Вил Мирзаянов - State Secrets - An Insider's Chronicle of the Russian Chemical Weapons Program

111024, Moscow, 23 Shosse Entuziastov

The Investigation Department of the Ministry of Security of the Russian Federation is investigating the criminal case of Vil Sultanovich Mirzayanov, who in 1992 disclosed information to the mass media about the results of scientific research conducted at GRNIIOKhT on the creation of a new chemical agent and the development of a binary weapon based on it.

In connection with this, we ask you to inform us if the research on the creation of Chemical Agent A-232 was conducted within the framework of some specific special goal-oriented program, and if so, is the creation of the new chemical agent and the development of a binary system based on it the result of scientific research work conducted within the scope of this program? Is such research being carried out presently, and if it has been discontinued, when and on the basis of what normative act was this decision based?

We also ask you to check if this appointed program for scientific research and experimental and design work on the aforementioned chemical agent has a state standard, and if so, please tell us about it.

Head of the section at the Department

A.A. Shabunin

Top Secret

Copy 1

STATE RUSSIAN SCIENCE

RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY AND

TECHNOLOGY

To A.A. Shabunin, head of the

Section of the Investigation Department

at the Ministry of Security

of the Russian Federation

In response to N 6/001580 of April 22, 1993

In response to your request, we inform you that the research on the development of Agent A-232 was conducted within the framework of a special goal-oriented program under Resolution N 103-43 of the Central Committee of the C.P.S.U. and the U.S.S.R. Council of Ministers dated January 31, 1983, and declared by Decree N 131-27 of the Ministry of Chemical Industry of the USSR dated March 25, 1983.

The research work aimed at the creation of a binary system based on Agent A-232 was conducted within the framework of the special goal-oriented program under Resolution N 844-186 of the Central Committee of the C.P.S.U. and the U.S.S.R. Council of Ministers on October 6, 1989, and was declared by the Decree N 22-2 of the Ministry of Chemical Industry of the USSR dated September 11, 1989.

The development and thorough screening of the new chemical agent and the creation of a binary system based on it was the result of scientific research conducted within the framework of the indicated program.

Currently this research has concluded. Generally speaking, all scientific research work on the development of chemical weapons (works of the Foliant program) stopped on January 1, 1993, in compliance with Resolution N 518-33 of the Russian Federation dated July 24, 1992, and declared by Decree N D/12-11 of the Ministry of Industry of the Russian Federation dated September 18, 1992. The same decree prescribed that all participants of the above mentioned works take measures to protect state secrets under the Foliant program.

As a rule, the direction of the special purpose program mentioned above includes few research, experimental, and design works.

The Ministry of Defense develops a tactical-technical task specification, compiled in accordance with the State Standards V 15.101-79 for scientific research work or with State Standard V 15.201-83 for experimental and design work, for each separate work from those that are included in the program.

Deputy Director

N.A. Kuznetsov

Secret

Copy N 2

To Colonel General M.P. Kolesnikov,

Head of the General Staff of the

Armed Forces of the

Russian Federation

April 22, 1993 6/01584

The Investigation Department of the Ministry of Security of the Russian Federation is investigating the criminal case of V. S. Mirzayanov, who disclosed information to the mass media about scientific research in the area of chemical weapons. In connection with this development we are asking for the following necessary information.

1. Is the Temporary List of Information of state secrecy, approved by the government of the Russian Federation on September 18, 1992, by Decree N 733-55 on the whole and by Clause 56 of this list in particular, aimed at the protection of information about scientific research in the area of the development of chemical weapons in our country? Does the term “ammunition” indicated in the Sub-clause “C” of Clause 1 of the List cover ammunition equipped with military chemical agents?

2. Is the List of the Main Information of state secrecy approved by the U.S.S.R. Council of Ministers on December 3, 1980 in Resolution N 1121-387 on the whole and in Paragraph 2 of Clause 83 and Clause 85 of this List in particular, aimed at the protection of information about scientific research in the area of the development of chemical weapons in our country? Does the term “ammunition” indicated in Paragraph 1 of Clause 2 of the List cover ammunition equipped with military chemical agents?

Head of the Department,

Major General

S.D. Balashov

Secret

Copy N 1

GENERAL STAFF HEADQUARTERS

OF THE ARMED FORCES

OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Eighth Department

To Major General S.D. Balashov,

Head of the Investigation Department, of

the Ministry of Security

of the Russian Federation

May 12, 1993

N 317/5/0 397 in response to N 6/01584

We have considered your letter regarding the clarifications of the clauses of the Lists of Information of state secrecy. Clause 56 of the Temporary List of Information of state secrecy, approved by the government of the Russian Federation on September 18, 1992, in Decree N 733-55, provides for the determination of the degree of secrecy of the information about the goal-oriented programs, scientific research decisions or the achievements of scientific research, and experimental design work in the interests of the defense and the security of the country, including the development of weapons. The term “ammunition” covers different kinds of ammunition including ammunition equipped with military chemical agents. Additionally, Clauses 54, 55, 61, and 63 of this Temporary List are aimed at protecting the information about scientific research, including a qualitatively new level of potential for arms and military technology.

While defining the degree of secrecy of information in the area of scientific research, including the development of armaments, you can extend the explanations mentioned above to the List of the Major Information of state secrecy approved by the U.S.S.R. Council of Ministers dated December 3, 1980, in Resolution N 1121-387 and in particular by Paragraph 2 of Clause 83 and Clause 85 of this list; it was expedient to use the clarifications which are indicated above. For a more detailed interpretation of the terms and notions mentioned in the List of the Major Information of state secrecy, it is necessary to look for it from those who compiled in 1980, the MB RF.

Secret

Copy N 2

6/01341/April 5, 1993

To Colonel General M.P. Kolesnikov,

Head of the General Staff Headquarters

of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

The Investigation Department of the Ministry of Security of the Russian Federation is investigating the criminal case, in which Vil Sultanovich Mirzayanov, a former employee at the State Russian Science Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology (GRNIIOKhT), is accused of committing a crime stipulated by Article 75, Part 1, of the RSFSR Criminal Code.

It was established during the investigation, that in 1992 Mirzayanov disclosed information to the mass media that constitutes a state secret, about the creation of a new chemical agent and the development of a binary system based on it being created at GRNIIOKhT by order of the Ministry of Defense. In connection with this please inform us if the General Staff Headquarters of the VSRF [Armed Forces of the Russian Federation] has any information about any negative consequences to the defense capability of Russia created by Mirzayanov’s actions indicated above.