Translated material
German attack: ridiculous rumors
TASS message dated June 14, 1941:
Even before the arrival of the British Ambassador, Mr. Cripps, in London, and especially after his arrival, rumors began to be circulated in the British and foreign press in general about "the proximity of war between the USSR and Germany." According to these rumors: 1) Germany allegedly presented claims of a territorial and economic nature to the USSR, and now negotiations are underway between Germany and the USSR on the conclusion of a new, closer agreement between them; 2) the USSR allegedly rejected these claims, in connection with which Germany began to concentrate its troops near the borders of the USSR in order to attack the USSR; 3) The Soviet Union, in turn, began to intensively prepare for war with Germany and is concentrating troops near the borders of the latter. Despite the obvious senselessness of these rumors, responsible circles in Moscow nevertheless considered it necessary, in view of the stubborn exaggeration of these rumors, to authorize TASS to declare that these rumors are clumsily concocted propaganda of forces hostile to the USSR and Germany, interested in further expanding the war. TASS states that:
1) Germany did not present any claims to the USSR and does not offer any new, closer agreement, which is why negotiations on this subject could not take place;
2) according to the USSR, Germany is just as steadfastly observing the terms of the Soviet-German non-aggression pact as the Soviet Union, which is why, in the opinion of Soviet circles, rumors about Germany's intentions to break the pact and launch an attack on the USSR are devoid of any ground, and what is happening in recently, the transfer of German troops, liberated in the Balkans, to the eastern and northeastern regions of Germany is connected, presumably, with other motives that have nothing to do with Soviet-German relations;
3) the USSR, as follows from its peace policy, observed and intends to comply with the terms of the Soviet-German non-aggression pact, which is why the rumors that the USSR is preparing for war with Germany are false and provocative;
4) The purpose of the Red Army’s current summer training camps and the upcoming maneuvers is nothing more than training the reserves and checking the operation of the railway apparatus, which, as you know, are carried out every year, which is why it is at least absurd to portray these Red Army measures as hostile to Germany. .