhstal Still Mill, a member of the CPSU born in 1928, is very characteristic in this respect. He pointed out in his conversation with a group of workers, “This speech is genuine and full of care about universal peace. It exposes the aggressive policy of American imperialists. It deals a serious blow to the totalitarian political course of the Reagan Administration.”

Multiple statements of workers point out the confident, contained, and, at the same time, firm tone of Yu.V.Andropov’s speech, which in their opinion should have a restraining effect on the Reagan Administration. They also point out the timeliness and relevance of this document (V.A.Kononenko, an engineer at Kiev Polytechnic Institute, born in 1934, member of the CPSU; V.P.Vasiliev, a professor at Simferopol State University, born in 1937, member of the CPSU; S.K.Yefimov, a manager at the Kharkov Sickle and Hammer Factory (“Serp i Molot” Factory), born in 1961, no party affiliation; A.N.Chaban, a student at the Odessa Polytechnic Institute, born in 1960, no party affiliation, and many others).

A number of statements, along with the whole-hearted approval of the efforts of the Soviet Government in preventing the threat of a new world war and in maintaining peace, sharply condemn the adventurist policy of the Reagan Administration and the NATO partners of the US and their intent to change the strategic military balance between the USSR and the USA and to ensure their dominating position in the world. This was expressed by A.N.Tsukov, an engineer at Kiev Institute of Physics, born in 1945, no party affiliation; by Yu.A.Bugaichuk, a teacher at Sumy Secondary School, born in 1931, member of the CPSU, and many others).

Some soviet citizens believe that a new round of nuclear arms racing, carried out by the US and their NATO partners, will force the Soviet Government to increase spending on improving the defense capabilities of the USSR, which will negatively impact the economic situation of the workers. This opinion is being shared by V.A.Lakhminsky, a worker at the Haivoron Locomotive Repair Factory, born in 1950, no party affiliation; A.P.Danchuk, an engineer at Ivano-Frankivsk Reinforcing Plant, born in 1938, no party affiliation, and many others.)

Some individuals express their concern that the exchange of statements at the heads-of-state level in the USSR and the USA proves that ideological antagonism has been transposed into the sphere of international relations, and that it would lead to the return of the cold war. Furthermore, they compare the current situation to the 1939-1941 period and make conclusions that both countries are currently on the brink of war.

At the same time negative statements have been noted on the part of some anti-Soviet-inclined individuals (whose identities are mostly known to the KGB). In particular, D.P.Oberemok, formerly convicted for aiding and abetting Nazi occupants, born in 1913, resident of Zaporizhia Oblast, stated that he has always been, and will always be, unhappy about the foreign policy of the CPSU. “Everything Reagan-style is closer to me that Soviet-style,” Oberemok stressed.  

We have received information that the statement of Yu.V.Andropov has been positively received by some of the foreign nationals visiting our republic from developing states (Ajavon Lavoie, a student at Kiev State Univesity, citizen of Togo, born in 1953; Vahgi Naser, a graduate student at the Kiev Medical University, citizen of Jordan, born in 1955; Camarra Joseph from Sierra-Leone, a student at Kherson Maritime College of the Ministry of Fisheries, born in 1956, and many others).

The UkrSSR KGB Service is undertaking necessary measures to timely detect and suppress any possible hostile and anti-social manifestations on the part of the anti-Soviet individuals.

[The contents of this memorandum] have been relayed to the KGB of the USSR.

[The contents of this memorandum] are being reported to you for information purposes only.

Singed for Chairman of the State Security Committee of the Ukrainian SSR

 S.Mukha

By the Head of the [illegible] Fifth Directorate Major Manzhola[signature]

[1] Translator’s note: Handwritten note in Ukrainian states: “Declassified on 08/20/2013”