In our country, government communication is extremely important, and there is even a day dedicated to it. The first day of June was chosen as the day of celebration. In the 31st year, on the first of June, the USSR began to operate a specialized high-frequency communication system between cities. It was developed for government agencies. The significance of such a connection cannot be overestimated.
Relevance of the issue
The communication provided by the capabilities of the FSUE GCCSS of Moscow today is necessary for the timely, quick control of the processes taking place in the economy and politics of the state. Such a communication system is important for the security of the state. It is relevant in terms of providing defense.
The significance of the formation of a system for managing power, the Armed Forces, various authorities, and institutions became clear as far back as the last century, immediately after the revolution of the 17th year. In 1921, Telecommunications specialists began experimenting with different options for organizing telephone communications with several channels. Soon, these experiments were recognized as successful, it turned out to use one cable line to simultaneously transmit three conversations.
Historical vicissitudes
The development of the government communication line did not stop, and in 1923, under the leadership of P.V. Shmakov, successful experiments were carried out to ensure conversations on high-frequency, low-frequency ten-kilometer cable lines. In 1925, they presented equipment for copper systems created by a group led by P. A. Azbukin. At this point in the development of technology, it was already known that high-frequency telephony is the safest option available. Accordingly, they stopped at it, approving protocols and communication systems for the party apparatus and the leadership of the state. They were the basis for the creation of the country's management system.
The development of technologies, the creation of new devices were fundamentally significant for the strategy. Because of this work, they were given to the OGPU - the political department, at that time responsible for state security. All work related to the technical aspects of telephony was fully entrusted to this organization. Since the communication system was considered extremely important from the point of view of strategy, it could not be surrendered to the People’s Commissariat. Instead, telephony was included in the sphere of responsibility of the authorities involved in state security.
Management and direction
In the 1920s, classified communications equipment was subordinate to 4 OGPU public organizations. The system was rated as important (above average). The cadres who were responsible for its performance were recruited based on the competence of the applicants and their loyalty to the current power system. The criteria coincided with the relevant for other departments of state security. Such a connection made it possible for the party’s top leadership to work with minimal delays.
The first line was laid between the key cities of the European part - Moscow, Leningrad. They followed a line from the capital to Kharkov. On the first June day of 1931, the fifth branch of the public association, entrusted to I. Yu. Lawrence, was created at the OGPU. He was responsible for managing the authority for about six years. Then the OGPU was introduced to the NKVD, leaving the fifth branch as the governing body.
Without losing a minute
The need for secret communication channels required the country to rapidly develop and produce, in particular, the construction of new highways that would allow data to be transmitted over the air over a long distance. Construction has been underway since the 30s. Each line was given a pair of chains, set up intermediate, final stations of government communications. In the first two years of this decade, they created a system that provided telephone communications between the capital and the previously indicated cities, as well as Minsk and Smolensk. In the 33rd they connected the capital region with Rostov and Gorky, and a year later laid a line to Kiev. Over the next couple of years, cables were stretched from Moscow to provide communication between managers and Yaroslavl, Sochi, Krasnodar, and some other strategically significant settlements. In the 38th, 25 stations began to operate. Thanks to them, communication opportunities are provided with Stalingrad, Arkhangelsk and other settlements. In the 39th there are stations in Novosibirsk, Chita. In Lyubertsy, a remote linear-hardware room of the Moscow high-frequency station is launched.
From the history of the development of special communications in Russia, it is known that in the 40th year it was possible to establish stationary services for 325 subscribers in different parts of the Soviet Union. The longest line of information transfer at that moment was the one connecting the capital with Khabarovsk. It was completed and launched in 1939. The total length reached 8 615 km. By the end of the decade, the organization had ended in general terms, and communication had become an important aspect of ensuring the interaction of senior officials. A system of contacts has been established between the heads of republics, territories and regions. There was an opportunity for quick access to the administration of the most strategically significant industrial enterprises, as well as other facilities, including military and power ones.
Secrecy and its maintenance
Modern special communications in Russia is largely based on the structure laid down in those distant years. Already in the 30s, engineers worked to ensure the secrecy of the transmitted information. Then formed a technique of automatic classification. In 1937, the EU-2 system created by G.V. Staritsyn, K.P. Egorov. A little later they began manufacturing improved - developed four variations of equipment. By the end of this decade, the use of inverters effectively concealed all the major government channels and the information transmitted through them.
A little time passed, I. Yu. Lawrence was arrested, and his post was given to I. Ya. Vorobyov. Previously, this specialist worked at a telephone factory, from where he left for state security, served as chief mechanic, head of communications, head of the government communications department. Since 1939, M. Ilyinsky has replaced him - one of those who worked on the creation of two data transfer encryption systems. Both of these people were among the most important people in the development and improvement of telephone communications for the needs of the ruling party. Their efforts introduced numerous stations. The death of Ilyinsky became the reason for inviting Vorobyov to his earlier position. It happened in the 41st.
Time and place
Until the beginning of the 40s, closed communication channels existed due to four structures that provided technical and managerial aspects. In addition to the NKVD department, an important role was played by structures created under the Kremlin and responsible for technical communications. They were responsible for the service of government relations within the capital and the region. Cinema, watches in the Kremlin - this was also the responsibility of this institution. The third participant was the department of the Main Directorate of the NKVD. He provided opportunities for classified telephone conversations in the offices and apartments of members of the Politburo. He was engaged in the installation of sound amplifying equipment during various important events. The fourth department, included in the system, belonged to the AHOZU NKVD of the USSR. His task was to provide communications for the operational units. This department was engaged in city stations.
During the Second World War, government communications was one of the key aspects of the management of military units, government agencies, industrial enterprises, party structures. Without an adequate connection, it would hardly have been possible to defeat the aggressor, and if it had been possible, it would have been much more difficult. In many ways, communication was important for interstate negotiations between the leaders of the USSR. Signalers in those days flawlessly coped with the tasks assigned to him. However, there were many problems, and not the last place was occupied by administrative ones.
WWII and victory in it
Later, Marshal of the Soviet Union I.S. Konev recalled how important the institute of military and government communications was in those days. Konev recalled how she rescued those who were supposed to control the troops, how many lives she saved. In many ways, the success in the war, as the marshal believed, was determined by the accurate and coordinated work of the signalmen. Those who had the right to use government communications ex officio could at that time count on the constant accompaniment of a communications officer who was responsible for the technical aspects of the issue.
When the Second World War ended in victory, the governing bodies of the face decided in favor of continuing the development of improved technical systems. In the 50s created new channels for communication between the Soviet and Chinese capitals, in those days - the main cities of the social camp. Since the last August day of 1963, a line has been operating connecting the Soviet capital with Washington. Since the Caribbean crisis has caused an increase in global tension, this communication system has been introduced to improve the situation.
Day by day, everything is better
Since the 70s, the next two decades have been spent on improving government communications. Researchers have developed measures to turn the existing system into a more efficient one. Leadership of the powers, party leaders got the opportunity to access communications, regardless of their location on the planet. The service responsible for realizing the opportunities faced various difficulties caused by frequent changes in the geographical location of subscribers.
While communication was developing, methods for controlling it were improving in parallel. New systems for training personnel were introduced. Throughout the entire period of the existence of the Allied Power, government communications were part of the State Security Committee, the eighth head department of the State Security Committee. The training of officers who could serve here was entrusted to a special school, opened in 1966 in Bagrationovsk. In 1972, it was decided that the current system should be developed further, so the school was moved to Oryol, called it the highest military. It trained officers who had the highest level of education. Such cadres were intended specifically for the troops of the communications. If the initial training lasted three years, then after relocation it was increased by another year.
New conditions and new ways
Since the 91st year of the last century, the USSR no longer exists. Together with the power, the structures that existed in it were eliminated. Since 1991, the Federal Communications Agency appears. The FAPSI included both the eighth KGB department mentioned earlier, and the 16th, whose area of specialization was electrical intelligence. The first director was appointed A.V. Starovoitov. In 1993, he received the rank of colonel general, five years later became an army general. Starovoitov is known for his skills in government communications. For a long time he was an engineer, supervised the aspects of communication at various industrial facilities. FAPSI existed as an independent structure until 2003. The objectives of this institution are to solve problems with government communications and ensure the security of encrypted messages. The institution was responsible for intelligence in the field of secret transmission, was engaged in information support of the state authorities. The personnel were prepared by a specialized military institute. At the beginning of the current millennium, he was transformed into the FAPSI Academy.
Three years later, FAPSI ceased to exist. The functions that had previously been assigned to the federal communications agency were redistributed among several authorities. Most of the units, including the educational institution and the units responsible for government communications, were transferred to the Federal Guard Service. It is this instance that is currently the main person responsible for legal communications. It includes a service whose sphere of competence is special communications and information. The head of this instance replaces the director of the FSO.
Pinwheel
In those days when the federal bodies of government communications did not exist, moreover, when there was no such communication as such, the top leaders were already thinking about the possibilities of quickly transmitting information to subordinates. The pinwheel appeared on the initiative of Lenin, who ordered the creation of an internal Kremlin telephone exchange. This name was given to the system because of the fundamental difference from the usual technology for that time. If the usual network assumed an operator for connecting subscribers, then the Kremlin had a telephone exchange and there was a disk dialer. As it spun, the whole system as a whole was called the “turntable”. This name has been preserved to this day, although current technologies have nothing to do with the government connection of those times.
The expansion of the system allowed to provide it with two outputs. One was for other formats of legal communications, the second - for contacts with the military. However, for the layman, this whole complicated system was still generally called a “turntable”. Engineers, in turn, knew the first automatic telephone exchange, a prestigious one designed to serve top officials, ministers, their deputies. The second automatic telephone exchange was for directors of departments, heads of services, as well as their deputies. This network was distinguished by a greater breadth of broadcasting. However, in general, the “pinwheel” was considered an exceptional indicator of status within the nomenclature.
Yesterday Today Tomorrow
Nowadays, individual battalions of government communications are still responsible for ensuring the operability of the “turntable”, although this system is technically much more complicated and practically does not coincide with the organized one under Lenin. In fact, this system is poorly protected, it is not intended for secret negotiations. There is a connection with other government secure systems. A considerable contribution was made due to the organization of mobile radiotelephony.
The history of this important block of government communications is curious. Modern man knows that it has existed since the first autumn month of 1918. In 1922, the station was delivered to the Kremlin for three hundred subscribers, and in 1948 the capacity was increased to a thousand. By 1954, the number of rooms reaches 3.5 thousand. In 1967, the Rosa duplex system was launched, and the introduction of classified vehicles using the Laguna and Coral systems was launched. Earlier, the rules stated that only the owner could answer a call on the first exchange. If one was absent and a duty officer was appointed, he should immediately inform who was in touch when answering.