U.S. EXPELS THREE RUSSIANS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27395, 7 July 1954, Page 3

U.S. EXPELS THREE RUSSIANS

Two U.S. Diplomats

To Leave Moscow

(N.Z. press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, July 5. Three Soviet officials have been expelled from the United States in recent months on espionage charges, the State Department disclosed today. The three Russians were expelled between February and June 6. but the case came to light only with the announcement that the Soviet Government had declared two United States officers in Moscow persona non grata. The officers were identified as Lieu-tenant-Colonel Howard Felchlin, United States Assistant Military Attache in Moscow, and Major Walter McKinney, Assistant Air Attache. The Soviet newspaper, “Trud,” as far back as March 25, declared that the Americans had left “espionage notes” in a compartment they had occupied on a trans-Siberian train.

The three Soviet officials expelled from the United States were Commander Igor Amosov, Assistant Naval Attache at the Soviet Embassy in Washington, who left the country on February 8. Mr Alexander Kovlyov, Second Secretary to thp Soviet delegation to the United Nations, who left on February 10. Lieutenant-Colonel Leonid Pivnev, Assistant Air Attache to the Soviet Embassy in Washington, who left the United States on June 6. A State Department spokesman said that there was “no foundation whatsoever” for the Soviet expulsion of Colonel Felchlin and Major McKinney. “It is obvious that the Soviet authorities have taken this action in retaliation for the expulsion in recent months of three Soviet officials for espionage and improper activities in this country.” The spokesman refused to comment when asked the nature of the “espionage and improper activities” engaged in by the Soviet officials.