For ordinary operatives, work in counterintelligence was too dangerous, and this is indicated by statistics. Typically, such employees worked for an average of 3 months and then dropped out for various reasons. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was conferred on only four employees of the organization and all posthumously.
As for the work performed by SMERSH specialists, it was large-scale. They were engaged in the filtration of former prisoners, carried out the initial cleanup in the front-line places, carried out the search, detention or destruction of saboteurs and special agents of the enemy.
Official weapon of SMERSH employees
In their difficult work, the operatives used various weapons, and in this regard, there was no uniform standard among the intelligence officers. But given the direction of their activities, revolvers and pistols were used as service weapons. Most often, several models of pistols were involved.
1. TT or Tula Tokareva
It is an alternative version of similar weapons manufactured in other countries. The standard ammunition was German cartridges, the caliber of which was 7.62 × 25 mm. We bought them for German-made Mauser pistols, of which there were quite a few.
2. Lignose
It was designed specifically for concealed long-term wearing, instant activation and operational destruction of an object in a close-range battle. It could be worn almost imperceptibly in the inner part of the sleeve and even tucked into a shoe or collar. Weapons of 6.35 mm caliber, with a nickel-plated coating, which does not give the secret service a rusty smell that appears from prolonged contact of the body and metal.
3. Revolver Nagant
A 7.62-mm three-line officer's revolver with a self-cocking firing mechanism was developed in 1895. Until the end of the Second World War, it was simultaneously manufactured at the same plant as the TT, although pistols had many advantages over revolvers.
4. Mauser HSc
Suitable for concealed carrying, rather compact, which has become its main advantage. The caliber of this weapon is 7.65 mm. Self-loading pistol, self-cocking trigger. Almost all the weapons of this model that fell into the hands of the operatives were captured. It was produced exclusively for German soldiers and only about 10 percent for the police. They were not imported into the USSR before the war.
5. Walter PPK
Modified model of the Walther PP police pistol, a lightweight and shortened version, in mass production since 1931. It was supplied to the USSR before the war. Pistol 7.65-caliber, automatic works on the basis of recoil with a free shutter. In the postwar years, the pistol was produced in the USA.
6. Luger R-08 (other names Parabellum or Borchardt)
Luger R-08 combined three advantages at once - it was compact and accurate, had good power / Photo: gunsbroker.ru
Not as popular as the rest of the weapon, due to its high cost and difficulty in production. But the 9-mm Luger combined three advantages at once - it was compact and accurate, had good power.
7. Walter P38
The model is also a trophy. Caliber self-loading Walther P38 9 mm. It was distinguished by its compact size and high power indicators; it could be used both in close-range and long-range combat.
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8. Beretta M34
The caliber of this pistol is 9 mm. Self-loading model, compact, ideal for concealed carry.
SMERSH was abolished in the spring of 1946, in May. Employees of the service moved to work in other departments and, first of all, in the Ministry of State Security.
It will be no less interesting and useful to find out what is the strength of the Soviet weapon "Vintorez" and "Val" and why they are still used.
A source: https://novate.ru/blogs/240521/59115/
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