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Central Asian Military District, Hew Soviet CornPand
A new Soviet military district facing China's Sinkiang Provinco probably is intended to improve command and control over force3 brought into the area since early
Research Monthly Kcviev
OMMUNIST ASIA
Central Asian Military District, Hew Soviet Command
A new Soviet military district facing China's Sinkiang Province probably is intended to improve coraand and control over forces brought into tha area since This development reflects heightened interest in the western part of the Sino-Soviet border, but for at least the next year or so, the Soviets are more likely to fill out existing forces than to Increase the number of divisions.
Since early November, Soviet radiobroadcasts and newspapers have made referencesentral Asian Military District commanded by General of the Army Lyo and evidently headquartered at A1ta.
| The new district was carvea out or trieDistrict, including much or all of tho Kazak, Tadzhik, and Kirgizwhich front on China's Sinkiang Province (bog the map on.
Tho creation of the new district is only ono of several Indicatorsong-range soviet concern about the western part of the China border. In the Bid-Fifties no Soviet divisions were based near the Sinkiang border, but0 an airborne division was moved from the Moscow Military District to tho Fergana valley, just west of the new Central Asian district. Inotorized rifle regiment was transferred from wostern Turkestan to Druzhba, at the mouth of an ancient invasion route from Sinkiang.
An Sino-Soviet differences intensifiedurthor Soviet buildup began all along the Chinese border. In the Sinkiang border area, elements of two divisions appeared at Alma-Ata and Frunze Sincedditional divisions havo been observed forming at Sary Ozek. Ayaguz, and probably Semipalatinsk. The reason for this hiatus in the buildup in the Sinkiang area is not clear but it probably resulted from highor priorities for ths buildup in the Far Eastern border area.
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The Soviets evidently are alsoactical Air Amy in tho new Central Asian district. Two of the six regiments of the Turkestan district's air army were hasod on territory now in the newand one or possibly two additional regiments were transferred. Airfield construction suggests that the central Asian force will be built up further. This could be accomplished by additional transfers or by the croation of new regiments.
most or the Soviet
buildup effort opposite Sinkiang in the next year or so is likely to be directed to the filling out of existing formations. Chinese weakness in Sinkiang provides little incentiveurriod, massive Soviet buildup, and the presently constituted Soviet force providos at least one division near each of the main geographic choke points on routes connecting China and the USSR. Finally, nono of the five or six Soviet divisions in tho new district are at combat strength, whereas about half of the divisions located elsewhere along the border are at cooibat strength.
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