On 8 and 9 September 2025, the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense filed four maritime closure areas in the Barents Sea to ensure safe lanes for missile launch activities from 13 to 15 September at various times for each declaration. The following show the Russian declarations, translated into English, as well as an approximate imageContinue reading "Four Barents Sea Area Closures for Russian Navy Missile Launch Activities Scheduled for 13-15 September 2025"
Arctic Ocean Area Closure for Russian Navy Missile Launch Activities Scheduled for 12 September 2025
On 8 September 2025, the Russian Federation Ministry of Defense filed a large maritime closure area covering part of Franz Josef Land, a Russian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, from Murmansk, to ensure safe lanes for missile launch activities on 12 September, with a time window of 0300-2000 GMT. The maritime closure comes during aContinue reading "Arctic Ocean Area Closure for Russian Navy Missile Launch Activities Scheduled for 12 September 2025"
Soviet Spy in Tokyo Explains to Moscow What Will Provoke Japan to Attack America
The following is a translation of a Top Secret cipher telegram date 17 June 1941 from Tokyo on the preconditions and probability of Japan's entry into war with the USA. The source of the information was redacted during the declassification process, as was the pseudonym of the Soviet agent who filed the cable itself. TOPContinue reading "Soviet Spy in Tokyo Explains to Moscow What Will Provoke Japan to Attack America"
English Spy Cairncross Hands Soviets British MP Reaction to Japanese-Soviet Neutrality Pact
The following is a translation of a declassified Top Secret cipher telegram (dated 21 April 1941) from Soviet resident VADIM [Anatoly Gorsky] in London, using information from Soviet-operated British spy "List" (John Cairncross) about the signing of the neutrality pact between Japan and the USSR. Cairncross had intercepted a telegram from British MP Stafford CrippsContinue reading "English Spy Cairncross Hands Soviets British MP Reaction to Japanese-Soviet Neutrality Pact"
March 1941: Every Japanese Military Unit to have its own Russian Translator
The following is a declassified Top Secret cipher telegram dated 15 March 1941 from Tokyo about the training of Russian language translators to staff each of Japan’s army companies. The source of the information related in the cable was redacted during the declassification process, as was the pseudonym of Soviet agent who filed the cableContinue reading "March 1941: Every Japanese Military Unit to have its own Russian Translator"
Prelude to Pearl Harbor: March 1941 – Attacks on UK, US Will Hinge on Japan-USSR Neutrality Pact
The following translation from our "Prelude to Pearl Harbor" series is from a Top Secret letter consolidating information from a series of Tokyo cipher telegrams on how potential actions against England and the USA would depend on a non-aggression pact between Japan and the USSR. The letter, sent from an unnamed Soviet agent in Tokyo,Continue reading "Prelude to Pearl Harbor: March 1941 – Attacks on UK, US Will Hinge on Japan-USSR Neutrality Pact"
Prelude to Pearl Harbor: Russian Spy Uncovers Japanese Plans to Seize Hawaii as Early as February 1941
The following is a translation of a 14 February 1941 Top Secret intelligence report from People’s Commissar of State Security [NKGB] Merkulov to Stalin, Molotov, and Beria. TOP SECRET 14 February 1941 I am forwarding to you an intelligence message received by the NKGB from Tokyo. Cipher Telegram No. 980/15 dated 12 FebruaryContinue reading "Prelude to Pearl Harbor: Russian Spy Uncovers Japanese Plans to Seize Hawaii as Early as February 1941"
Russian Ministry of Defense Issues Maritime Closure Areas in Barents Sea for Special Operations, 2-7 September 2025
On 29 August 2025, the Russian Ministry of Defense issued two maritime closure areas in the Barents Sea and Motovskiy Zaliv for "special operations," presumably involving the Russian Federation Navy (given the number of naval bases within a day's sailing range - see images below). Note: The term "special operations" is not meant to implyContinue reading "Russian Ministry of Defense Issues Maritime Closure Areas in Barents Sea for Special Operations, 2-7 September 2025"
Cambridge Five Member Provides Information on UK, US, and Chinese Efforts to Encourage the USSR to Declare War on Japan
In a post from yesterday, we reported on the West's efforts to convince the Soviet Union to declare war against Japan after the latter's 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, stressing that it would offer the US a chance to make use of prime Soviet real estate in the Far East (to wit, SovietContinue reading "Cambridge Five Member Provides Information on UK, US, and Chinese Efforts to Encourage the USSR to Declare War on Japan"
Vice Premier Malenkov Informed of Liberation of Auschwitz, 29 January 1945: “Heinous…”
Two days after the infamous concentration camp in Auschwitz was liberated, General Lieutenant Konstantin Kraynyukov was able to put down into a terse telegram some initial details of the camp itself and what it held. But before launching into descriptions, he felt rightly compelled to sum up his thoughts on what he had seen inContinue reading "Vice Premier Malenkov Informed of Liberation of Auschwitz, 29 January 1945: “Heinous…”"
Translating History 