SOUD

System of united data accounting on enemy

Blackout system of global information’s interception created during the cold war.

Agreement between the countries of East block on SOUD organization was signed in 1977, however, the system began its functioning from 1979 at large. A reason of its creation was the Olympic games in 1980, Moscow: first task for the system became the  information collection about possible hostile actions of foreign special services during the Games. In Soviet times SOUD participants were the special services from the USSR, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Mongolia, Cuba, DDR and Vietnam. Files at agents, journalists, "hostile" organizations, diplomats, culture and commerce attaches, air companies representatives got into the data base of SOUD. All that could be qualified as a bearer of potential danger to the USSR.

Bases had access only for the high officers of special services by the countries of Warsaw agreement. And the informational query at any subject was processed by SOUD within 4 hours maximum (not bad result for the end of 70-s).

At present GRU and FAPSI are the operators of SOUD.

Resources:

• Gordiyevsky "KGB - intelligence operations"
• www.fas.org