Romanian Military Intelligence Activities in the Territory of Modern Ukraine during World War II

Abstract

The article deals with the organisation and operational activities of the Romanian military intelligence during World War II in the territory of modern Ukraine (1941–1944) based on Soviet counterintelligence documents from the funds of the Sectoral State Archive of the Security Service of Ukraine and the USSR KGB documentary publications. Newly created in 1940, the Special Information Service (SSI), an authority fulfilling the functions of military intelligence and military counterintelligence, set up a special intelligence institution in the theatre of military operations: the Eastern Front Agency (Vulturul), with a network of centres (branches) and subordinate offices and residencies. SSI counterintelligence units managed to inflict significant blows on the Soviet underground and in some NKVD intelligence residencies in Odessa and Mykolaiv. The Romanian special service created training institutions for agents, radio operators, saboteurs, and couriers, as well as units of information and psychological confrontation, considering the study of public consciousness and mental characteristics of the enemy country’s population.

Keywords

• romania
• special services
• ukraine
• world war ii
• intelligence
• counterintelligence
• sabotage
• propaganda