KGB Starts Unit to Guard Donated Food

The KGB announced today the formation of a special unit to control distribution and prevent theft of humanitarian aid from the West.

The first planeload of donated food reached the capital Thursday night and was promptly distributed to children’s hospitals, orphanages and homes for the retarded. They began receiving the pre-packaged meals and chocolate today.

The first shipment came from German charities. Humanitarian organizations in the United States, Italy and the Nordic countries are also preparing to send milk, flour, canned goods and other staples.

Western diplomats expressed concern that donated food might be stolen by black marketeers, siphoned off by corrupt officials or be allowed to rot because of inefficient Soviet transportation and storage facilities.

Worried that even a single incident of theft could produce bad publicity and slow the Western aid, the Soviet legislature voted Nov. 23 to put the KGB in charge of making sure the food goes where it’s supposed to.

Tass reported today that the security police had set up a new headquarters to “coordinate measures in the battle against economic sabotage” and ensure “the proper use of imported products and humanitarian aid provided by foreign countries.”

The news agency said KGB officials “view the fulfillment of the Supreme Soviet’s order as one of its most important tasks, dictated by the difficult political situation and economic crisis in the country.”

Food shortages have worsened greatly this fall, leading to rationing of meat, butter, sugar and other necessities in Leningrad and dozens of other cities across Russia and the Ukraine.