Ministry of State Security (USSR)

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The Ministry of State Security (MGB) ( Russian Министерство государственной безопасности / Ministerstwo Gossudarstwennoi Besopasnosti ) of the USSR was the Soviet state security authority formed on March 19, 1946 from the NKGB . It was dissolved in March 1953 and until March 1954 it was subordinated to the Interior Ministry of the USSR , for a short time under Lavrenti Beria .

The MGB is the official predecessor organization of the Committee for State Security (KGB) founded on March 13, 1954 . The MGB consisted of three main administrations. The first head of the MGB was from March 19, 1946 to May 7, 1946 Vsevolod Nikolayevich Merkulov . He was succeeded by Viktor Semjonowitsch Abakumow from May 7, 1946 to July 4, 1951. After his impeachment, Sergei Ogolzow was his short-term successor until August 9, 1951. From August 9, 1951 until its dissolution on March 5, 1953, Semyon Denisovich Ignatiev headed the State Security Service.

Task areas (main part)

  • 1. Headquarters (PGU)

The first head office was responsible for political intelligence abroad.

  • 2. Headquarters (WGU)

The main task of the 2nd headquarters was counter-espionage in the civilian sector. Furthermore, she was responsible for the security tasks of the CPSU institutions in the USSR and in particular the personal protection of the party and state leadership.

  • 3. Headquarters (TGU)

The main task of the third headquarters was military counter-espionage. Furthermore, she was responsible for the activities of the MGB in the Soviet occupation zone and later GDR and maintained her headquarters in the Soviet Zone in Berlin-Karlshorst , Waldowallee 53-54.

literature

Web links

  • Intelligence Services - Listing of Russian and other international intelligence agencies