Translating History

I've seen 'Death of Stalin'. He seems to be an honorable geezer. Can't picture him padding the stats.

New Patrol Craft with Chinese Engines Complete Sea Trials, Part of 2.7 Billion Ruble Contract for Russian Emergency Services Kingisepp Machinery Plant (KMZ) has successfully completed sea trials with the RPK-640 and PK-500 patrol craft, based on a large contract for the Russian Emergency Services worth a total of 2.76 bi…

China to the rescue - sanctions would otherwise have prevented the Russian MChS from gaining nearly 200 new patrol craft.

New Patrol Craft with Chinese Engines Complete Sea Trials, Part of 2.7 Billion Ruble Contract for Russian Emergency Services

Kingisepp Machinery Plant (KMZ) has successfully completed sea trials with the RPK-640 and PK-500 patrol craft, based on a large contract for the Russian Emergency Services…

On This Date: 1944 Report from Beria on Security Operations to Destroy Armed Ukrainian Partisan Formations Special Folder Top Secret Copy No. 1 5 August 1944                According to the NKVD-NKGB of the Ukrainian SSR, recently, in…

On this date in 1944: Top Secret Beria report to Stalin, Molotov, and Malenkov on recent Chekist efforts to eliminate Ukrainian nationalist and insurgent groups.

On This Date: 1944 Report from Beria on Security Operations to Destroy Armed Ukrainian Partisan Formations

Special Folder Top Secret Copy No. 1 5 August 1944 According to the NKVD-NKGB of the Ukrainian SSR, recently, in connection with the advance of the Red Army units to the West and the…

With its back to the wall, the Soviet Union enlists the assistance of China and the world's media to kick off a massive propaganda campaign against the US military in South Korea.

Korean War: Kicking Off the Soviet Propaganda Program

Translating History winds down its look at Korean War with four new translations, the last of our documents from this batch. Today's post features evidence that most of the world was siding with the United Nations version of events, that the…

Ill-Fated Soviet Nuclear Submarine ‘Komsomolets’ Sets Depth Record on This Date in 1985 A press release issued today, 4 August 2025, from Russia’s Northern Shipyard – Sevmash – celebrated the 40th anniversary of the world’s depth record (1027 meters) being set …

Sevmash shipyard celebrates 40th anniversary of depth record of the Soviet nuke submarine Komsomolets. Sevmash failed to mention that four years later, the submarine caught fire and sank, killing many of her crew, and continues to be a radiation risk on the floor of the Barents Sea.

Ill-Fated Soviet Nuclear Submarine ‘Komsomolets’ Sets Depth Record on This Date in 1985

A press release issued today, 4 August 2025, from Russia's Northern Shipyard - Sevmash - celebrated the 40th anniversary of the world's depth record (1027 meters) being set in 1985 by the Project 685 nuclear…

Russia’s Largest Supplier of Speedboats for Military and Coast Guard Struggles with its “Unfriendly” Foreign Components A report published in June 2025 by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau reveals that there are still challenges that continue to stymie the Russian Federation’s efforts to completely phase …

Curious and candid June 2025 report on the alarmingly inexcusable delays in phasing out "unfriendly" Western imports for Russian armed high-speed vessels for the RF military and coast guard. No end in sight, in spite of what the authors claim.

Russia’s Largest Supplier of Speedboats for Military and Coast Guard Struggles with its “Unfriendly” Foreign Components

A report published in June 2025 by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau reveals that there are still challenges that continue to stymie the Russian Federation's efforts to…

Korean War, 1951: The North is Hesitant to Continue, but Stalin Finds the Conflict Too Useful to Allow it to End Translating History continues its look at the early days of the Korean War with a new translation of a declassified Top Secret document from 1951, Document 5 in our series. Stalin’s position, as we…

Kremlin chides inept new Soviet ambassador to North Korea in 1951 Top Secret cable, amidst information that some in the North's political circles are interested in a ceasefire. Stalin, however, finds the war useful to his interests. Oh, Stalin.

Korean War, 1951: The North is Hesitant to Continue, but Stalin Finds the Conflict Too Useful to Allow it to End

Translating History continues its look at the early days of the Korean War with a new translation of a declassified Top Secret document from 1951, Document 5 in our series. Stalin’s…

Two Versions of the Beginning of the Korean War, Stalin and Gromyko Embrace the Lie Translating History continues its look at the early days of the Korean War with two new translations of declassified documents from 1950. The materials in the collection contain two versions of the…

Two Russian announcements from various sources point to two different instigators of the Korean War. Stalin unsurprisingly adopts the one most beneficial to his vision. The well-trained Gromyko yips and yaps in strict accord.

Two Versions of the Beginning of the Korean War, Stalin and Gromyko Embrace the Lie

Translating History continues its look at the early days of the Korean War with two new translations of declassified documents from 1950. The materials in the collection contain two versions of the origin of the…

Interesting stuff. There are no classification markings on the title pages, suggesting this is definitely sensitive information, but not necessarily classified. Either way, another embarrassment to the Russians.

Russian Navy Live Torpedo Fire Advisory for the Barents Sea If this was the weekend you’d chosen to explore the Barents east of Rybachy Peninsula, your plans were most likely ruined. From 1 August through the evening hours of 6 August, a navigational …

Life torpedo fire to be conducted east of Rybachy Peninsula through 6 August. Lots of Russian Navy Northern Fleet bases right there. Go get some pictures for us, subscribers! Just be careful.

Russian Navy Live Torpedo Fire Advisory for the Barents Sea

If this was the weekend you'd chosen to explore the Barents east of Rybachy Peninsula, your plans were most likely ruined. From 1 August through the evening hours of 6 August, a navigational warning was announced for the area highlighted…

Kremlin Suggests North Korea Slow its Roll in 1949, the Eve of the Korean War Translating History has recently received a small bundle of declassified Russian-language materials related to Soviet diplomatic involvement in the Korean War, and will be publishing the translatio…

1949 declassified draft: Andrei Gromyko instructs Soviet Embassy reps in North Korea to let Kim Il-Sun know Stalin finds talks of an invasion into South Korea uncomfortable...for now.

Kremlin Suggests North Korea Slow its Roll in 1949, the Eve of the Korean War

Translating History has recently received a small bundle of declassified Russian-language materials related to Soviet diplomatic involvement in the Korean War, and will be publishing the translations thereof in the…

June 2025 Russian Ministry of Defense Report Reveals Drone-Defense Measures for Storage Depots A report published by the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense in June 2025 provides a look at the latest modifications to its counter-drone measures employed as a response to Ukraine’s propensit…

Recent (June 2025) Russian Ministry of Defense report reveals rather primitive means to protect weapon and fuel depots from Ukrainian drone attacks. These suggest immediate but weak protection, but it will take time and money to approach the realm of "good enough" fixes.

June 2025 Russian Ministry of Defense Report Reveals Drone-Defense Measures for Storage Depots

A report published by the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense in June 2025 provides a look at the latest modifications to its counter-drone measures employed as a response to Ukraine’s propensity to…

November 1944: SMERSH Interrogates Treblinka Death Camp Executioner, a Soviet Red Army Deserter During the military operations on the frontlines during the Great Patriotic War, the counterintelligence agencies “SMERSH” of the various fronts, armies, corps and divisions, along with…

Soviet citizen Pavel Leleko details atrocities in Treblinka death camp in declassified Top Secret November 1944 report. Additionally, translation includes link to complete interrogation from John Demjanjuk case.

November 1944: SMERSH Interrogates Treblinka Death Camp Executioner, a Soviet Red Army Deserter

During the military operations on the frontlines during the Great Patriotic War, the counterintelligence agencies "SMERSH" of the various fronts, armies, corps and divisions, along with carrying out the…

Recently released Russian child's letter to Stalin to show that he is sending along 64 rubles he'd been saving for skates to help buy a new submarine. He states he's aware that they are expensive, so he's telling all his friends to lend a hand to buy or construct a sub to help beat the Germans.

Just in case anyone was foolish enough to still consider holidaying in the US.

"Atesh" partisans reveal Pantsir missile locations near strategically critical installations in Leningrad Oblast to assist Ukrainian forces. @ukraineworld.bsky.social

You can follow "Atesh" on their Telegram channel (t.me/atesh_ua).

New Russian Helo Training Vessel Begins Factory Sea Trials

The Russian Project 14400 training vessel Nikolay Kamov begins factory sea trials today, 17 July 2025. The vessel was developed to train Russian Navy carrier-based helicopter crews. Equipment on board can imitate various sea conditions.…

2/2 900 ton displacement, 70 m long, 12 m wide. She can reach speeds of up to 12 knots, has a sailing range of 500 miles, and an endurance of 2 days. In effect, a nice steel-plated sitting duck.

1/2 A new target for the Ukrainians in the Black Sea: Russian Project 14400 Nikolay Kamov training vessel begins factory sea trials today. The vessel was developed to train Russian Navy carrier-based helicopter crews. Equipment on board can imitate various sea conditions.