A recently declassified document from the U.S. National Archives, part of the JFK Assassination Records, details a 1963 warning from a Soviet official regarding Lee Harvey Oswald’s potential to assassinate President John F. Kennedy. The document, a letter written by Sergyj Czornonob (or Csornonoh), describes multiple attempts to alert U.S. officials months before Kennedy’s death. The letter was made public as part of ongoing government transparency efforts related to the JFK assassination.
The Soviet Warning (August 1963)
According to the letter, Czornonob was ordered to transmit information to the U.S. government by a Soviet official, Mr. Wasilev, Consul of the USSR Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria, on August 9, 1963. On August 14, 1963, he was again warned by a woman named Besera Asenova, who was identified as the girlfriend of a Russian Consul. She allegedly came to his room and stated, “Lee Harvey Oswald is an assassin. He will kill President Kennedy.”
The fact that a Soviet official relayed this information raises questions about why the USSR had knowledge of Oswald’s intent. One possibility is that Soviet intelligence was monitoring Oswald due to his previous defection to the USSR. Another theory is that Soviet operatives were aware of an attempt to paint Kennedy’s assassination as communist in origin, possibly as part of a larger effort to frame the USSR for the crime.
Early U.S. Warnings Ignored
On August 15, 1963, Czornonob met American Vice Consul Mr. Blackshire at the airport in Sofia and explicitly warned him that Lee Harvey Oswald was planning to assassinate President Kennedy and that he has a weapon or ordered one. According to Czornonob’s account, Blackshire dismissed the warning, responding that Oswald “seems like he will kill someone.” Czornonob went further, cautioning that “right-wing” figures would invite Kennedy to a location, criticize him in newspapers, and then kill him. Blackshire assured him that he would report the information to the State Department, but when Czornonob saw no immediate action, he decided to escalate his warning.
Four days later, on August 19, 1963, Czornonob traveled to Washington, D.C., to personally alert officials at the U.S. State Department. He claimed to have met with the Director of Special Counselor Service, warning that Oswald planned to kill Kennedy and would be silenced afterward. He also alleged that civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be assassinated by a man already in prison—later identified as James Earl Ray.
Alleged FBI Cover-Up
Czornonob’s decision to send his letter to the British Embassy instead of a U.S. official suggests he believed American authorities were suppressing his warnings. Seeking an external ally, he may have hoped the British government would take his claims seriously.
In his letter to the British Ambassador in Washington, D.C., Czornonob alleged FBI interference, writing, “Our justice always will be against me. Incoming mail is controlled by FBI agents. Some of the mail I get is not forwarded to me. FBI suppresses my information and tortures me by drug. Respectfully, Yeiks.”
He also claimed that after delivering his warning to the Director of Special Counselor Service at the State Department, FBI agents used anesthesia gas to erase his memory. He wrote, “Director did call on FBI agents after, FBI use anesthesia gas to freeze me to drug me to keep amnesia.” His claims resemble techniques used in CIA mind control programs like MKUltra, which involved drugs and hypnosis to manipulate memory.
Implications of the Document
This document raises serious questions about the official account of Kennedy’s assassination:
- Foreknowledge of the Assassination: If Czornonob’s warning was accurate, why was Oswald not stopped?
- Right-Wing Conspiracy?: His prediction that “right-wing” forces would orchestrate Kennedy’s death aligns with theories that CIA, FBI, military officials, and Texas oil elites may have been involved in a broader conspiracy.
- Soviet Panic & Cold War Tensions: The USSR’s alleged warning suggests that the Soviets feared being blamed for Kennedy’s assassination and may have suspected a U.S. intelligence cover-up. Given the Cold War climate, intelligence agencies may have intentionally linked Oswald to the Soviets to make the assassination appear to be of communist origin, further justifying anti-Soviet policies and military expansion.
- Dr. King’s Assassination Prediction: The claim that a man already in prison would kill MLK raises new questions about the extent of government foreknowledge and involvement in King’s assassination.
Who Benefited from Kennedy’s Death?
Many historians and researchers argue that JFK was targeted for his opposition to CIA black operations, military-industrial expansion, and his efforts to de-escalate the Cold War. Those who gained from his death include:
- CIA & Military Leaders: Kennedy wanted to withdraw troops from Vietnam, a move that was reversed after his assassination.
- Right-Wing Business Interests: Kennedy’s plan to end oil tax loopholes angered Texas oil billionaires.
- Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ): Kennedy’s death immediately made LBJ President, allowing for war escalation in Vietnam and continued CIA operations.
Conclusion: A Suppressed Warning?
If Czornonob’s letter is authentic, it provides strong evidence that the U.S. government was warned about Oswald but failed—or refused—to act. Whether due to incompetence or a deeper conspiracy, this document challenges the official Warren Commission narrative and suggests that Kennedy’s death may have been an orchestrated coup rather than the act of a lone gunman. Additionally, the potential effort to frame the USSR as responsible aligns with Cold War strategies of the time, raising further doubts about the assassination’s true origins.
