1947
Memorandum, USSR Council of Ministers to Cde. Stalin, I.V.
USSR COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
to Cde. STALIN, I.V.
Please permit:
1. The leaders of the Main Directorate of Cossack Forces created by the Germans under the German Ministry of Eastern Regions to be tried by Military Collegium of the USSR Supreme Court - the German agents Ataman KRASNOV, P.N.; White Army General SHKURO, A.G.' Commander of the "Wild" [dikaya] Division, White Army General SULTAN-GIREY, Klych; their closest accomplices KRASNOV, S.N. (nephew of Ataman KRASNOV, P.N.) and DOMANOV, T.I., and also the commander of the the [sic] "voluntary" Cossack corps of the German Army General von Panwitz, Helmut (a list is attached).
2. The case of KRASNOV, SHKURO, SULTAN-GIREY, and others is to be heard in a closed session without participation of the sides (the prosecutor and [defense] attorneys).
3. All the accused, in accordance with Point 1 of the USSR Supreme Soviet Presidium Decree of 19 April 1943 are to be sentenced to the death penalty by hanging and the sentence is to be carried out in prison conditions.
4. The course of judicial investigations is not to be described in the press, but upon conclusion of the trial a report is to be published in the newspapers in the name of the Military Collegium about the trial, the Court's sentence, and the sentence being carried out.
As was earlier reported to you, those arrested, KRASNOV, SHKURO, SULTAN-GIREY, and DOMANOV, who headed the Main Directorate of Cossack Forces created by the Germans under the supervision of the German Army, waged active armed combat against Soviet power, forming Cossack units from among White Guards members and servicemen of the Red Army who had become German prisoners.
The Cossack units which had been formed, under the command of German Army General-Lieutentant [sic] von Panwitz and Ataman of the "Cossack camp", DOMANOV, participated in combat operations against units of the Red Army and also Yugoslav and Italian partisans.
In addition, the Cossack units of DOMANOV waged armed combat against Belorussian partisans and took part in suppressing the Warsaw uprising.
SHKURO and DOMANOV were assigned by German intelligence to establish a special school to train Cossack spies and saboteurs for subsersive [sic] activity in the rear of Soviet forces.
SULTAN-GIREY, who has been arrested, was a leading participant of the "North Caucasus National Committee" of the German Ministry of Eastern Regions and was assigned by the Germans in 1942 to go to areas in the North Caucasus to organize the German administration, identify Communist [Party members] and partisans, and also participate in the formation of national legions to fight against the Soviet Union.
The investigation of this case has been concluded, there have been confrontations between the accused, and their testimony documented.
In our opinion, the trial could begin on 15 January 1947.
Request your orders.
[On the document there is a notation:]
"To Cde. Abakumov
Agreed. I. Stalin"
Minister of State Security V. Abakumov writes to Stalin concerning the approaching court trial of leaders of the Main Directorate of Cossack Forces. The trial will take place in a closed session and the prisoners will be sentenced to death by hanging. Abakumov lists their offenses.
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