Place of the third operational-chekist departments in the punitive system of the Soviet statein the 30s of the XX century
The article describes the prerequisites for organizational and structural changes in the system of state security agencies that led to the creation of independent operational units of places of deprivation of liberty that performed a punitive function in the Soviet penitentiary system. Previously unpublished archival documents allowed us to take a fresh look at the history of domestic operational search agencies that provided operational support to the penitentiary system.