8 September 1962 / Instructions to the Commander of the Group of Soviet Forces in Cuba on the delivery of Il-28 airplanes and Luna installations
TO THE COMMANDER OF THE GROUP OF SOVIET
FORCES IN CUBA
In order to reinforce the Group of Soviet Forces in Cuba and increase the capability to combat enemy assault landings, additional assets are being sent to you:
– a squadron of Il-28 delivery platform airplanes (six airplanes and six 407 N atomic bombs) with PRTB
– three Luna battalions (for a total of 6 launchers, 12 missile platforms, 12 special [nuclear] warheads, and 24 conventional missiles) with PTRB
Should enemy assault forces deploy on the island of Cuba and a concentration of enemy ships with amphibious assault forces off the Cuban coast in its territorial waters, and neutralizing the enemy leads to a backlash and there is no possibility of receiving instructions from the Minister of Defense of the USSR, you are authorized to personally arrive at a decision and employ the Luna, Il-28, or FKR-1 nuclear assets as a means of local warfare to destroy the enemy on land and on the coast in order to bring about the complete annihilation of the assault forces on Cuban territory and protect the Republic of Cuba.
USSR Minister of Defense
Marshal of the Soviet Union /R. Malinovskiy/
P.P. Chief of the General Staff
Marshal of the Soviet Union /M. Zakharov/
8 September 1962
Endorsed by
S.P. Ivanov (The back of the directive is handwritten as follows: “Prepared in one copy by General Major G. Yeliseyev 08.09.62. Acknowledged by Air Force General Lieutenant Davidkov 10.09.62)
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