Today on the territory of the Russian Federation there are more than 40 closed territorial-administrative entities, also referred to as 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. 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 you should definitely 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 in the days of tsarist Russia there was a road called the sovereign, towards the 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 an open joint-stock company called the Production Association Electrochemical Plant is located on its territory. 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 be surprised by its 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 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 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, Yuri Gagarin Square, 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 the historical and ecological 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.

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Books

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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 at a high level made it possible to purchase goods in stores that were in short supply for the rest of the 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 villages belonging to the missile forces. 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 lies the largest of the cities of ZATO - Seversk. Its foundation is associated with the construction of the Siberian Chemical Combine. 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 institutions, a college and an 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 settled in hangars for the subsidiary farming of 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 city 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. From a great height, a picture opens: in the middle of forests, residential areas with an abundance of green spaces.

There are 15 historical monuments in Zheleznogorsk: memorials, steles, obelisks, architectural compositions. Cultural life is in full swing: 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 a construction department that works throughout Siberia.

Zelenogorsk differs from a typical Soviet town with beautiful houses with lawns, wide avenues, and 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 on an 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.

The main production enterprise 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, but 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" at best, at worst they were left without 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.

In order to enter the ZATO territory, 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 ZATO or found a husband or wife from local residents.

But, of course, there are workarounds. In some ZATOs, cultural and sporting events are held from time to time, to which outsiders are invited. The most desperate ones simply find holes in the fence or make their way into the city by secret paths. True, it should be taken into account that illegal entry into the ZATO territory is fraught with an administrative penalty in the form of a fine and immediate expulsion over 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 OJSC 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 that residential areas are located right in the forest. Not far away in the mountain range 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 inhabitants of the city. The reactors are located in kilometer-long tunnels in the thickness of a granite monolith - in case of a nuclear war. Another of the tunnels was laid from the MCC to the other side of the Yenisei.

In Soviet times, the status of ZATO attracted foreign intelligence agents to the city, who, however, the vigilant locals identified almost immediately. However, the tale is especially popular among them not about a foreign agent, but about their own fellow countryman: in the 1980s, one of the employees of the Mining and Chemical Combine contrived to carry some plutonium through the checkpoint and kept it at home in an ordinary glass jar. Later, when the thief was spotted with the help of 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, the city has a Park of Culture and Leisure 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 JSC "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. The inhabitants of the village, which was actually wiped off the face of the earth, were attracted to the construction of the city.

In Zelenogorsk, there is a cadet corps at the Vityaz center, and not only boys, but also girls are trained here in military training. On the basis of the center there is a small Museum of Military Glory. Also in the city there is a Museum and Exhibition Center, located opposite the church of St. Seraphim of Sarov.

The main entertainments of the Zelenogorsk residents are gatherings on the banks of the Kan River and trips 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. The visitor will certainly be surprised by the fact that Zelenogorsk, unlike most ZATOs, does not at all look like a typical town from the Soviet era - there are wide avenues, brick high-rise buildings, countless lawns and squares; no dullness and despondency. However, the ubiquitous monument to Lenin reminds 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 combat ballistic missiles. And it got its quite 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 for excursions. So those who want to get into the city can try to get together in an excursion group and submit a corresponding request - it is possible that they will accept especially persistent ones.

The first head of the Kapustin Yar training ground, Major General Vasily Voznyuk, who entered the 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 set off, and their names were not Belka and Strelka, but Dezik and Gypsy. Adjacent to the museum is an open area displaying examples of military equipment such as rocket launchers and radars.

4. City of Lesnoy (Sverdlovsk-45), Sverdlovsk region

Reason for special status: On the territory of the city there is the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Combine" Elektrokhimpribor ", designed for the assembly and disposal of nuclear weapons, as well as for the production of uranium isotopes.

The construction of a significant part of Lesnoye fell on the shoulders of the prisoners of the Gulag: 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 the future ZATOs, it could not do without tragic incidents. Thus, the construction of Lesnoy claimed the lives of several dozen people who died during blasting 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 of the first years of construction (early 50s), solid "Stalinist" buildings and colorful high-rise buildings on bright avenues, a pretty park named after. Gagarin, a monument to Lenin. However, leisure can be diversified, because Lesnoy is located just a few kilometers from the neighboring town of Nizhnyaya Tura: one of its central streets rests directly on the Lesnoy City checkpoint. In Lower Tura for visitors there are, for example, historical and environmental museums.

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, in the days of tsarist Russia, the so-called "sovereign's road" to the White Sea passed. According to legend, Mikhail Lomonosov followed the convoy to Moscow along it. True, there is no memorial pillar, and all the main sights of Mirny are connected with the history of space exploration: the first state-owned Plesetsk cosmodrome has long been 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 go to Mirny along a secret path that starts at the last turn of the neighboring village of Plesetsk, if you get to the city by taxi. True, it is worth clarifying the topography with one of the locals, and also be prepared for the fact that there is a risk of stumbling upon a military patrol.

6. Novouralsk (Sverdlovsk-44), Sverdlovsk region

Reason for special status: On the territory of the city there is OJSC "Ural Electrochemical Plant", 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 you should find a guide for yourself.

The environs of Novouralsk abound in natural monuments. These include, for example, Hanging Stone Rock and Mount Seven Brothers. Many legends are connected with the origin of the latter: according to one version, Yermak turned seven sorcerers into stone idols, which prevented him from conquering Siberia; according to another, this is all that remains of the gold-digging brothers, who vigilantly guarded their prey from robbers all night and turned to stone in the morning. There is even such a bike: in Soviet times, a raid was announced on the Old Believers who were hiding in the Ural forests. Seven of them, in an attempt to escape from persecution, fled to the mountains, where they were chained to stone not by some supernatural forces, but by ordinary fear.

In the center of the city there is a museum of local lore and an operetta theater, for which artists are trained, including the Novouralsk Music School.

7. Ozersk (Chelyabinsk-40, Chelyabinsk-65)

Reason for special status: On the territory of the city is the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Production Association" Mayak ", where radioactive isotopes are produced.

Despite the fact that huge technical and human resources were invested in the construction and operation of Mayak, it was not without accidents. And one of them is only slightly inferior to the Chernobyl tragedy. As a result of the explosion that occurred in the storage of radioactive waste on September 29, 1957, an area of ​​about 300 km in length and 10 km in width turned out to be in the contaminated zone. A total of 270,000 people lived here. Most of them 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 used to be 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, the residents of Ozersk perceive life in ZATO not as a limitation, but as a privilege. Therefore, in their attitude towards visitors, one can see some indulgence.

8. Sarov (Shatki-1, Moscow-300, Kremlev, Arzamas-75, Arzamas-16), Nizhny Novgorod region

Reason for special status: On the territory of the city 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 place where the atomic bomb was created, on the other hand, one of the most revered Orthodox shrines, the Sarov Hermitage, is located here. In 1778, one of the novices of the monastery, which had a particularly strict rule, was Prokhor Isidorovich Moshnin, in the past - the son of a wealthy merchant, in the future - Reverend 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 rode in a boat.

It is a religious motive that can facilitate outsiders access to Sarov: pilgrimage tours are periodically organized to the Holy Dormition Monastery of the Sarov Desert, which has been successfully functioning again since 2006. For those who are more interested in the achievements of Soviet nuclear scientists, the Museum of Nuclear Weapons operates on the basis of RFNC-VNIIEF. Its main exhibit is the so-called Tsar Bomba, also known as Kuz'kina's mother, which Khrushchev promised to show to America. Most of the exhibits of the museum, of course, copies.

9. Severomorsk, Murmansk region

Reason for special status: It is a major 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 the naval base began here in the mid-30s of the last century, but the city received the status of a closed city after the collapse of the Soviet Union - in 1996.

Memorable places in Severomorsk are dedicated to sailors and the history of the fleet. So, on Primorskaya Square there is a monument to the heroes of the North Sea - a giant sailor with a machine gun and a peakless cap with fluttering ribbons. The locals affectionately call him Alyosha. A monument to the torpedo boat TK-12, which sank four enemy ships during the Second World War, was erected on Courage Square. The Submarine K-21 museum is also located here, where the main household items of submariners are presented: from latrine to canned drinking water.

Severomorsk is located beyond the Arctic Circle, so in winter the polar night sets in here, which lasts from early December to mid-January. Real Arctic frosts are rare in Severomorsk, but 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 is the Russian Federal Nuclear Center - All-Russian Research Institute of Technical Physics named after academician E.I. Zababakhin (RFNC-VNIITF).

It is best to come to Snezhinsk in summer, when the city is just immersed in 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 skiing - not far from the city, on the slopes of the Cherry Mountains, tracks are laid. There is also a base for renting and repairing equipment and a sanatorium "Sungul".

At first glance, it seems that modern Snezhinsk is a cozy, clean town, which even has its own Broadway (as Snezhinsk residents call Tsiolkovsky Boulevard). In fact, the city is full of mysterious artifacts that have survived 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 existence of an underground communications system in the city. In addition to quite plausible details, giant badgers also appeared there. The public is still arguing about how justified the rumors about the Snezhinsky metro are. And local diggers from time to time organize expeditions in search of secret underground passages.

How to get to the closed city? The task is difficult, but solvable. We will not use espionage methods or look for a hole in the fence, but only list legal ways.

The first way to get into a closed city is to acquire close relatives there (blood or acquired). In this case, relatives will write an entry request in your name, and after certain checks (up to two months), you will be able to visit the city. With foreign guests, of course, it is more difficult. The state, for obvious reasons, carefully guards its developments. So it will take at least six months to get an entry permit in this case.

The second way is scientific. Scientific conferences are held in closed cities, especially those that belong to the Ministry of Atomic Energy. For example, the famous Kharitonov Readings have been held annually in Sarov for 10 years, in memory of the outstanding scientist Yu.B. Khariton. There is an adult and children's program. Those scientists who deal with problems related to the activities of the Sarov nuclear center participate in the adult. Usually these people also have information of a certain degree of secrecy and "belong to the clan." Gifted schoolchildren from any Russian city can come to school readings, strictly without parents, but with a supervisor. So most often one leader carries a group of children at once. Children's readings are held in many disciplines: biology, computer science, literature, mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc. A pass for scientific, sports and cultural events (see below) is issued on average two months in advance.

The next way to the closed space is cultural. Many closed cities hold various music and theater festivals ranging from hard rock and rattling rap to classic folklore chants. Most often, competitions are held either between the "natoshny", for example, such as the All-Russian competition of theaters ZATO "Territory of culture of the nuclear industry", or participants in the competitions from neighboring cities and towns come to the city. But if I contact the organizers in time and promise to weaken something really worthwhile, I can miss the participants who arrived from distant places.

All closed cities are for a healthy lifestyle. Their personnel are indispensable and valuable, so they must live long and not get sick. In this regard, children's and adult tournaments and competitions in numerous sports are regularly held, depending on what kind of sports facilities the city or village has. For example, in the city of Seversk in the Tomsk region, you can come with a team to play basketball, volleyball and hockey, or take part in the Ozersk City Cup in races on radio-controlled yachts. Information about sporting events can usually be found on the ZATO websites, where the contacts of the organizers will also be available.

If you are an outstanding singer, musician or actor, you can come to the closed city with a concert. Of course, the organizers here are not too agile and will not pull expensive stars, and they will doubt the commercial success of the immature ones. But a keen desire to cultivate the nasty inhabitants is able to overcome all sorts of obstacles.

Open, that is, settlements closed during the Soviet period, were not something surprising for Russia. Back in the 18th-19th centuries, there were closed Cossack settlements, cities built on the occupied territories to control the local population and collect taxes, and border fortress cities.

Representatives of the media are allowed into ZATOs without much desire, but in case of urgent need. Just like that - hardly. But if there is a serious reason, an event, or major officials have arrived, then they will allow it. Again, you need to order a pass in advance, and no “we have deadlines for submitting material are on fire” will speed things up.

Recently, secondary and higher educational institutions in ZATO have begun to accept nonresident applicants. According to teachers, visitors often study much better and harder than local children. Many schools and universities in the backwater cities are unique in their kind, because they provide specialized education related to the peculiarities of the city, which, with good study, actually guarantees further work at the enterprise. In Seversk you can enter the Seversk State Technological Academy, in Sarov you can conquer the Sarov Institute of Physics and Technology, in Ozyorsk you can graduate from the Ozersk Institute of Technology, as well as branches of the MEPhI and SUSU.

The last option is to be Artemy Lebedev, who has already visited the closed Sarov, Seversk and Zheleznogorsk. How he did it, science is still unknown ...