The GKO officially created SMERSH to ensure the Soviet Union 's security from internal political threats and foreign espionage .
SMERSH carried out a wide variety of other tasks between 1943 and 1946 as well .
The GKO officially created SMERSH to ensure the Soviet Union 's security from internal political threats and foreign espionage , although it carried out a wide variety of other tasks between 1943 and 1946 as well .