In order to enter the territory of the ZATO, you need a special pass. The easiest way to get it is for those who have close relatives living in a closed city. The pass is also issued to those who got a job in the closed administrative unit or found a husband or wife from the local residents.
But, of course, there are workarounds. Some ZATOs occasionally host cultural and sporting events to which outside participants are invited. The most desperate ones simply find holes in the fence or sneak into the city along secret paths. However, it must be taken into account that illegal entry into the territory of the closed administrative unit is fraught with administrative punishment in the form of a fine and immediate expulsion from the fence.
10 closed cities in Russia
1. Zheleznogorsk (Krasnoyarsk-26, Sotsgorod, Atomgrad), Krasnoyarsk Territory
Photo: Sergey Filinin
Reason for special status: On the territory of the city there is a Mining and Chemical Combine (MCC), where weapons-grade plutonium (plutonium-239) was produced, as well as JSC Information Satellite Systems named after Academician M.F. Reshetnev”, which produces satellites.
At one time, the designers of Zheleznogorsk adhered to the concept of maximum non-interference in the natural landscape, so from a bird's eye view it seems as if the residential areas are located right in the forest. Not far away in the mountain range there are uranium-graphite reactors for the production of plutonium. One of them operated until recently - it not only produced plutonium, but also supplied heat and electricity to the city's residents. The reactors are located in kilometer-long tunnels in the thickness of the granite monolith - in case of nuclear war. Another of the tunnels was laid from the gas chemical complex to the other bank of the Yenisei.
IN Soviet times the status of a closed city attracted foreign intelligence agents to the city, who, however, were identified almost immediately by vigilant local residents. However, the story that is especially popular among them is not about a foreign agent, but about their own fellow countryman: in the 1980s, one of the MCC workers managed to smuggle some plutonium through the checkpoint and kept it at home in an ordinary glass jar. Later, when the thief was detected using special equipment, he said that he just wanted to poison his mother-in-law. As a result, he was declared insane and sent for treatment.
By the way, in the city there is a Park of Culture and Recreation named after. Kirov, where the attractions “Sun”, “Bell”, “Orbit” operate and the City Lake is located.
2. Zelenogorsk (Zaozerny-13, Krasnoyarsk-45), Krasnoyarsk Territory
Reason for special status: On the territory of the city there is OJSC Production Association Electrochemical Plant, where low-enriched uranium is produced.
Zelenogorsk was built on the Kan River on the site of the small village of Ust-Barga. Residents of the village, which was virtually wiped off the face of the earth, were involved in the construction of the city.
In Zelenogorsk there is a cadet corps at the Vityaz center, and not only boys, but also girls are taught military training here. The center houses a small Museum of Military Glory. There is also a Museum and Exhibition Center in the city, located opposite the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
The main entertainment for Zelenogorsk residents is gatherings on the banks of the Kan River and going to the Gorod nightclub, which opened just a couple of months ago. For cultural leisure, local residents prefer to go to Krasnoyarsk, despite the fact that it is more than 150 km away. A visitor will probably be surprised by the fact that Zelenogorsk, unlike most ZATOs, does not at all look like a typical town from Soviet times - there are wide avenues, brick high-rise buildings, countless lawns and squares; no dullness and despondency. However, the ubiquitous monument to Lenin reminds us of the Soviet past.
3. Znamensk (Kapustin Yar - 1), Astrakhan region
Reason for special status: The city is the administrative and residential center of the Kapustin Yar military training ground.
The Kapustin Yar military training ground, built in 1946, was intended to test the first Soviet military ballistic missiles. And it received its completely peaceful name from the village of the same name, which later became an open suburb of the closed Znamensk. However, in reality the latter turned out to be not so closed: schoolchildren and students from nearby settlements periodically come here on excursions. So those who want to get into the city can try to form a tour group and submit a corresponding request - it is possible that those who are especially persistent will be accepted.
The first head of the Kapustin Yar training ground, Major General Vasily Voznyuk, who entered service in 1946, is still respected by local residents; you can see his portraits in the administration offices. There is a portrait of him in the local Museum of Cosmonautics. It was from Znamensk that the first space dogs took off, and their names were not Belka and Strelka, but Dezik and Gypsy. Next to the museum there is an open area where samples are displayed military equipment, For example, rocket launchers and radars.
4. Lesnoy city (Sverdlovsk-45), Sverdlovsk region
Reason for special status: On the territory of the city there is the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Elektrokhimpribor Combine, intended for the assembly and disposal of nuclear weapons, as well as for the production of uranium isotopes.
The construction of a significant part of Lesnoy fell on the shoulders of Gulag prisoners: in total, more than 20,000 prisoners worked on the secret facility. Despite the fact that the Council of Ministers of the USSR sent the best specialists to supervise the work on future ZATOs, there were tragic incidents. Thus, the construction of Lesnoy claimed the lives of several dozen people who died during blasting operations and were never properly buried - their bodies are in mass graves.
The city of Lesnoy is very similar to other closed cities of Rosatom: 3-storey houses from the first years of construction (early 50s), solid “Stalinist” buildings and colorful high-rise buildings on bright avenues, a nice park named after. Gagarin, monument to Lenin. However, leisure time can be diversified, because Lesnoy is located just a few kilometers from the neighboring town of Nizhnyaya Tura: one of its central streets ends directly at the checkpoint of the City of Lesnoy. In Nizhnyaya Tura there are, for example, historical and environmental museums for visitors.
5. Mirny, Arkhangelsk region
Reason for special status: It is the administrative and residential center of the Plesetsk cosmodrome.
In the place where the city of Mirny now stands, during the Tsarist Russia passed the so-called “sovereign road” to White Sea. According to legend, it was along this route that Mikhailo Lomonosov followed the convoy to Moscow. There is no memorial pillar, however, and all the main attractions of Mirny are connected with the history of space exploration: the first state cosmodrome “Plesetsk” for a long time was the world leader in the number of launches.
Mirny is replete with monuments and obelisks. Even the stone from which the construction of the city began was turned into a monument. The Kosmos-1000 obelisk was installed here in honor of the launch of the first Soviet navigation spacecraft. In 1989, the Cosmos 2000 satellite was launched into orbit - this event is also marked by a monument, which was nicknamed “alien” for its resemblance to representatives of extraterrestrial civilizations.
You can get to Mirny along a secret path that begins at the last turn of the neighboring village of Plesetsk, if you get to the city by minibus. True, it’s worth checking the topography with one of the locals, and also be prepared for the risk of bumping into a military patrol.
6. Novouralsk (Sverdlovsk-44), Sverdlovsk region
Photo: zzaharr Reason for special status: On the territory of the city there is the Ural Electrochemical Plant OJSC, where highly enriched uranium is produced.
Novouralsk stands on the banks of the Verkh-Neyvinsky pond, in the upper reaches of the Neiva River. They say that you can get into the city through the forest next to the so-called Belorechenskaya checkpoint - not far from the village of Belorechka. However, it is easy for a visitor to get lost, so it is worth finding a guide.
The surroundings of Novouralsk abound in natural monuments. These include, for example, Hanging Stone Rock and Seven Brothers Mountain. Many legends are associated with the origin of the latter: according to one version, Ermak turned seven sorcerers who prevented him from conquering Siberia into stone idols; according to another, this is all that remains of the gold-digging brothers, who vigilantly guarded their booty from robbers all night and turned to stone in the morning. There is even such a story: in Soviet times, a raid was announced on Old Believers hiding in the Ural forests. Seven of them, in an attempt to escape persecution, fled to the mountains, where they were chained in stone not by some supernatural forces, but by ordinary fear.
In the center of the city there is a local history museum and an operetta theater, the artists for which are trained, among other things, by the Novouralsk music school.
7. Ozersk (Chelyabinsk-40, Chelyabinsk-65)
Reason for special status: On the territory of the city there is the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Production Association “Mayak”, where radioactive isotopes are produced.
Despite the fact that enormous technical and human resources were invested in the construction and operation of Mayak, it was not without accidents. Moreover, one of them is only slightly inferior to the Chernobyl tragedy. As a result of the explosion that occurred in the storage facility radioactive waste On September 29, 1957, an area measuring about 300 km in length and 10 km in width appeared in the contamination zone. A total of 270,000 people lived here. Most were resettled, and their property and livestock were destroyed.
The specialists who were part of the first batch of workers at plant No. 817 (as the Mayak Production Association was previously called) underwent a strict multi-stage selection; Moreover, after arriving at the secret facility, for several years they were deprived not only of meetings with their relatives, but also of the right to correspond with them. Today, residents of Ozero perceive life in a closed city not as a limitation, but as a privilege. Therefore, one can discern some condescension in their attitude towards visitors.
8. Sarov (Shatki-1, Moscow-300, Kremlev, Arzamas-75, Arzamas-16), Nizhny Novgorod region
Reason for special status: On the territory of the city there is the Russian Federal Nuclear Center All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics (RFNC-VNIIEF).
Sarov is an amazing city: on the one hand, it is the site of the creation of the atomic bomb, on the other, here is one of the most revered Orthodox shrines, the Sarov Hermitage. In 1778, one of the novices of the monastery, which had a particularly strict charter, became Prokhor Isidorovich Moshnin, in the past - the son of a rich merchant, in the future - the Monk Seraphim of Sarov.
Under the Sarov Desert there is a real underground city, where hermit monks descended in search of solitude. The three-level catacombs are an intricate system of narrow, poorly lit corridors. Local legend says that there used to be a small lake on the lowest level of the underground church, on which novices used to ride a boat.
It is the religious motive that can make it easier for outsiders to gain access to Sarov: to the Holy Dormition monastery The Sarov Hermitage, which has been functioning safely again since 2006, pilgrimage tours are periodically organized. For those who are more interested in the achievements of Soviet nuclear scientists, a Museum operates on the basis of the RFNC-VNIIEF nuclear weapons. Its main exhibit is the so-called Tsar Bomba, also known as “Kuzka’s mother,” which Khrushchev promised to show to America. Most of the museum's exhibits are, naturally, copies.
9. Severomorsk, Murmansk region
Reason for special status: It is a large naval base.
Severomorsk, formerly the village of Vaenga, stands on the shores of the Kola Bay in the Barents Sea. Initially, this territory was inhabited by the Sami and Pomors; later, in the 20th century, Finns and Russians came here. The construction of a naval base began here in the mid-30s of the last century, but the city received closed status after the collapse Soviet Union- in 1996.
Memorable places in Severomorsk are dedicated to sailors and the history of the fleet. Thus, on Primorskaya Square there is a monument to the heroes of the North Sea - a giant sailor with a machine gun and a cap with fluttering ribbons. Local residents affectionately call him Alyosha. A monument was erected on Courage Square torpedo boat TK-12, which sank four enemy ships during World War II. The K-21 Submarine Museum is also located here, where the basic household items of submariners are presented: from the latrine to canned drinking water.
Severomorsk is located beyond the Arctic Circle, so in winter there is a polar night, which lasts from early December to mid-January. True arctic frosts are rare in Severomorsk, however, due to the icy wind and high humidity, it is difficult for a visitor to adapt to the local climate.
10. Snezhinsk (Chelyabinsk-70), Chelyabinsk region
Reason for special status: On the territory of the city there is the Russian Federal Nuclear Center - the All-Russian Research Institute of Technical Physics named after Academician E.I. Zababakhina (RFNC-VNIITF).
It is best to come to Snezhinsk in the summer, when the city is simply surrounded by greenery. There are several lakes in Snezhinsk, and on a hot day you can swim and sunbathe on one of the city beaches. Those who come to the city in winter entertain themselves with alpine skiing - not far from the city, there are trails laid on the slopes of the Cherry Mountains. There is also a rental and repair center for equipment and the Sungul sanatorium.
At first glance, it seems that modern Snezhinsk is a cozy, clean town that even has its own Broadway (as Snezhinsk residents call Tsiolkovsky Boulevard). In fact, the city is full of mysterious artifacts preserved from Soviet times: structures of unknown purpose, ventilation pipes that stick out of the ground in the very center of the city, tunnels leading into the unknown. A few years ago, a fantastic story appeared in the local newspaper about the presence of an underground communications system in the city. In addition to completely plausible details, there were also giant badgers. The public is still arguing about the validity of the rumors about the Snezhinsky metro. And local diggers from time to time organize expeditions in search of secret underground passages.
ZATO, or closed territorial-administrative entities, are located in Russia in the amount of 42 objects. It is impossible to enter their territory without a special pass - it is usually issued to those who have close relatives in the closed city. Also, people who get a job there or marry one of the local residents can get a pass.
The reason for the closed nature of such cities is that on their territory there are objects of secret importance and important industrial enterprises.
You can get into closed cities not only with a pass. In some ZATOs, sports and cultural events are periodically organized, the participants and guests of which are people from the “outside world”. Those who are unlucky enough to be officially invited enter closed cities through holes in fences or bypassing secret paths. However, if a violator of the city border is caught, he will be issued an administrative fine and escorted back to the fence.
In Russia, certain objects are considered the most interesting closed cities. Thus, Zheleznogorsk in the Krasnoyarsk Territory is known for its enterprises for the production of weapons-grade plutonium and satellite systems, as well as for its virtually untouched natural landscape. The city of Zelenogorsk is also located there, where low-enriched uranium is produced. Residents of Zelenogorsk boast green cityscapes, a cadet corps for boys and girls, and a Museum of Military Glory.
Majority closed cities built in the Soviet style of dullness and severity, however, exceptions like Zelenogorsk still occur.
IN Astrakhan region ZATO Znamensk is located - the administrative and residential center of a military training ground where Soviet ballistic missiles were tested. It is often visited by excursions of schoolchildren and students from neighboring settlements. IN Sverdlovsk region You can visit the city of Lesnoy, where there are environmental and historical museums. Arkhangelsk is known for its ZATO Mirny, on whose territory the first state cosmodrome is located. Finally, in the Chelyabinsk region is the city of Snezhinsk, famous for its Russian Federal Nuclear Center, ski resort and rumors of giant tunnels beneath the surface of the city.
Secret ZATOs, which are closed territorial-administrative entities, trace their history back to the post-war days of the “cold confrontation” between the USSR and Western countries. Today, Russia's closed cities are located in 44 ZATOs under the protection of military patrols. Some of them are half a century old, but they stopped being invisible not so long ago - in 1992. Outstanding cities have a rich heritage and fascinating history. About this and much more - in the article.
Secret cities of Russia
There are 23 closed cities in our country. 10 of them belong to “nuclear” (Rosatom), 13 - to the Ministry of Defense, which is in charge of 32 ZATOs with villages. Closed administrative-type entities are under a special protection regime. Activity industrial enterprises and military facilities in an isolated area - this is
Closed cities (CG) 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 what was introduced in regional cities, which included ZATOs. For example, school No. 64 in Sverdlovsk-45 (now Lesnoy).
Visitors were examined at a checkpoint. A one-time pass and a travel order gave the right to entry. Persons registered in a closed city or village had permanent passes. The dacha was mandatory; violation could even lead to criminal liability.
Privileges for residents of SG
The state compensated for the difficulties of living in an isolated facility with benefits and privileges. Supply at a high level made it possible to purchase goods in stores that were in short supply for other citizens of the country. Everyone, regardless of their field of activity, received a 20% salary increase. The social sphere, medicine, and education were well developed.
Many secret cities in Russia today are surrounded by rows of walls with barbed wire. The right to enter can be obtained if a local resident applies for a pass to a relative, but the relationship must be proven. You can get to sporting events in some ZATOs using 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 means tracking, 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 in Russia that are worth visiting
Among the ZG, Seversk, Tomsk region, stands out - this is the largest of the closed towns of nuclear heritage. A beautiful city with custom-built houses. 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 Rosatom complexes for the production of nuclear weapons elements. In the Sverdlovsk region, on the banks of the Tura River, in picturesque places, there is the city of Lesnoy, where a plant for the recycling and assembly of ammunition is located. Novouralsk is famous for its attractions: the 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, and nuclear instrument making was carried out in Trekhgorny.
Zheleznogorsk and Zelenogorsk are closed cities. Zheleznogorsk is known for the production of plutonium, and Zelenogorsk specializes in uranium enrichment and isotope production.
ZG Ministry of Defense
Among the “military” SGs, it is definitely worth visiting Polyarny with the unique nature of the Kola Peninsula, Fokino - the main base of the fleet after Vladivostok. Znamensk is unique in the Astrakhan region, the only city among the villages belonging to missile forces. It houses a landfill.
The list of closed cities that are worth visiting is completed by Krasnoznamensk and Mirny, which are classified as aerospace defense facilities. In Krasnoznamensk, Moscow region, there is a management complex space flights and military satellites. Mirny, Arkhangelsk region, is located next to the Plesetsk cosmodrome.
Seversk
On the banks of the Tom River lies the largest of the closed cities - Seversk. Its foundation is associated with the construction of the Siberian Chemical Plant. The starting point of the enterprise's history is March 1949: the decision was made to build a complex for the production of uranium and plutonium. The Siberian Nuclear Power Plant, which ranks 2nd in Russia, is also located here.
As a result of the accident at the plant in 1993, 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, and a figure skating group. Several future Olympic champions were trained in city sports schools. The city is distinguished by a developed education system: 21 general education 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 welcome guests, one is called “Cosmos”.
Sarov
Sarov, a closed city, traces its history back to 1706. While still a village in the Nizhny Novgorod region, in 1946 it came under the close attention of government officials 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’s team consisted of several institutes, nuclear centers and design bureaus. A program of peaceful nuclear tests was launched. The center where it was first created atomic bomb, 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 city's population is almost 90 thousand people. There is a museum in memory of the achievements. In it you can see copies of equipment, nuclear weapons and the Tsar Bomb, which Khrushchev threatened America with.
Sarov is a closed city, striking in its uniqueness. Next to the achievements of nuclear scientists is a shrine known throughout the Orthodox world: Diveevo. In 1778, the monastery became the place of novitiate of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Under the desert there 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, which could be traveled by boat.
Ozersk
Closed city 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 company produces radioactive isotopes. The city is located among picturesque places and four lakes, so it is no coincidence that the ZATO was renamed from Chelyabinsk-65 to Ozersk. Let's dive into its history for a moment.
The birthday of Ozersk is considered to be November 9, 1945, when a construction group arrived in area No. 11, and thus began the construction of a plutonium processing plant and two villages. The work was carried out within the framework of a secret project (Program No. 1). The first builders were housed in hangars for local residents' farming. Labor was complicated by the lack of food and the lack 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 Mendeleev State Chemical Plant (the future Mayak). The village received the status of a city with the official name Chelyabinsk-40. In 1966, number 40 changed to 65. For old-timers, the city of Ozersk remained 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, which involves 750 enterprises.
The relatively young city of Ozersk is rich in historical and cultural monuments: sculptures, palaces, two ensembles of squares, and public gardens. The architectural monuments include more than 50 masterpieces.
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 village of Chelyabinsk-70 received a new name in 1991, and 2 years later - 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. This cozy town with clean green streets keeps many secrets. In Snezhinsk you can see many different 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. Digger underground walks are organized for extreme sports enthusiasts.
Among the mountain slopes not far from 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 provide the opportunity to swim and sunbathe on hot summer days.
Trekhgorny
BUT Trekhgorny under Soviet rule was listed as Zlatoust-36. Almost 35 thousand people now live in Trekhgorny. The leading enterprise, the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Instrument-Making Plant, produces equipment for nuclear power plants and collects ammunition.
Not far from the ZATO there is the South Ural Nature Reserve. It is rich in unique flora and fauna. Tourism and sports are developing in Trekhgorny thanks to the operating ski complex on the mountain slopes of Zavyalikha.
Zheleznogorsk
City of Zheleznogorsk - ZATO Krasnoyarsk Territory with a population of almost 100 thousand people. The secret status is associated with the Mining Chemistry Combine (MCC), which produces plutonium-239, and Information Satellite Systems OJSC, which produces satellites.
The birthday of ZG is considered to be February 26, 1950, when the decree on complex No. 815 for the production of plutonium was issued. Prisoners participated in the construction of a secret plant, a closed city and a railway road. Four years later the village received city status. The name “Zheleznogorsk” was then secret, but the official name was Krasnoyarsk-26. 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. The underground tunnels for the plant's production and transport tasks are comparable in scale to the Moscow metro system and will withstand nuclear bombing. The height of the underground halls reaches 55 m.
The city of Zheleznogorsk is located on the banks of the Kantat River. This most beautiful places- Yenisei coast, Kurya River, Kantata Gorge. The secret “Atomgrad” itself is in harmony with the natural landscapes. From a great height the picture opens up: in the middle of forests there are residential areas with an abundance of green spaces.
In Zheleznogorsk 15 historical monuments: memorials, steles, obelisks, architectural compositions. Boiling cultural life: there are 3 museums, 6 theaters. There is a zoo, a cinema complex, a palace and a house of culture.
History of Zelenogorsk
ZG, formerly called Zaozerny-13, Krasnoyarsk-45, received secret status thanks to the Electrochemical Plant for the production of enriched uranium and isotopes. Afterwards, the plant opened additional production of televisions, monitors under the Green Mount brand, and plastic window profiles.
Place to bookmark secret city became the village of Ust-Barga on the Kan River. In 1956, the village turned into ZG. Almost 70 thousand people now live in the city. There is a large Krasnoyarskaya state district power station and a construction department that conducts work throughout Siberia.
Zelenogorsk differs from a typical Soviet town with beautiful houses with lawns, wide avenues, and numerous public gardens. There are two museums in the city: “military glory” and “exhibition center”. You can visit the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov. Not long ago, the cadet corps celebrated its tenth anniversary. Military training in Vityaz is available not only to boys, but also to girls.
Zarechny
ZG of the Penza region dates back to 1954. The site for the construction of Zarechny was a swampy dense forest. The city was created according to an individual project. Each neighborhood is now separated by green spaces. The features of any area are the configuration, architecture, compositions unique to it.
The main production enterprise is PA “Start” for the production of ammunition. High-tech instrument engineering is carried out by the PPZ of the machine-building plant. The scientific center is the Institute, which produces security technical equipment.
Today Zarechny is a developed industrial area with more than 600 enterprises. The city has developed transport, social and communal areas, and health.
"Invisible cities" today
The collapse of the USSR put Russia's closed cities not just in difficult conditions, but on the brink of extinction. Funding for R&D was stopped as demand fell, and the privileges accorded to secret facilities were no longer available. The decline in production, due to the narrow production profile, was inevitable. People with highly qualified They began to receive “kopecks” at best, and at worst they were left without work.
The market dictated its terms. The presence of orders for mass production 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 “sat” without work in ZATO. The unique potential of the intellectual elite, scientists, and designers turned out to be unclaimed.
There was an acute problem of “brain drain”, which did not go unnoticed. There is American intelligence data about former specialists from closed cities developing atomic weapons for Brazil, Libya, and Iran.
A more significant problem was the “retention” of personnel to prevent possible disasters and preserve technology. In 1998, tax incentives were introduced for business in ZATO. New firms created jobs. Since 2000, benefits have been partially abolished, and in 2004 they stopped completely.
The secret cities of Russia today still stand out among ordinary ones. The sphere of culture, medicine, and education are developed. Clean streets, surrounded by green spaces and flower beds, architectural ensembles. Highly qualified specialists still work here: nuclear scientists, engineers, designers. They know how to work with state-of-the-art technologies, but, unfortunately, most of them are not employed scientific work. Thus, without the support of the state and big business, the unique potential of closed cities is leaking away.
The world is full of closed and secret places. Typically, such places are various bunkers, underground paths, buildings, etc. However, there are entire cities in the world that not everyone can get into. We have collected 6 of the most closed cities in the world and invite you to get to know them.
Sarov, Russia
In the USSR, the concept of a “closed city” was quite normal. For example, such cities at different times were Samara, Vladivostok and Nizhny Novgorod. However, after the collapse of the USSR, many previously closed cities lost this status. Today, the most closed and secret city is Sarov. You can only enter the city with a special pass. Sarov is surrounded by barbed wire, a trail road and surveillance cameras.
Pyongyang, North Korea
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It is impossible for journalists, Americans and South Koreans to get to Pyongyang. All other people can visit Pyongyang, but only if accompanied by a special group. In addition, the tourist will have to follow local rules and travel accompanied by a guide. The visa request should be made at least one and a half months before the visit.
Mecca and Medina, Saudi Arabia
Located in Saudi Arabia the cities of Mecca and Medina are closed to non-Muslims. Only you can get here if you are in a group of Muslim pilgrims. There is no concept of human rights within cities (in the European version we are familiar with). In themselves, the cities of Mecca and Medina are very beautiful cities, but it is simply impossible to get here as an ordinary tourist.
The city of Mecca is holy because the main shrine, the Kaaba, is located here. It is a large cube and is the center of Islam. And in the city of Medina, the prophet Muhammad himself lived and died.
Mogadishu, Somalia
On the World Policy Journal's list of the most closed countries, Somalia ranks second, just behind North Korea. The most closed and dangerous city in Somalia is Magadisho. It's been going on here for over 2 decades now. Civil War and the city authorities are unable to take control of the situation.
Today on the territory Russian Federation There are more than 40 closed territorial-administrative entities, also called ZATOs. All of them are surrounded by rows of barbed wire and guarded by military patrols. The city data belongs to the Ministry of Defense, Roscosmos and Rosatom. In order to enter the territory of closed cities in Russia, you must obtain a special pass. The easiest way to obtain such a document is for those who have relatives living in the ZATO territory. Those who get a job in such a city or find 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 ones simply try to find a hole in the fence to get into the city. Let us warn you right away: illegal entry into the territory of a closed city can lead to administrative liability and immediate expulsion. We have prepared for you a list of closed Russian cities that are definitely worth visiting. Well, or at least try to do it.
Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk region
Other names for this settlement- 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 facility located in this place is Information Satellite Systems OJSC, which produces, as the name implies, satellites. When constructing the city, the specialists who worked on its project adhered to the concept of 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 operated until recently. In addition to producing plutonium, it 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 local residents figured them out almost instantly. A story about their own fellow countryman is especially popular among the population of Zheleznogorsk. In the eighties of the last century, one of the plant workers managed to smuggle a small amount of plutonium through the entrance. The man kept the radioactive metal at home in an ordinary glass jar. Later, when the thief was “discovered” using 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, the 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 during the time of Tsarist Russia, there was a road called the Sovereign Road, heading towards the White Sea. If you believe the legends, it was along this road that Mikhailo Lomonosov followed the convoy to Moscow. However, there are no memorial 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 a variety of 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 launch of the first Soviet navigation spacecraft, the Cosmos-1000 obelisk was erected in the city, and when the Cosmos-2000 satellite was launched into orbit, another monument appeared on the territory of the settlement. Local residents, by the way, even called him an alien. The thing is that he is strikingly similar to the representative extraterrestrial civilization. Thrill-seekers enter the city along a secret path, starting at the last turn of the neighboring village called Plesetsk. However, those who are here for the first time should check the topography with local residents and, of course, be prepared to meet the military patrolling the area.
Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarsk region
This closed city of Russia, also called Zaozerny-13 and Krasnoyarsk-45, received its special status due to the fact that an open joint-stock company called the Electrochemical Plant Production Association is located on its territory. Specialists at 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 during the construction the village was razed to the ground. Speaking about the sights of Zelenogorsk, it should be noted that there is a Museum of Military Glory and 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 trained here deserves special attention. There is little entertainment in Zelenogorsk: locals can relax on the river bank or go to the only nightclub in the city. Visitors to the city may be surprised by its appearance: the fact is that Zelenogorsk is completely different from typical cities of the Soviet era. There are quite wide avenues, numerous squares, and 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 fail to 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, the 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 Hermitage. Below 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?
When talking about how to visit this secret closed city in Russia, experts advise using religious motives. In 2006, a monastery began operating on the territory of Sarov again, to which pilgrim tours are regularly organized. However, atheists also have the opportunity to visit this locality: the fact is that there is a Museum of Nuclear Weapons on its territory. The main exhibit that attracts visitors here is the Tsar Bomba. Yes, yes, this is the same “Kuzka’s mother” that Khrushchev once threatened to show to 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 is 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 to conduct tests here of Soviet ballistic missiles, combat ones, of course. 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 closed cities on the map of Russia, you should submit a request to be included in the excursion group.
Dezik, Gypsy and Vasily Voznyuk
The first head of the training ground was Major General Vasily Voznyuk. He entered service in 46 of the last century. By the way, local residents still remember him well; his portraits decorate the offices of the local administration and the Museum of Cosmonautics, located in the city. By the way, it was from the city of Znamensk that the very first space dogs took off. And these were far from Belka and Strelka! From here Desik and Gypsy set off into 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 closed nuclear cities in Russia, one cannot fail to mention Sverdlovsk-45, known as the city of Lesnoy. On its territory there is the Elektrokhimpribor Plant, which collects and disposes of 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 Gulag prisoners. More than twenty thousand prisoners worked on the construction of the secret facility! The best specialists supervised the work, but there were tragic incidents during the construction of Lesnoy. Several dozen people died here during blasting operations. They were not buried properly and their bodies are in mass graves.
As for Lesnoy’s appearance, it is incredibly similar to other ZATOs. Monument to Lenin, square named after Yuri Gagarin, three-story 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 historical and environmental museums.
Novouralsk, Sverdlovsk region
The list of closed cities in Russia also includes Sverdlovsk-44, better known to ordinary people as Novouralsk. The Ural Electrochemical Plant, which produces highly enriched uranium, is located on its territory. Particularly desperate ones make their way into the city through the forest, located near a village called Belorechka. However, it is very easy for a person who has never been to these places before to get lost, which is why extreme sports enthusiasts look for guides. In the very heart of Novouralsk there is a local history museum; there is also an operetta theater in the city. By the way, artists for the latter are trained by the local music school.
Natural monuments
What is so interesting about this closed city of Russia? The list of natural monuments that abound in its surroundings is amazing. For example, there is Hanging Stone Rock and Seven Brothers Mountain. 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 the sorcerers who prevented the conquest of these places. According to another version, the mountain is all that remains of seven gold-mining brothers who guarded their prey throughout the 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
Which closed cities in Russia have lost their status? There are several dozen of them on the list. Perhaps, special place Obolensk, located near Moscow, is on the list. During the Soviet Union, it was not indicated on maps; its laboratories, which were disguised as an ordinary sanatorium, were the place where Soviet scientists fought 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 of 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 " 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 involved in this. All of them were part of an association called “Biopreparat”; there is evidence that about forty thousand specialists worked in this research and production association.
