Top Secret Only Copy Working Record Session of Politburo of CC CPSU 25 September 1986 Chaired by cde Gorbachev M S Present cdes Aliev G A Vorotnikov V I Gromyko A A Zaikov L N Kunaev D A Ligachev E K Chebrikov V M Scherbitsky V V Dolgikh V I Yeltsin B N Soloviev Yu F Talyzin N V Biryukova A P Dobrynin A F Zimyanin M V Nikonov V P Razumovsky G P Yakovlev A N Kapitonov I V 1 About the Results of cde M S Gorbachev’s trip to Krasnodar and Stavropol Provinces GORBACHEV The trip to Krasnodar and Stavropol provinces went beyond the prepared framework The intention was as follows in the Krasnodar province to find out how the agro‐industrial complex is working in the new conditions and in the Stavropol province to assess how agricultural enterprises were implementing the switch to economic self‐sustainability in practice However the conversations with working people the issues they raised during those conversations forced us to go beyond those topics People were saying that they support the policy of perestroika that correct decisions had been made but that they don’t always reach down to them We were impressed by the growing engagement of the people their desire to speak out and take clearly defined positions on all issues of the life of the party and the country They were saying that we must overcome industry‐specific approaches and parochial interests Finally in the meetings and conversations they raised issues of organization of party work in contemporary conditions How party committees function also affects the progress of perestroika What political conclusions can be drawn from these meetings and conversations The most important political conclusion is that support for the party’s policy among the people is growing stronger People say openly that we cannot stop in the middle of the road we must go boldly forward … … GORBACHEV Cde Guzhenko addressed a letter to the CC CPSU He is asking to be allowed to retire and connects his request with the tragedy of “Nakhimov ” He is suffering deeply over what happened I think it would be the right decision to satisfy his request POLITBURO MEMBERS We agree GORBACHEV I asked Viktor Mikhailovich Chebrikov to tell us what kind of people are serving sentences for crimes that Western propaganda classifies as political CHEBRIKOV According to our legislation these crimes are classified as especially dangerous state crimes Altogether 240 individuals have been indicted and are currently serving their sentences These are people convicted of espionage crossing the state border dissemination of hostile leaflets currency manipulation and so on Many of these people have made statements that they would cease their hostile activities They explained their statements by reference to the political changes that followed the April Plenum of the CC CPSU and the XXVII Party Congress It appears that we could release one‐third at first and later one‐half of these people from the penitentiary In that case only those who retain positions hostile to our state would continue serving their sentences GORBACHEV It appears that we could support this proposal CHEBRIKOV We will do it in a reasonable way In order to be sure that the named individuals do not continue to engage in hostile activities we will initiate surveillance of them SCHERBITSKY How can we explain that comparatively few people now receive criminal sentences for committing especially dangerous state crimes Because of perestroika CHEBRIKOV It can be explained by the emphasis that the KGB organs put on prophylactic work профилактической работой Many individuals are discovered if one can put it this way just as they approach the line beyond which they would be committing a criminally punishable act To pressure them we use all means available to the KGB as well as to society GROMYKO Which of the crimes are considered the most dangerous and what kind of punishment is imposed for them CHEBRIKOV Espionage The punishment for that is execution or fifteen years of incarceration Polishchuk was executed for espionage Yesterday Tolkachev’s sentence was carried out GORBACHEV American intelligence paid him generously He was caught with 2 million rubles CHEBRIKOV This agent handed over very important military‐technical secrets to the enemy GORBACHEV Let us agree that we support the considerations expressed by cde Chebrikov in principle Let the KGB introduce their proposals in the established order POLITBURO MEMBERS We agree handwritten signature A Lukyanov ________________________________________ Translated by Svetlana Savranskaya for the National Security Archive Source RGANI Fond 89 Perechen 36 Delo 20