The Cold War still reminds us of itself, even as it fades into a mere concept in people’s minds. But not all of its traces have been erased from the face of the earth; some have managed to survive half a century, and they still remain a promised land for history lovers. We will look at three such sites.
Object K-825
Object K-825 is located in Balaklava Bay and was intended for the repair and maintenance of Project 613 diesel submarines. The base was built underground, and its construction lasted from 1957 to 1961; its total area was 11 thousand square meters. It offered a moderate level of anti-nuclear protection: the base could have withstood a direct hit from an atomic bomb of no more than 100 kilotons, and even then only if struck at its portals.
The route for submarines.
The project and internal layout of the facility
Despite the initial project, which called for four docks and a shipyard, only one was built.
The base could hold up to 7 submarines of projects such as 613, 613B, 644 and A615.
K-825 served several functions at once:
- the autonomous repair of boats;
- a bomb shelter for ~1,000 people;
- the launching of boats out to sea through the gateway;
- a 50-bed hospital (in case of hostilities);
- housing the communications center and command post of the 14th submarine division.
After Balaklava Bay, a submarine had to enter the channel under its own power, passing through the mountain. It then had to pass the caisson gate, after which it was moved to the dock by special cables, winches and drums. The channel was 506 meters long, 6-12 meters wide, and about 6-8 meters deep.
The main channel.
Running parallel to the canal was a long 300-meter corridor (postern), which was used for technical purposes.
The dry dock, located beneath the ship repair plant at a depth of 7.5 meters, was 10 meters wide and 70 meters long. At its widest point, the diameter of the channel reached 22 meters. Getting into the tunnel was not so easy: a multi-ton floating caisson gate stood at the entrance. Filled with air, it stayed afloat and sealed the entrance. The same type of caisson gate was installed in the dry dock, where it helped pump the water out of the dock when a boat arrived for repairs.
Capabilities and capacity
The bow-shaped design greatly simplified the maintenance of the submarines and the work of the personnel at the facility. Torpedoes were loaded and prepared for use in different parts of the base, and they were transported on carts running on rails that stretched across the entire site. The average stay at the submarine base did not exceed a month. In all, about 200 people were needed to keep K-825 running: industrial personnel servicing the technical systems, dock workers, and the garrison unit providing security at three posts.
A section of the protective ceilings and the turning circle for trolleys
All ammunition was stored in a special bomb shelter near the underground channel, in the southern part of the base. The fuel storage, holding up to 4 thousand tons of petroleum products, was located in the northern part of the base. Precast seven-meter concrete slabs reliably protected the western exit.
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Today, the K-825 object has opened its doors to the world, and a memorial museum exhibition occupies the main part of the base.
Object 221
At the height of the Cold War, building secret, sturdy bunkers and shelters of every kind was in fashion. Object 221 was conceived as a reserve command post for the Black Sea Fleet of the USSR. Construction began in 1976, and besides staying intact after a nuclear strike, it had to ensure full autonomy for the life and work of a couple of thousand people for several years. The base was equipped with a powerful communications hub, which was meant to provide a connection to any part of the world.
Forward to greatness
Construction was scheduled to begin in 1977, and the cover story chosen was the development of a new stone quarry. Major-General L. Shumilov headed the construction, and other notable figures, including the Deputy Minister of Defense of the USSR, N. Shestopalov, also made their contributions. To carry out the excavation work quickly and efficiently, a special mining battalion was created, made up of construction-battalion soldiers.
By 1987, a two-tier underground complex with an area of approximately 20,000 square meters had been built. It contained an intricate system of corridors, two galleries for pipes and utility lines 500 meters long, a huge water tank and ventilation shafts.
The challenges of working underground, combined with the government’s ambitious plans, led to the development of an original joint-sealing system, along with additional water and metal seals.
The collapse of the USSR and greatness unfulfilled
When almost 90% of the complex was ready, the USSR collapsed and construction stopped. On top of that, Ukraine declared itself a nuclear-free state, and Facility 221 could no longer exist. Private individuals bought the complex, and everything of value was sawed off, torn out, hauled away and sold. Vandals played their part too, turning the remnants of the once-mighty complex into an underground jungle full of hidden dangers to life.
The entrance to the former top-secret object looks unremarkable: an ordinary residential building with painted-over windows and nothing inside. There used to be a heavy anti-nuclear door in the entrance booth, but not anymore, because the raids of metal-detector scavengers have left the room bare and unprotected. The object is marked by high humidity, because all of its former protective fittings were lovingly stripped out and carried away, along with the stairs, so descending into the shafts is doubly dangerous.
But apart from the marauders, you can also meet role-players here: passionate fans of Stalker and Metro 2033.
Object “Mole”
The object called “Mole” is considered the largest underground structure in Sevastopol, with an area reaching 30 thousand square meters. The structure is regarded as legendary, and gaining access to it is much harder than it might seem at first glance.
A tour through its history
Construction of the facility began in the 1930s, and its initial purpose was to function as a full-fledged underground power station. “Mole” was located in the rocky massif of Sevastopol Bay and housed two huge machine halls with 25-megawatt turbine generators. It also held fuel storage and facilities for the staff; everything had to fit within a 4-5-story underground labyrinth.
“Mole” survived the war and was almost completed by the 1950s. Construction continued until the 1980s, after which everything was frozen and has remained in this state to this day.
The scene today
The facility has repeatedly served as a filming location. The secrecy and inaccessibility of some parts of the complex leave them as blind spots on the maps. Many passages and galleries on the lower levels are completely flooded. Today, “Mole” is a huge underground concrete expanse full of cables and a varied landscape: stairs, wells, tangled corridors and impressive metal structures. Some doors are still shut, hiding the secrets of history from chance visitors.
In some rooms there are still signs of life, as the crackle of a switchboard makes clear, even though most of the transformers were disconnected and taken apart for parts long ago. On the floor you can find melted waterproofing and traces of transformer oil.
Sometimes it feels as if you have fallen into Tolkien’s world, as the rails running deep into the mountains vanish into the dark or disappear completely behind the next locked door. A huge transformer still stands here, and part of the railway track was laid specifically to service it.
In some tunnels you can still hear the voices of workers who keep the base alive. Closed and open doors lead through the corridors and levels, eventually reaching the surface of a mountain that guards the secrets of our history.
This article uses photographs from the following sources: Object 825, Object 221, Object Mole