Intelligence operations of Irkutsk military district’s headquarters in Russia’s Far East borderline areas (1918-1919)

Based on previously unknown documents of the Intelligence department of Irkutsk Military District’s headquarters from the Russian State Military Archive, the article is the first attempt in the Russian historiography to analyse the activities of the “White Guard” intelligence service in Russia’s Far East during the Civil War. Particular attention is paid to the Intelligence department’s structure and its agent networks in the borderline areas in Mongolia and Uraanhai Krai (Tannu Uriankhai). It is concluded that the intelligence service was quite viable, despite the shortage of human and financial resources. However, the work in what the Intelligence department considered its priority areas turned out to be ineffective in the conditions of the Civil War. It is mentioned that the obtained intelligence data about the Far Eastern borderlands were used by the Soviet state after the war.