TASS Is Authorized to Declare... (TASS upolnomochen zayavit...)

TASS Is Authorized to Declare... (TASS upolnomochen zayavit...) DVD Cover Country USSR Directed by Vladimir Fokin Release Date 1984 Language Russian Studio Gorkiy Film Studio Main Cast Character Actor Gen. Konstantin Ivanovich Konstantinov Vyacheslav Tikhonov Col. Vitaliy Vsevolodovich Slavin Yuriy Solomin Col. Pavel Trofimovich Makarov Nikolay Zasukhin John Glabb Vakhtang Kikabidze Paul Dick Aleksey Petrenko Sergey Dmitrievich Dubov alias Trianon Boris Klyuev Andrey Andreevich Zotov Leonid Kuravlyov Pilar Elvira Zubkova

TASS Is Authorized to Declare... (TASS upolnomochen zayavit...) is a 1984 Soviet ten-part spy mini series directed by Vladimir Fokin and based on the eponymous novel by Yulian Semyonov. The series portrays the struggle of Soviet and American intelligence agencies. CIA mole agent in Moscow, known as Trianon (Boris Klyuev), provides information on Soviet activities in the fictional African state of Nagonia. Soviet counterintelligence works on identification and neutralization of Trianon. Meanwhile in another fictional African state of Traziland, bordering Nagonia, Soviet counterintelligence agent Col. Vitaliy Vsevolodovich Slavin (Yuriy Solomin) counteracts local CIA resident John Glabb (Vakhtang Kikabidze) who stages coup d'etat in Nagonia.

The following weapons were used in the film TASS Is Authorized to Declare... (TASS upolnomochen zayavit...):

Revolvers

Nagant M1895 Snug Nose

In one scene a policeman in Louisbourg (capital of Traziland) fires a custom snub nose Nagant M1895 at Andrey Zotov.

A photoshopped image of sawn-off Nagant M1895 revolver. The screen gun has a barrel of similar length and a custom wide grip.

The sawed-off barrel is seen.

The revolver is fitted with a custom wide grip, making it look like Colt or Smith & Wesson snub nose revolvers.

Webley Bulldog

A Webley Bulldog is seen among the items, transferred by CIA to agent Trianon (usage of such ancient gun is inexplicable).

A Belgian produced version of Webley Bulldog - 32 caliber

Confiscated FN Model 1910 and Webley Bulldog on the table.

Pistols

FN Model 1910

An FN Model 1910 is seen among the items, transferred by CIA to agent Trianon. While this pistol is "younger" than Bulldog revolver, it is still obsolete for 1980s.

FN Model 1910 - .380 ACP

Confiscated FN Model 1910 and Webley Bulldog on the table.

M1911A1

Nagonian Gen. Mario Ogano (Kalifa Konde) carries a pistol in holster that appears to be an M1911A1 (or maybe an original M1911).

World War II Colt M1911A1 - .45 ACP

A small portion of the grip of Ogano's pistol can be seen.

Gen. Ogano carries a US M1916 holster.

Assault Rifles

Sturmgewehr 44 (visually modified to resemble M16)

Gen. Ogano's soldiers are armed with Sturmgewehr 44 automatic rifles, visually modified with the addition of a carrying handle, a modified front sight and shorter magazines to resemble either the M16 or the AR-10 rifle.

Sturmgewehr 44 - 7.92x33mm

Sturmgewehr 44, visually modified to resemble M16 - 7.62x39 blank

A blurry but identifiable fake M16 is seen at the left in hands of a sentry.

Soldiers with fake M16s are seen at the left.

Footage

Star Z62

Star Z62 submachine gun is seen in documentary footage.

Star Z62 - 9x19mm

A soldier or policeman of unknown state holds a Star Z62.

A closer view of the submachine gun.

M16

M16 (possibly M16A1s) assault rifles are seen in documentary footage.

M16A1 with 20 round magazine - 5.56x45mm

A soldier of unknown army holds an M16. A person at background right holds some handgun but it cannot be identified.

A soldier with M16.

A soldier carries an M16.

A kind of paramilitary fighter with M16.

Trivia

Holsters

A Louisbourg police officer Frank (Yuriy Naumtsev) carries a holster for Luger P08 or Walther P38.

A Louisbourg policeman carries a holster for TT-33.

Armoured Vehicles

African scenes were mostly filmed on Cuba, hence the appearance of Cuban Army armoured vehicles on screen.

Several armoured vehicles on march. An vehicle at the right appears to be a BTR-60 or BTR-70 APC.

A rarely seen armoured vehicle, known as BTR-60-73: a BTR-60 APC with BMP-1 turret with 73mm main gun. Several dozens of Cuban BTR-60s were converted into this version.