{{More citations needed|date=January 2025}} {{expand Russian|date=September 2023|topic=mil}} [[File:Удостоверение ст. лейтенанта госбезопасности Казакова М. А. (1941).jpg|thumb|350px|Special Department ID belonging to state security senior Lieutenant from the Moscow Military District]] '''Military counterintelligence''' within the '''Soviet Armed Forces''' was controlled by the nonmilitary Soviet secret police throughout the history of the USSR (1922 to 1991).{{cn|date=September 2023}}{{huh|reason=contradicts ruwiki|date=September 2023}}
Military counterintelligence departments of the Soviet Armed Forces existed in all larger military formations, usually called a ''Special Department'' ({{langx|ru|Особый отдел (ОсО)|Osoby otdel, POPsO}}) or third department/section.{{cn|date=January 2025}} The members of the Special Department were colloquially called '''osobists'''.<ref>[https://cepa.org/article/russias-military-shaken-as-top-level-purge-unfolds/ Russia’s Military Shaken as Top-Level Purge Unfolds]</ref>
''TGU'' (ТГУ КГБ СССР, 3 ГУ КГБ СССР ('third')) functionaries were responsible for protection of the military units and of important servicemen (e.g. commanding officers) against activities of foreign military attaché offices/diplomats.
==Timeline== {{Details|Chronology of Soviet secret police agencies}} Source:<ref>{{Cite book|title=Degtyarev K. SMERSH. - M .: Yauza; Eksmo, 2009 .-- 736 p. - (Encyclopedia of Special Services)}}</ref> *Initially there was no common counterintelligence directorate. Various armies and fronts had their "Special Departments". *Vecheka, ВЧК, founded on 20 December 1917 *Military Department of Vecheka, Военный отдел ВЧК, established on 27 July 1918 *Special Department of Vecheka, Особый отдел ВЧК, established on 19 December 1918 *Special Department of Secret Operative Directorate of GPU NKVD RSFSR, Особый отдел СОУ (Секретно-оперативное управление) ГПУ, July 1922 *Special Department of OGPU, Особый отдел ОГПУ, September 1930 *4th Division of the OGPU Special Department, 4 отделение Особого отдела ОГПУ *Special Department of the GUGB NKVD USSR, Особый отдел ГУГБ НКВД СССР (July 1934 –) *5th (Special) Dept. of GUGB, 5-й (особый) отдел ГУГБ December 1936 – *2nd Directorate of NKVD (Special Departments), 2-е Управление (особых отделов) НКВД СССР June 1938 – *4th (Special) Dept. of GUGB, 4-й (особый) отдел ГУГБ September 1938 – February 1941 *3rd Directorate of People's Commissariat of Defense,(UKR НКО) Третье Управление НКО February 1941 – July 1941 *3rd Directorate of People's Commissariat of the Navy (UKR NKВМФ), Третье Управление НКВМФ February 1941 – January 1942 *3rd Dept. of NKVD, (OKR NKVD) Третий отдел НКВД February 1941 – July 1941 *Directorate of Special Departments of NKVD, (УОО НКВД) Управление особых отделов НКВД СССР July 1941 – April 1943 *SMERSH (ГУРК НКО) 1943–1946 *Third Chief Directorate of MGB of the USSR, Третье Главное Управление МГБ СССР, May 1946 – 1953 *Third Directorate of Ministry of Internal Affairs, Третье управление МВД СССР, March 1953 – 1954 *Third Chief Directorate of KGB by the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Третье главное управление КГБ при СМ СССР, March 1954 – 1960 *Third Directorate of KGB of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Третье управление КГБ при СМ СССР, 1960–1978 *Third Directorate of KGB of the USSR, Третье управление КГБ СССР, 1978–1982 *Third Chief Directorate of KGB of the USSR, Третье главное управление КГБ СССР, 1982–1991
== Notes == {{Reflist}}
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Category:Military of the Soviet Union Category:KGB * Category:Military intelligence agencies Category:Counterintelligence agencies