Soviet Union/Union of Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR)/Союз Советских Социалистических Республик
The Soviet Union gave enormous support to the liberation struggle in South Africa, starting in the late 1950s/early 1960s with the boycott of South African products. Contact between the USSR and the South African Communist Party (then CPSA) and the ANC started during World War II.
Over the years, close ties grew between the USSR and the ANC/SACP/SACTU. Support ranged from financial and humanitarian aid to military aid. Many students from the liberation movements received their university education in the SU and cadres from MK and trade unionists were trained as well. The country gave important political and diplomatic support in the international arena. Several NGOs were involved in the anti-apartheid activities, amongst them the Soviet Women’s Committee, the USSR Students’ Council, the All-Union Council of Trade Unions and the Committee of the USSR Youth Organisations.
Anti-Apartheid Organisations/People
Soviet Afro-Asian Solidarity Committee (SAASC) / Sovetskii komitet solidarnosti stran Azii i Afriki
The SAASC was the state organisation through which a lot of the Soviet support to the liberation movements was channelled. It was very active in the international bodies against apartheid.
The State Archives of the Russian Federation holds the archive of the Committee.
Resources
The Russian State Archives of Socio-Political History (RGASPI)
The Russian State Archives of Socio-Political History (RGASPI) contains the archives of the Communist International and its relations with the Communist Party of South Africa.
http://www.comintern-online.com
The electronic archives are with ELAR: Russian Document Imaging and Content management solutions.
The Archives of the President of the Russian Federation contains the archives of the Central Committee of the CPSU and of the International Department but they are not electronically accessible.
The archives of the Committee for State Security house materials on direct soviet financial assistance went through the KGB, as well as materials on special intelligence training of MK cadres in the USSR and covert operations. Unfortunately, the archives are almost completely closed.
http://www.comintern-online.com
The electronic archives are with ELAR: Russian Document Imaging and Content Management Solutions
