Stalin's cruise trips, which were silent in the press

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

On September 9, 1947, millions of Pravda readers learned that Comrade Stalin had visited the Black Sea sailors on the Molotov cruiser. But in the face of increased secrecy since the beginning of the Cold War, no one understood why the Generalissimo ended up on a warship. Meanwhile, this trip from Crimea was not the last for the Soviet leader - in October 1948 he made a new voyage, this time from Feodosia to Sochi, but this was not reported in the press.

Stalin on the cruiser Molotov. 1947 Photo of Lieutenant General N. C. Vlasik.

"Packard" tires overheated

Stalin's interest in Crimea at that time was not accidental. And it was connected not so much with the choice of a new resting place, which since 1948 became a wooden hunting lodge specially built for him in Sosnovka near Massandra, as with the issues of geopolitics. The deterioration of relations with the Western powers and Turkey increased the importance of the Black Sea as a zone of possible confrontation; the restoration of the war-ravaged naval potential of Crimea and, above all, Sevastopol was extremely urgent. It was this problem that largely predetermined Stalin's summer vacation route in 1947.

The leader made the main part of the trip to Crimea by car, because he wanted to see with his own eyes how the country was rebuilding after the war. On this trip, he was accompanied by employees of the Security Directorate No. 1 of the Main Security Directorate (GUO) of the USSR Ministry of State Security, headed by the head of the GUO, Lieutenant General N. S. Vlasik.

On the evening of August 16, 1947, Stalin left Moscow in a Packard car. Before Kursk, the motorcade made three stops - two planned, in Shchekino, Tula Region and Orel, and one forced, on the road from Tula to Orel: the Packard's tires were overheated and had to be changed. Joseph Vissarionovich moved to the reserve ZIS-110, which rushed to its destination without breakdowns. In Kursk, Stalin rested and dined at the apartment of one of the local Chekists, and upon reaching Kharkov, he got on a train to Crimea.

The last change on the way to the sea was in Simferopol. By the evening of August 18, the Generalissimo arrived in Livadia by car. On the same evening, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR Alexei Nikolaevich Kosygin, who was resting nearby in Mukhalatka, was invited to dinner with his wife. When the Kosygins arrived, Stalin unexpectedly invited them to make a joint sea voyage from Yalta to Sochi the next morning. The leader gave 43-year-old Kosygin high confidence, singling him out from the cohort of his deputies in the government. Suffice it to say that none of the other high officials took part in this voyage.

Two admirals also had to accompany Stalin: Commander-in-Chief of the USSR Navy Ivan Stepanovich Yumashev and Commander of the Black Sea Fleet (Black Sea Fleet) Philip Sergeevich Oktyabrsky. In the early morning of August 19, they made it to the Livadia Palace for this late Stalinist dinner. From there, all the participants in the trip went to Yalta. There the cruiser Molotov, ready to sail, was already standing at the pier.

Livadia Palace. Yalta.

No formal ceremony

It was this new cruiser (commissioned just before the start of the Great Patriotic War) that the Black Sea Fleet command allocated for the upcoming voyage of Stalin. The destroyers Ognevoy and Savvy were to escort the cruiser: the threat of floating mines that remained in the Black Sea from the war had not yet passed.

There were actually two days to prepare the vessel for the cruise. Oktyabrsky became aware of the upcoming visit only on August 15, but they managed it on time. In the admiral's diaries we read:

“At 3:45 am we dropped anchor in the Livadian roadstead. I went aboard the cruiser on a SKA (patrol boat. - Approx. ed.) general-leith. Vlasik. As it turned out, the chief of the leader's personal security … conveyed that Stalin was waiting for us …

Stalin was on the balcony of the palace at a lavishly set table. It was about 5.15 in the morning …

- What is your opinion, Comrade Oktyabrsky, is it possible to take a woman with us on a voyage on your ship? I say: “you can” and invite her, but my commander-in-chief (as Stalin jokingly called Poskrebyshev) says it’s impossible that this is contrary to maritime traditions.

- Well, comrade Stalin, according to the old naval traditions, it is really not necessary, but I think that you can take it.

Comrade Stalin was in a wonderful mood … ¹.

Lieutenant General N. S. Vlasik.

Since the leader's journey was classified, the crew of the cruiser did not know the reason for the sudden intensive preparations for going to sea. All mechanisms and devices were urgently checked and, if necessary, repaired. The sailors on their own repaired the bakery and replaced the burnt grates. The crew had to deal with various types of repairs themselves, which normally required the ship to be sent to the factory. The total cost of the work performed was 15-20 thousand rubles².

By five o'clock in the evening on August 18, everything was ready for the campaign. But only at 1 am the next day, when the cruiser was already approaching Yalta, its commander, captain 2nd rank B. F. Petrov, opening the package “under sealing wax,” announced via the ship's internal communications: “Comrades sailors, foremen and officers! We have had a great honor - our cruiser will be visited by Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin! ³.

According to the Charter of the Navy, the entire personnel of the ship was supposed to line up for a greeting. But Stalin asked to dispense with official ceremonies, since he was on vacation. The head of state was escorted to the flagship's cabin, which was located in the bow of the cruiser, and the Molotov cruiser headed for Sochi.

Armored

Molotov without "Molotov"

Sailor Pyotr Garmash recalled: “The Generalissimo, having rested a little, appeared on the forecastle, then went down the ladder to the airplane platform near the front chimney and there settled down in an easy chair: one of the foremen gave a hustle. Stalin knocked the ashes out of the pipe, crumbled two cigarettes and filled it with tobacco. Having lit a cigarette, he began to observe the sea and the sailors. Well, after the morning numbness, those moved away, grew bolder and tried to get closer to gaze at the leader ^….

Stalin turned to Kosygin:

- Walk around the ship, see how the sailors live.

And he, not without interest, began to investigate the cruiser: he visited the engine room, the artillery tower, and even looked into the galley.

We cooked borscht that day, I remember that well, because Kosygin tried it. He scooped up with a spoon, tasted it - and after a pause, like a connoisseur, he determined:

- Delicious borscht, but the roots are missing here. ⁴.

As Oktyabrsky calculated, out of 13 hours of sailing, Stalin rested less than half; conferences on the problems of the Black Sea Fleet were held on board, in which Kosygin also actively participated. The leader, for example, believed that aircraft carriers were not needed for the Black Sea theater at the moment.

The weather was excellent during the voyage. At the request of Admiral Yumashev, Stalin was photographed for memory with the crew of the Molotov, Vlasik played the role of the photographer, and it was his photographs, with the author's indication, that later got into Pravda. A month later, as a reward, these photos were handed over to the memory of the cruiser crew.

During the shooting, it turned out that the ship's commander, Petrov, was absent, who could not leave his post. The Generalissimo specially went to the captain's bridge and was photographed there with the captain of the 2nd rank. Then, according to Pravda, Stalin went to the forecastle, put his hand on the shoulder of the 17-year-old boy Bulavin, talked with other sailors, whom he also offered to be photographed. Then he went down to the turbine department, where he talked with the foreman of the 2nd article Dorbaiseli about the conditions of keeping watch, about the difficulties of service during the war years.

At about eight in the evening on August 19, the cruiser approached Sochi and stalled. The head of state arrived to meet V. M. Molotov. Vyacheslav Mikhailovich did not then manage to visit the cruiser named in his honor. When the Molotov boat approached, Stalin was already descending the ladder to another patrol boat. However, the author of the note for Pravda, the correspondent of Krasnaya Zvezda, Senior Lieutenant G. Koptyaev, told the whole country something different: "Comrade Stalin went from the cruiser to a patrol boat, where he was met by Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov."⁵.

Due to the secrecy of the leader's voyage, the sailors were forbidden to mention in letters home about his stay on their cruiser. Only three weeks later a small publication appeared at the bottom of the front page of Pravda. There was a large photograph next to it. It depicted Stalin walking along the deck of the ship, accompanied by Yumashev, Oktyabrsky, Kosygin and Poskrebyshev. A third of the 2nd page was given for a collective photo of the leader with the crew of the cruiser. Subsequently, the trip on "Molotov" was reflected not only in the media, but also in art, for example, in the painting by the Kiev artist Viktor Puzyrkov "I. V. Stalin on the cruiser Molotov ", for which the author received the Stalin Prize of the third degree in 1950.

V. Puzyrkov. I. V. Stalin on a cruiser

On the messenger ship "Rion"

A visit to the cruiser Molotov is often considered the leader's last sea cruise. In fact, this is not the case. In August of the following year, Stalin again visited the Crimea, and then in October 1948 made a new voyage from Feodosia to Sochi. True, the country did not know about this trip at that time.

This voyage on the messenger ship "Rion" was distinguished by increased security measures: the world was restless, the former allies in the anti-Hitler coalition were on the verge of an armed conflict with the possible use of nuclear weapons against the USSR. It is not surprising that the generalissimo's leave in Crimea was combined with the development of a special plan to accelerate the pace of the restoration of Sevastopol; Kosygin and the chairman of the State Planning Committee N. A. Voznesensky.

This time, the leader did not invite his companions on a cruise on the Black Sea, and the result of the Stalinist visit to Crimea was the signing on October 25, 1948 of two secret resolutions of the USSR Council of Ministers "On the restoration of the city and the main base of the Black Sea Fleet - Sevastopol" and "On measures to accelerate restoration of Sevastopol ".

The last time the Generalissimo visited Sevastopol on October 9, 1948, without any publicity. Admiral Oktyabrsky wrote in his diary: “On Saturday at 9.10 am Comrade Stalin drove through Sevastopol in a car. Nobody knew. They say he arrived along the Laboratory Highway, a railway station, drove along the ring and left by the same route …”By the way, this time Philip Sergeevich practically did not participate in the preparation of Stalin's journey; commander-in-chief Yumashev was responsible for its naval unit. From sailing on the cruiser Molotov, he was distinguished by much longer and more serious training, which partly resembled the sea voyages of the imperial persons of tsarist Russia.

Yumashev developed a special campaign plan. Stalin expressed a desire to visit Taganrog on the way, the admiral provided several route options with a detailed description of the sea routes' distances, travel times, depths. Particular attention was paid to the region of the Sea of Azov as the most problematic area:

“The passage by the Kerch Strait is carried out only along the fairways. Evasion from the fairways is not allowed due to mine risk … Due to the shallow depth of the approaches and the port of Taganrog itself up to 3 meters and the draft of the messenger ship "Rion", equal to 2, 8 meters, entry into the port is undesirable due to fear of grounding. It is advisable to leave the "Rion" in the roadstead at a depth of 4 meters, and make communication with the shore by means of a boat … Therefore, it should be assumed that the "Rion" can be anchored 7-8 miles south of Taganrog "⁶.

To escort the Stalinist yacht, the naval leadership specially allocated three large anti-submarine boats.

Stalin's security service was also carefully preparing for the upcoming campaign. In each of the escort boats it was planned to place a group of 10 employees, and on the Rion itself - 9 employees, a total of 36 officers and 3 sergeants of Security Directorate No. 1. Their actions were regulated in detail by the plan approved by Vlasik, emergency scenarios were also worked out⁷.

Meanwhile, on the ship "Rion", which was called "Luga" in the spring, preparations were underway for the cruise. On May 19, 1948, the Minister of State Security of the USSR V. S. Abakumov approved the "Plan of operational measures for preparation for a special period on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and in the Crimea" developed by Vlasik. Clause 7 read: "To select and check the crew of the vessel" Luga ", to organize the KGB observation of the progress of the ship's repair upon arrival at one of the Black Sea ports, to organize work on trawling in places of possible navigation"⁸.

Cruiser

Without entering Taganrog

The military counterintelligence of the Ministry of State Security was engaged in solving these problems. The responsible executor under item 7 was appointed its head - the head of the Third Main Directorate of the MGB, Lieutenant General N. A. Korolyov. On August 21, 1948, in the name of Abakumov, he prepared the final "Report on the readiness of the SS" Rion "(formerly Luga) and the operational situation in the Black Sea". The vessel's shortcomings were not hidden there either:

"The messenger ship" Rion "as of 21. VIII.1948 is fully staffed according to the staffing position.

The ship's mechanisms have been tested and tested.

The technical condition of the ship is ready for the voyage.

Minister of State Security of the USSR V. S. Abakumov

During sea trials on August 16, an accident occurred in the right-hand car of 1 diesel engine, as a result of which the piston of the first cylinder received cracks and tears.

As established by the technical commission, the cause of the accident was an incorrect assembly of the piston, as a result of which the oil supply channel was closed. The piston was restored by the shipyard. The diesel engine was assembled, and on August 21, a mooring test took place, which showed positive results.

On the 21st at 12 o'clock. 30 minutes. "Rion" went to sea for sea trials.

In the course of the campaign, the water pump failed, we switched to the emergency one. Repairing the pump will take 1, 5-2 hours.

No other defects were found during the hike.

Spare pistons have been ordered for the ship, which are to be delivered to the Black Sea on August 24 ⁹.

The report indicated areas of increased mine risk and noted that in 1948, 12 mines were found in the water area of Sevastopol and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. The general conclusion read: "Navigation" Rion "can be allowed along the coast of the Black and Azov Seas only under the condition of a thorough preliminary examination of the navigation area, in order to detect and destroy floating mines, and direct protection of the SS" Rion "by three boats - large hunters for submarines, followed in the order at the heading ahead of the SS "Rion" in 10 cables one boat and at heading angles of 45 degrees in the same distance the other two boats. At the same time, sailing in the Sea of Azov is undesirable "¹⁰.

Sochi Sea Terminal, the last point of Stalin's route.

And so they did - instead of Taganrog, the choice was made in favor of the safer route Feodosia - Sochi with a call in Tuapse.

And in the course of the campaign itself, "Rion" still did not escape an emergency. It was caused by the vagaries of the October weather. This is not the best time to travel in the Black Sea due to frequent storms. One of them played out during the voyage of the messenger ship.

During the disaster, 68-year-old Stalin showed enviable endurance and good health. When, during a strong pitching, almost all of the accompanying staff "went out of order", he "stood for six hours on the captain's bridge, calmly talking with the captain (when the situation allowed) on nautical topics."¹¹.

Thanks to the good preparation of the vessel and the skill of the crew, the voyage ended normally and on schedule. And in the diary of Admiral Oktyabrsky for October 14, 1948, an entry appeared: “Yesterday I called from Sochi to^omandir SS "Rion" cap. 2 ranks Dementyev. He told how they from Feodosia, where Comrade Stalin arrived by car, crossed into Sochi, calling at Tuapse. The owner was pleased. The task was completed. Dementyev said that Comrade Stalin thanked”.

^{1. Tereshchenko A. Stalin and counterintelligence. M., 2016. S. 299-301. 2. RGASPI F. 558. Op. 4. D. 664. L. 155-156, 158.3. In the same place. L. 155.4. Moscow's comsomolets. 2014.20 November 5. Koptyaev G. Comrade I. V. Stalin visiting the military sailors of the Black Sea Fleet // Pravda. 1947.9 September. S. 1.6. CA FSB of Russia. F. 4. Op. 6. D. 2218. L. 480-481. 7. In the same place. L. 98-99, 260, 276-279, 437-438.8. In the same place. L. 431.9. In the same place. L. 475.10. In the same place. L. 476.11. Zhilyaev V. Joseph Stalin - one vacation - two criminal cases // Rodina. 2006. N 5. S. 73.}