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In the wake of World War II, the Soviet Union ramped up its nuclear weapons program due to the increasing threat posed by American nuclear capabilities, which were underscored by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Immediately following these events, the Politburo created a committee to accelerate nuclear weapon development. On April 9, 1946, the Council of Ministers established the KB-11 Design Bureau, tasked with designing the first Soviet nuclear weapon, modeled after the American method and powered by weapons-grade plutonium. To support this, several research and development centers were set up, with many workers brought in, some of whom tragically died due to exposure to radioactive materials.
These massive research facilities led to the creation of 'Closed Cities,' where secrecy was paramount to prevent leaks of sensitive information from the Soviet Union to the United States and its allies. Out of an original 44 closed cities, it’s remarkable that many continue to exist today. These cities are heavily guarded with barbed-wire fences and armed patrols, only allowing entry to those with special passes. While this strict control has made these places safer with higher living standards, it also comes at a cost: the curtailment of personal freedoms.
Here’s a list of ten closed cities in Russia that are still operational as of 2018.
10. Zelenogorsk
Situated along the Kan River, this Russian city has a population of about 66,000. It was originally established in the late 1950s and early 1960s for the purpose of uranium enrichment to support the Soviet nuclear weapons program. Like many other closed cities, it operated under a code name—Krasnoyarsk-45. In 1992, the city was officially added to Russian maps and was allowed to use its true name.
Today, the city provides uranium to nuclear reactors across the United States and other nations for electricity generation, contributing roughly 29 percent of Russia’s enrichment capacity. Besides uranium, the plant also processes isotopes of nine other elements. The 1997 United States-Russia Highly Enriched Uranium Purchase Agreement facilitated the purchase of Russian low-enriched uranium (LEU) derived from high-enriched uranium (HEU). As part of this agreement, Zelenogorsk's electrochemical plant has been tasked with converting HEU from decommissioned nuclear warheads into LEU.
9. Tsiolkovsky
Tsiolkovsky is situated near the Bolyshaya Pyora River. In 2015, President Vladimir Putin renamed the city in honor of Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, the pioneering Soviet rocket scientist. Born in 1857, Tsiolkovsky authored over 400 works on space exploration, greatly influencing future scientists and playing a pivotal role in the success of the Soviet space program.
Originally founded in 1961, the town was built to support the Soviet Union's intercontinental ballistic missile base and was initially known as Svobodny-18. Today, it has a population of about 6,000 residents. The city plays a crucial role in supporting the Vostochny Cosmodrome, a Russian space launch facility intended to reduce the nation's reliance on Kazakhstan's Baikonur Cosmodrome.
8. Mirny
Mirny was established in 1960 near the Yemsta and Mekhrenga Rivers in Arkhangelsk Oblast as a site for launching ballistic missiles. By 1966, the location was repurposed into a spaceport known as the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. Despite its creation in 1960, the town remained largely unknown until it was mentioned in the media in 1983. Currently, Mirny has a population of around 30,000 and is conveniently located near both a railway station and an airport.
Recently, Vladimir Putin launched a satellite from Mirny's cosmodrome designed to detect ballistic missiles, as a response to escalating global tensions following North Korean missile tests.
7. Kapustin Yar
Kapustin Yar was established as a Soviet missile testing site in 1946. It became the location of the first ballistic missile launch in the Soviet Union on October 18, 1947, less than a year after its creation. Between 1957 and 1961, five small atmospheric nuclear tests were conducted at the site. Western intelligence agencies learned of Kapustin Yar through spy flights and the infiltration of scientists.
In 1966, a cosmodrome was built at Kapustin Yar, which continues to function as a technology development site. The area has gained notoriety for a significant number of UFO sightings, earning it the nickname 'Russia’s Roswell' or the 'Russian Area 51.' The nearby closed city of Znamensk, with a population of around 30,000, supports the cosmodrome.
6. Snezhinsk
Founded in 1957 under the code name Chelyabinsk-70, this city gained town status in 1993. Located near Lake Sinara, it is one of the two key centers of Russia's nuclear program. Just months after its establishment, a thermonuclear device was designed and tested. In 1997, Snezhinsk notably imported a supercomputer from the United States.
Currently home to around 49,000 residents, the closed city of Snezhinsk preserves several intriguing Soviet-era artifacts, including tunnels, ventilation pipes, and unusual structures. The city's strict security measures, combined with its fascinating history and mysterious artifacts, have piqued the interest of outsiders, sparking speculation about potential future tourism if the city were ever opened.
5. Krasnoznamensk
Unlike most of the cities on this list, which were constructed near large bodies of water to manage radioactive waste, Krasnoznamensk is home to only a few small lakes. Located near Moscow, this city serves as a key hub for space systems control, a reserve mission control center, and the main base for aerospace intelligence.
Until 1994, Krasnoznamensk was known as Golitsyno-2. Today, it has a population of about 39,000. Recently, rumors have surfaced that spy satellites may have been launched from this city, fueled by statements from a Russian space command official.
4. Ostrovnoy
Ostrovnoy was established as a Russian naval base in 1915. Situated near the Arctic Ocean in Murmansk Oblast, it is not connected by rail or road, making access possible only by ship, helicopter, or small plane. Known by the code name Gremikha, it served as one of the primary facilities for maintaining nuclear submarines.
The 2002 census recorded a population of 5,032 in Ostrovnoy, but this number has steadily declined, with only 2,171 residents recorded in the 2010 census. As with many other closed cities, the residents were offered wages 20% higher than usual and better food provisions during the Cold War.
3. Ozersk
Founded in 1947 near Lake Irtyash and the Techa River, Ozersk was originally known as Chelyabinsk-40, then Chelyabinsk-65. Due to its proximity to Mayak, a plutonium processing plant, Ozersk became the birthplace of Russia’s nuclear weapons program. The city and its residents have been repeatedly exposed to radioactive contamination, especially between 1945 and 1957 when the Mayak plant routinely dumped radioactive waste into the surrounding environment.
In 1957, a nuclear waste tank exploded, releasing massive amounts of radioactivity, ranking only behind the Fukushima and Chernobyl disasters. Prior to this, radioactive waste had been routinely dumped into the Techa River, which remains heavily contaminated. Despite this, the city now has a population of around 82,000. In 2016, a Russian documentary titled *City 40* was released, offering a glimpse into the lives of the city's residents.
2. Sarov
Sarov, located in Western Russia near Moscow, is named after the Sarov Monastery, founded in 1706 on the present-day site of the city. The monastery served as a sacred site for the Russian Orthodox Church until its closure in 1923. During World War II, the monastery buildings were repurposed as rocket production facilities. In 1946, a nuclear weapons design facility was established, transforming Sarov into a closed city with the code name Arzamas-16.
Access to Sarov is strictly regulated, with even Russian citizens from nearby areas unable to enter without permission. The city is surrounded by fences and guarded by military patrols, and entrance requires a special pass—one-time, temporary, or permanent. It is nearly impossible for regular tourists, especially foreigners, to gain entry. Sarov currently has a population of approximately 90,000 and is home to the Russian Federation Nuclear Center and an atomic bomb museum.
1. Severomorsk
Severomorsk, formerly called Vayenga, was first inhabited in 1896. Positioned along the Kola Peninsula by the Barents Sea, its strategic location led to it being named as the principal base of the Russian Northern Fleet. The city began developing military facilities in 1934 and played a role in World War II. However, it was only in 1996 that President Boris Yeltsin declared Severomorsk a closed city.
Between May 13 and 17, 1984, a series of fires triggered the explosion of large quantities of munitions near the Severomorsk naval base. This catastrophic event, now known as the Severomorsk disaster, led to the deaths of 200 to 300 people and caused the destruction of around 900 missiles. Today, Severomorsk remains the administrative center of the Northern Fleet and has a population of approximately 50,000.
