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YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
Balaklava is a resort city situated 10 kilometers from Sevastopol, Crimea. A top secret submarine base named 825 CTS is located there.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
To keep the large strategic site a secret, the decision was made to call it City Telephone Station number 825. This is how the abbreviation “825 CTS” appeared.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
Construction on the secret submarine base in Balaklava began in 1957, when the Cold War between the USSR and the USA was at full steam.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
It is a huge base for maintaining and repairing submarines, situated deep underground in order to protect its contents from a large nuclear explosion. If a 100-kiloton atomic bomb were to hit the base, all the ammunition, boats and staff members working there would remain safe.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
There is no top secret site in Russia larger than the Balaklava submarine base.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
During construction, a large tunnel was built. Around 125 tons of soil were removed. To keep construction a secret, the soil was removed only at night while residents of the city were sleeping. It was then placed onto barges and unloaded directly into the sea.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
Seven submarines can fit inside. In case of extreme need, 14 submarines could fit in all the docks of the CTS base.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
After 1957, Balaklava lost its status as a city, instead becoming part of the city of Sevastopol.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
In 2003, the base for maintaining and repairing submarines was opened to the public.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
Today the base is open to those wishing to look inside and explore this secret Soviet site.
YEVGENY ALEKSEEV
825 CTS is a museum where everyone can take photos and learn about the Cold War.
