Chelyabinsk-40, Tomsk-7, Krasnoyarsk-26, Salsk-7. What do these numbers mean, assigned to regional centers THE USSR? Cities closed type in the USSR - secret places not marked on any map. How these cities lived in Soviet times, and what has changed for them now.
ZATO in the USSR
Why some cities in the USSR had a unique status is easily explained: there were objects of national importance from the energy, space or military industries. Only those who had the right to access classified information could know about the existence of ZATO (closed administrative-territorial formation). Under the strictest secrecy, everything happened there - from scientific tests with the Ebola virus to the birth of the first Soviet nuclear bomb. It sounds scary, but in fact, the life of the population of closed cities in the USSR could only be envied.
Just like that, it was impossible to enter the closed city - only if you had a one-time pass or a travel order, which were checked at the checkpoint. Only persons registered in a closed city or village had permanent passes. The numbering of bus routes, houses and institutions in ZATOs was not carried out from the beginning, but continued to be introduced in the regional cities, which included ZATOs. The population of cities with security patrols at the entrance, behind barbed wires and walls, the height of which depended on the degree of secrecy of the city, was forced to conspire, being assigned to the nearest regional centers.
Residents of ZATOs also could not spread information about their place of residence - they gave a non-disclosure agreement, and its violation could lead to liability, up to criminal liability. Outside the city, residents were encouraged to slightly distort reality in communication with other citizens with the help of their own "legend". For example, if a person lived in the secret Chelyabinsk-70 (now Snezhinsk), in response to a question about the place of residence, he discarded the number that carried secrets and, one might say, practically did not lie.
For patience and endurance, the keepers of state secrets were entitled to certain bonuses in the form of benefits and privileges. Sounds good for that time: scarce goods, inaccessible to the rest of the country's citizens, a 20% increase in salary regardless of the field of activity, a flourishing social sphere, medicine and education. The improvement in the standard of living compensated for the inconvenience.
ZATO in Russia
After the collapse of the USSR, the fog of secrecy dissipated a little: the list of ZATOs was declassified, and their list was approved by a special law of Russia. Cities received separate names (previously they were only numbered). Many of the ZATOs are now open to the public, despite the special protection regime. You just need to get an invitation from a local resident, who at the same time must also be your relative (which naturally needs to be proven).
Today, there are 23 closed-type cities in Russia: 10 "atomic" (Rosatom), 13 belong to the Ministry of Defense, which is in charge of another 32 ZATOs with settlements. The secret cities of Russia are concentrated mainly in the Ural region, Chelyabinsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Moscow region.
The total population of ZATOs is more than a million people: almost every 100th citizen of the Russian Federation today lives in a closed city or village and can openly declare this. Activity remains a state secret industrial enterprises and military installations in an isolated area - it is better for residents to keep silent about this.
Zagorsk-6 and Zagorsk-7
The well-known Sergiev Posad near Moscow, which is more associated with pilgrimage than with science, was called Zagorsk until 1991 and included several small closed towns. The Virological Center of the Research Institute of Microbiology was located in Zagorsk-6, and the Central Institute of Physics and Technology of the USSR Ministry of Defense was located in Zagorsk-7. In Zagorsk-6, bacteriological weapons were manufactured, and in Zagorsk-7, open since 2001, radioactive weapons were made.
It was in Zagorsk-6 that weapons were created based on the variola virus, which was brought to the USSR by tourists from India in 1959. In addition, deadly weapons based on South American and South African viruses were developed here, and the famous Ebola virus was also tested. Not surprisingly, the city is closed to this day. Interestingly, only people with the most crystal biography - not only personal, but also all their relatives - could work at Zagorsk enterprises.
Now in Zagorsk-6, which is popularly called the "six", there are more than 6,000 inhabitants. For the most part, the former military and members of their families, who are actually cut off from the world, live quite hard. They complain about their status as "hostages", the lack of food and unstable cellular communications. Roads are rarely cleaned, housing and communal services problems are practically not dealt with. Travel units independently decide which entrepreneurs to let into the territory and which not. The choice of food products is quite limited, in connection with which the inhabitants of the village overcome ten kilometers to shops with a wide range of goods.
The birthplace of the atomic bomb: Arzamas-16 (now the closed nuclear center Sarov)
In this city, on the site of the village of Sarov in Nizhny Novgorod region the first developments of the Soviet atomic bomb under the secret name KB-11 were going on. The nuclear center was one of the most closed cities and turned into a nuclear prison for the local population: until the mid-1950s, it was impossible to leave the city even during vacations, an exception was made only for business trips. He was under serious protection: rows of barbed wire, a control strip, modern facilities tracking, inspection of transport.
The imprisonment was compensated by an average salary of 200 rubles and an abundance on the commodity shelves: sausage and cheese, red and black caviar. Residents of regional centers never dreamed of such a thing. Today, the first Soviet nuclear bomb can be viewed at the Museum of Nuclear Weapons. Today, the population of the city is almost 90 thousand people. The scientific achievements of the city are reminded in the museum, where you can see copies of equipment and nuclear weapons.
Sarov is a city of contrasts. Scientific institutes here they coexist with the famous shrine - the Diveevsky monastery, which was founded by St. Seraphim of Sarov. Closeness was characteristic of these places long before the activities of Soviet scientists: under the monastery there are whole underground cities- catacombs and corridors, where the monks found peace and solitude.
Sverdlovsk-45 (now - Lesnoy)
The city was located around the plant, which was engaged in the enrichment of uranium, where, according to some sources, prisoners of the Gulag worked at the foot of Mount Shaitan. They say that it could not do without tragic incidents: the construction of the city claimed the lives of several dozen people who died during blasting.
In terms of commodity abundance, the city was inferior to Arzamas-16, but it was famous for its comfort and well-being, which was envied by the inhabitants of nearby cities. According to rumors, the inhabitants of the secret city were even attacked at the border by envious neighbors. In 1960, it was near Sverdlovsk-45 that an American U-2 spy plane was shot down, and its pilot, Powers, was captured.
Now the city of Lesnoy is under the auspices of Rosatom and is also open to prying eyes. You can get to it by bus from Yekaterinburg, which goes to the neighboring town of Nizhnyaya Tura.
Novouralsk (Sverdlovsk-44)
Highly enriched uranium is produced at the city enterprise OAO "Ural Electrochemical Combine". The city is also famous for its natural wealth: the Hanging Stone Rock and the Seven Brothers Mountain. This mountain owes its name to either Ermak or the persecuted Old Believers. According to legend, Yermak turned seven sorcerers into stone idols, who prevented him from conquering Siberia. The second legend says that Soviet times A raid was announced on the Old Believers hiding in the Ural forests. Seven of them, in an attempt to escape from persecution, fled to the mountains, where fear chained them to stone.
True, in order to admire the legendary beauty, you will have to overcome many difficulties: you can get into the city only through the forest near the village of Belorechka.
Peaceful. "Pram City"
The military camp in the Arkhangelsk region became closed only in 1966 thanks to the Plesetsk test cosmodrome. The inhabitants of a well-maintained and comfortable city for life were lucky - they could breathe freely and not feel incarcerated. Mirny was not fenced with barbed wire, and documents were checked only on travel roads. The city did not pay for its openness, except that unexpected mushroom pickers and illegal immigrants ran for scarce goods.
It is interesting that Mirny got the name "the city of strollers", due to the fact that graduates of military academies sought to quickly start a family and children in this prosperous place in order to settle down for a long time.
Chelyabinsk-65 (now - Ozersk)
Despite all the privileges, life in some closed cities was a big risk due to the proximity of dangerous objects. In 1957, in Chelyabinsk-65, whose secrecy is due to an enterprise for the production of radioactive isotopes, there was a large leak of radioactive waste that endangered the lives of 270,000 people.
At the Mayak production association, where a plutonium charge for atomic bombs was created for the first time in the USSR, one of the containers in which high-level waste was stored exploded. After the explosion, a column of smoke and dust rose up to a kilometer high. The dust shimmered an orange-red light and settled on buildings and people.
The radiation accident in the Urals posed a number of completely new tasks for science and practice: it was necessary to develop measures for the radiation protection of the population. The specialists of this enterprise underwent the strictest multi-stage selection, and in the event of a successful arrival at a secret object, for several years they could not even correspond with relatives, not to mention meetings.
Today, over 85 thousand people live in Ozersk. The city still contributes to the domestic industry: more than 750 enterprises operate on its territory.
Severomorsk
The city of Severomorsk, the former village of Vaenga, in the Murmansk region is a major Russian naval base, which is located on the shores of the Kola Bay in the Barents Sea. The construction of the naval base began in the mid-30s, and the city became closed after the collapse of the USSR, in 1996.
Fans of sailors and the history of the fleet will especially like it here: a giant sailor from the North Sea Alyosha on the main square, a monument to the torpedo boat TK-12, which sank four enemy ships during the Second World War, the K-21 Submarine Museum.
In winter, from early December to mid-January, in Severomorsk, beyond the Arctic Circle, you can admire the real polar night. However, you should be wary of the local climate: to the icy wind and high humidity not easy to adapt.
Snezhinsk - the birthplace of the hydrogen bomb
On the territory of the youngest closed city in the USSR, Snezhinsk, is the Russian Nuclear Center - the Institute of Technical Physics named after E.I. Zababakhin.
US Secretary of State Baker became the first visitor to the Snezhinsk Nuclear Center with the rank of Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1992, and in 2000 it was here that Vladimir Putin made his first trip as President.
In Snezhinsk, the world's largest thermonuclear bomb, known as "Kuz'kina Mat" or "Tsar Bomba", was created. The tests of the Soviet superbomb took place on October 30, 1961. "Kuzkina Mother" worked at an altitude of 4 kilometers above the ground, and the flash from the explosion was 1% of the "power" of the sun. The blast wave circled the globe three times. Charge "Tsar bomb", which is dedicated to separate chapter Guinness Book of Records, was 51.5 megatons. For comparison: the largest American H-bomb, which in March 1954 wiped the island of Bikini off the face of the Earth, had a capacity of "only" 25 megatons.
Some believe that there is an underground city or even an underground metro in Snezhinsk. The most daring carry out digger underground walks, and for those who love more traditional holiday, not far from the city there is a sanatorium where you can ski on the slopes of the Cherry Mountains, and in summer you can swim in the lakes and sunbathe.
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Books
- City of Exiles, Beglova Natalya Spartakovna. The genre of the novel "City of Exiles" can be defined as "romantic detective story for the curious". The action takes place within the walls of the UN Geneva office, which allows the author not only to captivate…
- City of Exiles, Beglova Natalya Spartakovna. Genre novel 171; City of exiles 187; can be defined as 171; romantic detective story for the inquisitive 187;. The action takes place within the walls of the UN Geneva office, which allows ...
), head of the Uraloved Project, who talks about "closed cities" Ural region(http://uraloved.ru/mesta/ural/zakrytye-goroda-urala). I will use his article to talk about this side modern development region.
Closed administrative-territorial formations (ZATO) began to appear in our country during the work on the creation of nuclear weapons in 1946-1953. In Soviet times, they were strictly classified. They did not exist on the maps, it was impossible to talk about them (the residents signed a non-disclosure agreement). Letters for ZATO residents came to the mailbox. For the sake of conspiracy, closed cities were considered microdistricts of regional centers (they were called, for example, Chelyabinsk-40, Sverdlovsk-45). Along the perimeter, such settlements are surrounded by fences with barbed wire and guards; you can get inside only through a checkpoint.
In Soviet times, the inhabitants of the bans lived quite freely. There was no such deficit as in the whole country. But in which case there were problems with power structures.
The list of closed cities became known after the collapse of the USSR, it was approved separate law adopted in 1992 and amended several times. At the same time, the "mailboxes" had their own names.
Now closed cities have appeared on the maps, but they can still only be entered with passes. Most ZATO residents like to live behind barbed wire and every time they get home through security posts, after inspection. The advantages include the absence of strangers and low level crime.
Russian ZATOs have different departmental affiliations: some belong to Rosatom, others to the Ministry of Defense, and others to Roskosmos.
There are currently 44 closed cities in Russia.
According to statistics, almost every hundredth inhabitant of Russia lives in ZATOs (ordinary military camps do not belong to ZATOs).
Now about each closed city of the Urals in more detail.
closed cities Sverdlovsk region
Lesnoy (Sverdlovsk-45)
Year of foundation - 1947.
The population is 50 thousand people.
Specialization - disposal, assembly of nuclear weapons, production of stable isotopes. Subordinate to Rosatom.
It was created as Plant No. 418 (or Base No. 9) for electromagnetic isotope separation. It was built by prisoners of the Gulag. Started work in 1950. In 1951, the construction of the second plant in the USSR for the mass production of atomic bombs with a capacity of 60 units per year (plant No. 418) began here.
Modern name(city of Lesnoy) received in 1994. Now the main plant of Lesnoy is called the Elektrokhimpribor plant. Of the ZATOs of the Sverdlovsk region, it is guarded most strictly: several fences nearby, towers with guards, well-equipped checkpoints.
http://www.gorodlesnoy.ru/
Novouralsk (Sverdlovsk-44)
Year of foundation - 1941.
The population is 83 thousand people.
Specialization - separation production of uranium isotopes. Subordinate to Rosatom.
It began in 1941 with a light alloy plant. In 1946, construction began on "Combine No. 813" for the production of highly enriched uranium. The highly enriched uranium produced here was used to create the first Soviet uranium atomic bomb. Now the leading enterprise of the closed city is called the Ural Electrochemical Combine.
Rosatom is considering the opening of the city of Novouralsk.
Site of administrative education - http://www.novouralsk-adm.ru/
Svobodny Settlement (Nizhny Tagil-39)
Year of foundation - 1960.
The population is 8 thousand people.
The 42nd Tagil Missile Division of the Strategic Missile Forces is located here.
Site of administrative education - http://www.svobod.ru/
Uralsky settlement (Kosulino-1)
Year of foundation - 1960.
The population is 2.4 thousand people.
Here is the 21st arsenal. The current name was given in 1994.
Website of the administrative entity - http://zato-uralsky.gossaas.ru/article/show/id/81
Closed cities of the Chelyabinsk region
Ozersk (Chelyabinsk-65, formerly Chelyabinsk-40)
Year of foundation - 1945.
The population is 80.5 thousand people.
Specialization - storage and processing of spent nuclear fuel, production and processing of military nuclear materials. Subordinate to Rosatom.
Ozersk is considered the firstborn of the country's nuclear industry, since the plutonium charge for the atomic bomb was created here. Created by I.V. Kurchatov. Enterprise - PA "Mayak".
On September 29, 1957, a tank with high-level waste exploded at the Mayak plant. As a result, a significant area, called the East Ural radioactive trace, turned out to be contaminated.
The modern name given for the abundance around the lakes in 1994.
Site of administrative education - http://www.ozerskadm.ru/
Snezhinsk (Chelyabinsk-50, Chelyabinsk-70)
Year of foundation - 1957. 
The population is 49 thousand people.
Specialization - the development of nuclear weapons. Subordinate to Rosatom.
Of all the ten cities of Rosatom, Snezhinsk is considered the most beautiful due to its lakes and picturesque views.
The enterprise "Russian Federal Nuclear Center - All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Technical Physics named after academician E.I. Zababakhin"
Site of administrative education - http://www.snzadm.ru/
Trekhgorny (Zlatoust-20, Zlatoust-36)
Year of foundation - 1952.
The population is 33 thousand people.
Specialization - development of instruments and systems for nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons. Subordinate to Rosatom.
It originated in 1952 from plant No. 933 for the production of atomic bombs. The first aviation atomic bombs were produced here in 1955. Now this enterprise "Instrument-Making Plant" produces devices for nuclear power plants.
In 1993, Zlatoust-36 was named the city of Trekhgorny.
Site of administrative education - http://admintrg.ru/
Settlement Lokomotivny (formerly Solnechny, Kartaly-6)
Year of foundation - 1965. 
The population is 8.5 thousand people.
The 59th Kartalinsky division of the Strategic Missile Forces, disbanded in 2005, was stationed here. The current name of the village was given in 1992.
Site of administrative education - http://zato-lokomotivny.ru/
Closed cities of the Perm region
Settlement Zvezdny (Perm-76)
Year of foundation - 1961.
The population is 9 thousand people.
The 52nd Tarnopol-Berlin missile division of the Strategic Missile Forces, created on the basis of the Bershetsky military camp, was located here. Refers to the Ministry of Defense.
On December 2, 2002, the 52nd Missile Division was reduced, and on its basis, the 1328th base for reloading and storing elements of the BZHRK (combat railway missile systems) of the Strategic Missile Forces was created. There is a museum of the division. The village has now been opened.
Site of administrative education (temporarily unavailable) -
Today on the territory Russian Federation there are more than 40 closed territorial-administrative formations, also called ZATOs. All of them are surrounded by rows of barbed wire and guarded by military patrols. The data of the city belong to the Ministry of Defense, Roscosmos and Rosatom. In order to get into the territory of closed cities in Russia, you need to get a special pass. The easiest way to obtain such a document is for those who have relatives living in the ZATO territory. Those who got a job in such a city or found a soul mate from among the local residents also receive a pass. However, it is worth saying that there are workarounds. For example, in some closed cities of Russia, various sports and cultural competitions are periodically held, to which outside participants may be invited. The most desperate are simply trying to find a hole in the fence to get into the city. We will warn you right away: illegal entry into the territory of a closed city can lead to administrative responsibility and immediate removal. We have prepared a list of closed Russian cities which are definitely worth a visit. Well, or at least try to do it.
Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory
Other names of this settlement are Krasnoyarsk 26, Atomgrad, Sotsgorod. This city received its special status due to the fact that the Mining and Chemical Combine is located on its territory. Previously, weapons-grade plutonium was produced here. Another object located in this place is Information Satellite Systems OJSC, which, as the name implies, produces satellites. During the construction of the city, the specialists who worked on its project adhered to the concept of the maximum possible non-interference in the natural landscape, and therefore, if you look at it from a bird's eye view, it may seem that the residential areas of the city are located right in the middle of the forest.
Not far from the settlement in the mountain range there are uranium-graphite reactors for the production of plutonium. By the way, one of them worked until recently. In addition to producing plutonium, he supplied the local population with electricity and heat. These reactors are located in kilometer-long tunnels in the depths of a granite monolith. One of the tunnels was laid from the Mining and Chemical Combine to the opposite bank of the Yenisei.
plutonium for mother-in-law
During the Soviet Union, the status of a closed city attracted foreign intelligence agents to this settlement. However, vigilant locals figured them out almost instantly. Especially popular among the population of Zheleznogorsk is a tale about their own fellow countryman. In the eighties of the last century, one of the workers of the plant managed to carry a small amount of plutonium through the checkpoint. The man kept the radioactive metal at home in the most ordinary glass jar. Later, when the thief was "spotted" with the help of special equipment, he began to justify himself by saying that he just wanted to poison his beloved mother-in-law. As a result of a forensic medical examination, an employee of the mining and chemical plant was declared insane and sent for compulsory treatment.
Mirny, Arkhangelsk Region
This closed city of Russia is the administrative and residential center of the Plesetsk cosmodrome. By the way, in this place at the time tsarist Russia passed the road, called the sovereign, towards White Sea. According to the legends, it was along this road that Mikhailo Lomonosov followed the convoy to Moscow. However, there are no memorable signs on this territory; all the sights of the settlement are associated exclusively with space exploration.
In general, the city of Mirny is replete with various monuments, monuments and obelisks. Even the stone from which the construction of the city began was turned into a monument here. In memory of the fact that the first Soviet navigation spacecraft was launched, the Cosmos-1000 obelisk was installed in the city, and when the Cosmos-2000 satellite was launched into orbit, another monument appeared on the territory of the settlement. By the way, the locals even called him an alien. The thing is that he is strikingly similar to a representative of an extraterrestrial civilization. Thrill-seekers enter the city along a secret path that starts at the last turn of the neighboring village called Plesetsk. However, those who are here for the first time should check the topography with the locals and, of course, be prepared to meet with the military patrolling the area.
Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Territory
This closed city of Russia, also called Zaozerny-13 and Krasnoyarsk-45, received its special status due to the fact that on its territory there is an open Joint-Stock Company under the name "Production Association "Electrochemical Plant". The specialists of this plant produce low-enriched uranium.
This city appeared on the banks of the Kan River in the place where the village of Ust-Barga used to be. The local population was involved in the construction, and in its course the village was wiped off the face of the earth. Speaking about the sights of Zelenogorsk, it should be noted that there is a Museum of Military Glory, a Museum and Exhibition Center. Also in the city is the temple of St. Seraphim of Sarov. There is a cadet corps in the city, the fact that not only boys, but also girls are taught here deserves special attention. There is little entertainment in Zelenogorsk: locals can relax on the banks of the river or go to the only nightclub in the city. Visitors to the city may surprise him appearance: the fact is that Zelenogorsk is completely different from typical cities of the Soviet era. There are fairly wide avenues, numerous squares, lawns everywhere. Only monuments to the leader of the revolution remind of the Soviet past.
Sarov, Nizhny Novgorod Region
Speaking about the most closed cities in Russia, one cannot but mention the city known as Shatki-1, Arzamas-75 and 16, Kremlev, Moscow-300. It is on the territory of Sarov that the Russian federal nuclear center All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics is located. Let's put it simply: Sarov is the place where the atomic bomb was created. It is worth noting that on the territory of this settlement there is one of the most revered Orthodox shrines - the Sarov desert. Under it is a real underground city! It was here that hermit monks used to descend in search of solitude and silence.
How to get to Sarov?
Speaking about how to visit this secret closed city of Russia, experts advise using religious motives. In 2006, a monastery was reopened on the territory of Sarov, to which tours of pilgrims are regularly organized. However, atheists also have the opportunity to visit this settlement: the fact is that there is a Museum of Nuclear Weapons on its territory. The main exhibit that attracts visitors here is the tsar bomb. Yes, yes, this is the same “kuzkina mother” that Khrushchev once threatened to show America!
Znamensk, Astrakhan region
Among the closed military cities of Russia is Znamensk, also known as Kapustin Yar - 1. The reason for the special status of this settlement can be called the fact that it is the administrative and residential center of a military training ground called Kapustin Yar. This test site was built back in 1946, it was necessary in order to test Soviet ballistic missiles here, of course, combat ones. But its name - quite peaceful - it received from the village of the same name. It is worth noting that in fact Znamensk is not such a closed city: excursions for students and schoolchildren are regularly held here. Therefore, if you really want to visit the closed cities on the map of Russia, you should submit a request to be included in the tour group.
Dezik, Gypsy and Vasily Voznyuk
The first head of the training ground was Major General Vasily Voznyuk. He entered the service in the 46th year of the last century. By the way, local residents still remember him well, his portraits adorn the offices of the local administration and the Cosmonautics Museum located in the city. By the way, it was from the city of Znamensk that the very first space dogs went into flight. And it was far from Belka and Strelka! From here, Dezik and Gypsy went to outer space. It is worth noting that next to the Museum of Cosmonautics there is an open area where you can get acquainted with samples of military equipment: there are various rocket launchers and radars.
Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk region
Speaking about the closed nuclear cities of Russia, one cannot but mention Sverdlovsk-45, known as the city of Lesnoy. On its territory there is the Electrokhimpribor Combine, which collects and recycles nuclear bombs. In addition, the Plant's specialists produce uranium isotopes. The appearance of this city on the map of Russia is the merit of the prisoners of the Gulag. More than twenty thousand prisoners worked on the construction of a secret facility! The work was supervised by the best specialists, however, there were some tragic incidents during the construction of Lesnoy. Several dozen people died during the blasting. They were not buried properly, their bodies are in mass graves.
As for the appearance of Lesnoy, it is incredibly similar to other ZATOs. Monument to Lenin, Yury Gagarin Square, three storey houses, built in the fifties, Stalinist buildings, wide bright avenues. A few kilometers from Lesnoy is the town of Nizhnyaya Tura. Here, residents of the closed city can visit the historical and environmental museums.
Novouralsk, Sverdlovsk region
The list of closed cities in Russia also includes Sverdlovsk-44, better known to the townsfolk as Novouralsk. On its territory is the Ural Electrochemical Plant, which produces highly enriched uranium. Particularly desperate make their way to the city through the forest, located near the village called Belorechka. However, it is very easy for a person who has not been to these places to get lost, therefore extreme seekers are looking for guides. In the very heart of Novouralsk there is a museum of local lore, there is also an operetta theater in the city. Artists for the latter, by the way, are brought up by a local music school.
natural monuments
Why is this closed city of Russia so interesting? The list of natural monuments that abound in its surroundings is amazing. For example, here is the Hanging Stone Rock and Mount Seven Brothers. By the way, there are many legends about the latter in these places. They say that this mountain is seven stone idols, into which the conqueror of Siberia Ermak turned sorcerers who prevented the conquest of these places. According to another version, the mountain is all that remains of the seven gold-digger brothers, who guarded their prey throughout the whole night. Another version says: in Soviet times, when war was declared on the Old Believers, seven of them fled to the mountains. Here they hoped to escape persecution. They became stones not because some supernatural forces intervened, but because of ordinary fear.
Obolensk, Moscow region
What closed cities of Russia have lost their status? There are dozens of them on the list. Perhaps a special place in the list is occupied by Obolensk near Moscow. During the Soviet era, it was not marked on the maps, its laboratories, which were disguised as an ordinary sanatorium, were the place where Soviet scientists fought with biological weapons. Obolensk was a closed territory until 1994, the city-forming enterprise was the center of applied microbiology. It was here that scouts brought strains with bacteria from secret laboratories in countries such as the United States of America and England.
Today, this former closed city of Russia is a repository of about three and a half thousand strains of bacteria. Anthrax, tuberculosis, glanders, tularemia - all this was inherited by the city from the Cold War. It is worth saying that vaccines and viruses were developed not only in the laboratories of Obolensk, another 50 enterprises of the USSR were engaged in this. All of them were part of an association called "Biopreparat", there is evidence that about forty thousand specialists worked in this scientific and production association.
Secret ZATOs, which are closed territorial-administrative formations, trace their history back to the post-war days of the “cold confrontation” between the USSR and Western countries. Today, the closed cities of Russia are located in 44 ZATOs under the protection of military patrols. Some of them turned half a century old, but they stopped being invisible not so long ago - in 1992. Prominent cities have a rich heritage and a fascinating history. About this and much more - in the article.
Secret cities of Russia
On the territory of our country there are 23 cities of the closed type. 10 of them belong to the "atomic" (Rosatom), 13 - to the Ministry of Defense, which is in charge of 32 ZATOs with settlements. Closed formations of the administrative type are under a special protection regime. The activity of industrial enterprises and military installations in an isolated area is
Cities of the closed type (ZG) in the USSR were classified and were not indicated on any map. The population was assigned to the nearest regional centers. The numbering of bus routes, houses and institutions was not carried out from the beginning, but continued to be introduced in the regional cities, which included ZATOs. For example, school number 64 in Sverdlovsk-45 (now Lesnoy).
Visitors were screened at the checkpoint. A one-time pass, a travel order gave the right to enter. Persons registered in a closed city or village had permanent passes. It was obligatory to give its violation could even lead to criminal liability.
Privileges for residents of ZG
The state compensated for the difficulties of living in an isolated facility with benefits and privileges. Supply on high level allowed to purchase goods in stores that were scarce for other citizens of the country. Everyone, regardless of the field of activity, was charged a 20% salary supplement. The social sphere, medicine, and education were well developed.
Many secret cities in Russia are still surrounded by rows of walls with barbed wire. The right to enter can be obtained if a local resident applies for a permit for a relative, but the relationship must be proven. You can get to sporting events in some ZATOs with a passport.
Now not all closed cities have fences and checkpoints, in some they are not guarded. It depends on the privacy mode. Sarov, the former Arzamas-16, is under serious protection: rows of barbed wire, a control strip, modern tracking equipment, vehicle inspection.
The total population of ZATO is more than a million people. Almost every 100th citizen of the Russian Federation lives in a closed city or village.
15 secret cities of Russia worth visiting
Among ZG, Seversk of the Tomsk region stands out - it is the largest of the ZATOs of atomic heritage. A beautiful city with houses built according to individual projects. In second place is Sarov - a city of contrasts, the birthplace of atomic bombs with amazing holy places: the Sarov Desert and Diveevo.
The secret cities of Russia are concentrated mainly in the Chelyabinsk, Krasnoyarsk Territories and the Moscow Region.
The Penza region is the birthplace of the city of Zarechny with one of the most powerful complexes of Rosatom for the production of elements of nuclear weapons. In the Sverdlovsk region, on the banks of the Tura, in picturesque places, stands the city of Lesnoy, where a plant for the disposal and assembly of ammunition is located. Novouralsk is known for its attractions: Europe-Asia peak, green and black capes.
The closed cities of the Chelyabinsk region are Ozersk, Snezhinsk and Trekhgorny. Nuclear weapons were developed in Snezhinsk, stored and processed in Ozersk. Nuclear instrumentation was carried out in Trekhgorny.
Zheleznogorsk and Zelenogorsk are closed cities Zheleznogorsk is known for plutonium production, while Zelenogorsk specializes in uranium enrichment and isotope production.
ZG Ministry of Defense
Among the "military" ZG, you should definitely visit Polyarny with the unique nature of the Kola Peninsula, Fokino - the main base of the fleet after Vladivostok. Znamensk of the Astrakhan region is unique, the only city among the settlements belonging to missile troops. It contains a landfill.
The list of closed cities worth visiting is completed by Krasnoznamensk and Mirny, related to aerospace defense facilities. In Krasnoznamensk, Moscow Region, there is a complex for controlling space flights and military satellites. Mirny Arkhangelsk region is located near the Plesetsk cosmodrome.
Seversk
On the banks of the Tom, there is the largest of the ZATO cities - Seversk. Its foundation is associated with the construction of the Siberian Chemical Plant. The starting point of the history of the enterprise is March 1949: a decision was made to build a complex for the production of uranium and plutonium. The Siberian NPP is also located here, which occupies the 2nd place in Russia.
As a result of the 1993 accident at the plant, almost 2,000 people were exposed to radiation.
Seversk is the sports center of the region: 6 children's and youth sports schools, a hockey and football club, a figure skating group. Several future Olympic champions were brought up in city sports schools. The city is distinguished by a developed education system: 21 general educational institution, college and institute.
While in Seversk, you can visit two theaters, a cultural center, a museum, a zoo and a cinema. Four restaurants cordially welcome guests, one is called "Cosmos".
Sarov
Sarov, a closed city, dates back to 1706. While still a settlement in the Nizhny Novgorod region, in 1946 it came under the scrutiny of statesmen and became a "pioneer" in the field of future nuclear research. The secret status is associated with a unique scientific complex of its kind - a nuclear center belonging to the All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics.
The village became closed Arzamas-16 in 1947. The Center team consisted of several institutes, nuclear centers and design bureaus. A program of peaceful nuclear tests was launched. The center where the atomic bomb was first created has reached the international level due to outstanding scientific achievements. Now there are more than 20,000 employees of the Institute, among them - three academicians of the Russian Academy of Sciences, more than a hundred doctors, more than five hundred candidates.
In general, the population of the city is almost 90 thousand people. A museum functions in memory of the achievements. In it you can see copies of equipment, nuclear weapons and the tsar bomb that Khrushchev threatened America with.
Sarov is a closed city that impresses with its uniqueness. Next to the achievements of nuclear scientists, there is a shrine known throughout the Orthodox world: Diveevo. In 1778, the monastery became the place of obedience to St. Seraphim of Sarov. Under the desert are secret underground cities: catacombs and corridors where the monks found peace and solitude. There is a legend associated with them about a lake underground, on which it was possible to travel by boat.
Ozersk
Closed city of the Chelyabinsk region, one of the pioneers of the nuclear industry, where a plutonium charge for atomic bombs was created. Its secret status is due to the city-forming Mayak Production Association. The enterprise produces radioactive isotopes. The city is located among picturesque places, four lakes, so it is no coincidence that ZATO was renamed from Chelyabinsk-65 to Ozersk. Let's dive into its history for a moment.
November 9, 1945, is considered to be the birthday of Ozersk, when the construction team arrived in area No. 11, so the construction of a plant for plutonium processing and two settlements began. The work was carried out within the framework of a classified project (Program No. 1). The first builders were placed in hangars for subsidiary farm local residents. The work was complicated by the lack of food, the absence of railways and roads. The number of workers and employees constantly exceeded the plan. Two- and three-story houses, a hospital campus, and a cultural park were erected.
In the spring of 1954, the 6th reactor was put into operation at the State Chemical Plant named after Mendeleev (the future Mayak). The settlement received the status of a city with the official name Chelyabinsk-40. In 1966, number 40 changed to 65. For the old-timers, the city of Ozersk remained the same - Sorokovka.
The territory of modern Ozersk is more than 200 km 2, and the population is more than 85 thousand people. The city has a developed diversified industry, in which 750 enterprises are involved.
The relatively young city of Ozersk is rich in historical and cultural monuments: sculptures, palaces, two ensembles of squares, squares. More than 50 masterpieces belong to architectural monuments.
History of Snezhinsk and Trekhgorny
The secret regime in Snezhinsk (Chelyabinsk region) was due to the security of the Russian Nuclear Center - the Institute of Technical Physics named after E.I. Zababakhin. The settlement of Chelyabinsk-70 received a new name in 1991, and after 2 years - city status. Now about 50 thousand people live in Science City.
Snezhinsk is a closed city with a rich past, the homeland where Baker, the US Secretary of State, visited in 1992. A cozy town with clean green streets keeps many secrets. In Snezhinsk, you can see a lot of various Soviet artifacts: tunnels, ventilation pipes sticking out of the ground, incomprehensible structures. Local residents suggest that a communications system may be located underground, and there is talk of the existence of an underground metro. For lovers of extreme sports, digger underground walks are organized.
Among the mountain slopes near the city there is a sanatorium. At the base you can rent skis and “fly” along the slopes of the Cherry Mountains. Several Snezhinsky lakes give the opportunity to swim and sunbathe on hot summer days.
Trekhgorny
ZATO Trekhgorny under Soviet rule was listed as Zlatoust-36. Nearly 35,000 people now live in Trekhgorny. At the leading enterprise - Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Instrument-Making Plant" - they produce equipment for nuclear power plants, collect ammunition.
Not far from ZATO is the South Ural Reserve. It is rich in unique flora and fauna. Tourism and sports are developing in Trekhgorny thanks to the existing ski complex on the mountain slopes of Zavyalikhi.
Zheleznogorsk
The city of Zheleznogorsk is a ZATO of the Krasnoyarsk Territory with a population of almost 100 thousand people. The secret status is associated with the Combine of Mining Chemistry (GKH) operating in it, which produces plutonium-239, and OJSC Information Satellite Systems, which manufactures satellites.
ZG's birthday is February 26, 1950, when the resolution on complex No. 815 for plutonium production was issued. Prisoners took part in the construction of the secret plant, the closed city and the railway. Four years later, the village received urban status. The name "Zheleznogorsk" was then secret, and the official name was Krasnoyarsk-26. The people called the closed city "Atomgrad", "Sotsgorod" and "Nine".
In 1958, the plant (GKH) was launched. The reactors were placed in a granite mountain monolith at a depth of three hundred meters. Underground tunnels for production and transport tasks of the plant are comparable in scale to the metro system in Moscow and will withstand a nuclear bombardment. The height of the halls underground reaches 55 m.
The city of Zheleznogorsk is located on the banks of the river Kantat. These are the most beautiful places - the coast of the Yenisei, the Kurya River, the Kantat Gorge. The secret "Atomgrad" itself is in harmony with natural landscapes. WITH high altitude a picture opens up: residential areas with an abundance of green spaces in the middle of forests.
In Zheleznogorsk 15 historical monuments: memorials, steles, obelisks, architectural compositions. Boils cultural life: there are 3 museums, 6 theaters. There is a zoo, a cinema complex, a palace and a cultural center.
History of Zelenogorsk
ZG, formerly called Zaozerny-13, Krasnoyarsk-45, received a secret status thanks to the Electrochemical Plant for the production of enriched uranium and isotopes. After that, additional production of TV sets, monitors under the Green Mount brand, plastic window profiles was opened at the plant.
The place for laying the secret city was the village of Ust-Barga on the Kan River. In 1956 the settlement turned into ZG. Almost 70 thousand people now live in the city. There is a large state district power station "Krasnoyarskaya" and building management, leading the work throughout Siberia.
Zelenogorsk is different from a typical Soviet town beautiful houses with lawns, wide avenues, numerous squares. There are two museums in the city: "military glory" and "exhibition center". You can visit the church of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Not so long ago, the cadet corps celebrated its tenth anniversary. Military training at Vityaz is available not only to boys, but also to girls.
Zarechny
The ZG of the Penza region leading its history since 1954. The site for the construction of Zarechny was a swampy dense forest. The city was created individual project. Each neighborhood is now separated by green spaces. The features of any area are the configuration, architecture, compositions that are unique to it.
chief manufacturing plant is PO "Start" for the production of ammunition. High-tech instrument-making is engaged in the PPP of the machine-building plant. The scientific center is the Institute, which produces security technical means.
Today Zarechny is a developed industrial area with more than 600 enterprises. The city has a developed transport, social and communal area, and health.
"Invisible cities" today
The collapse of the USSR put the closed cities of Russia not just in difficult conditions and on the verge of extinction. R&D funding was cut off with falling demand, and the privileges accorded to secret facilities were no longer there. A decline in production, driven by a narrow production profile, was inevitable. People with high qualifications began to receive "penny" in best case At worst, they were out of work.
The market dictated its terms. The presence of orders for mass products did not help create jobs, but led to unemployment. It was an order of magnitude higher in closed cities than in Russia. By the end of 1995, 20% of the population were "sitting" without work in ZATOs. The unique potential of the intellectual elite, scientists, designers turned out to be unclaimed.
There was an acute problem of "brain drain", which did not go unnoticed. There is US intelligence data on former specialists in closed cities developing nuclear weapons for Brazil, Libya, and Iran.
A more significant problem was the "retention" of personnel to prevent possible disasters, the preservation of technology. In 1998, tax incentives were introduced for businesses in ZATOs. New firms created jobs. Since 2000, benefits have been partially canceled, and in 2004 they stopped completely.
The secret cities of Russia today still stand out among the ordinary ones. The sphere of culture, medicine, education are developed. Clean streets, immersed in greenery and flower beds, architectural ensembles. High-class specialists still work here: nuclear scientists, engineers, designers. They know how to work with ultra-modern technologies, but, unfortunately, most of them are not engaged in scientific work. So, without the support of the state and big business, the unique potential of closed cities is leaking drop by drop.