Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Intelligence

der Ivashutin, the GRU became a sophisticated, all-source intelli-

gence service, conducting signals intelligence, space reconnais-

sance, and human intelligence operations. The GRU prepared daily

briefings on military and political issues for the chief of the general

staff and the Ministry of Defense, and it controlled several Spetznaz

units to conduct long-range military reconnaissance.

GRU headquarters are located in a nine-story building on the Cen-

tral Military Airfield (also known as Khodinka Field). GRU officers

usually have a combat arms background. They are trained at the Mil-

itary Diplomatic Academy in Moscow, where they receive a post-

graduate education in languages and intelligence tradecraft.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the GRU con-

tinued its operations abroad and from Russian territory. In July 2003,

the GRU chief, Valentin Korabelnikov, noted that the GRU continued

to have a worldwide mission and both an analyticaland operational

mission. Korabelnikov noted that GRU units had suffered approxi-

mately 300 casualties in the ongoing war in Chechnya.

GRU ORGANIZATION. Far less has been written about the GRU

than the KGB. The GRU’s major components deal with human in-

telligence, space reconnaissance, and signals intelligence. The GRU

is divided into numbered directorates, each led by a general officer.

During the Cold War, the First Directorate was charged with hu-

man intelligence collection and had components responsible for im-

portant countries. GRU officers preparing for assignments in reziden-

turasabroad frequently served a tour as a desk officer in the First

Directorate. The Fifth Directorate produced operational-tactical intel-

ligence and worked closely with Red Army and Air Force commands.

The Sixth Directorate was responsible for the collection of technical

intelligence. This included intelligence collected from space, ground

stations, and military signals intelligence units. The Seventh Direc-

torate concentrated on NATO. Within the directorate were six compo-

nents targeted against individual countries. The Ninth Directorate was

responsible for questions of military technology and worked closely

with the Military-Industrial Commission (VPK) in the collection,

analysis, and distribution of scientific and industrial intelligence in-

formation. Like Directorate T of the KGB’s First Chief Directorate, the

Ninth collected proprietary secrets as well as classified information.

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