Abandoned nuclear bunkers from Russia's Soviet past
(13 Apr 2017) LEADIN
An abandoned nuclear shelter in the Russian city of Nizny Novgorod is a haunting reminder of a cold war era in which the shutters between the Soviets and the world outside were firmly closed.
The city, once called Gorky was completely shut off and was reputed to be one of the Soviet's most protected cities, even Russians had to produce special authorisation to visit, work, or live there.
STORYLINE:
This nuclear shelter is a memory from another generation.
It was not long after the Second World War that relations began to sour between the expanded Soviet Union and western nations.
Suspicion and paranoia on both sides of what became known as the iron curtain led to fear and mistrust which escalated with the further development of nuclear bombs.
In Nizhny Novgorod, which during the cold war was known as Gorky, security was extremely tight.
That's because arms factories and large military installations were concentrated in the area.
In 1958, fears the area could becoming infiltrated by western spies prompted the Communist Party, led by Nikita Khrushchev, to declare Gorky closed.
The decree was in force until collapse of the Soviet Union.
Retired serviceman Igor Deryanin explains: In the event of an emergency, and God forbid nuclear attack, the population must be protected and sheltered. For this reason, there are stockpiles of protective equipment that have been kept in working condition and well preserved. Such shelters always existed, but have been paid little attention due to the economic situation.
Gorky was considered a prime target for US nuclear weapons and the building of these shelters proliferated.
The city became full of these underground shelters for local munitions workers hide in and the exact number of how many were built is still unknown.
Deryanin says: Under the settlement, or factory a few metres deep is a concreted room with a ventilation system with closed entrances and multi-level doors that were hermetically sealed. There should be supplies of water, medicines, protective equipment and even food. The amount depended on size of the contingent. Inside this one around fifty, hundred or even one hundred fifty people would be able to find cover.
This once offered local people a place of safety, now it's abandoned strewn with scattered gas masks, phones and medical kits.
Suits to protect people from hazardous chemicals hang on the wall, along with some posters and photographs which aim to be educational.
But even now the sealed doors are a reliable protection against hostile strangers.
The potential for future use of the shelter is dividing opinions in Russia almost sixty years after it was built.
Some argue that funding should be made available to restore and transform the shelter into the museum of Cold War, but owners of the building are not very keen on the project.
The director of the administration for civil defence and emergency situations in Niznhy Novgorod is now Alexander Simakov.
He says: This is a federal property, it does not belong to the city, and therefore the Federal Agency should make decision what happens to it next.
For retired military men like Deryabin it's a loss of history and he argues it is sad to see the deterioration of nuclear shelters which he believes were once symbols of Soviet strength.
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Bombing of Gorky in World War II | Wikipedia audio article
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Bombing of Gorky in World War II
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
The bombing of Gorky (now known as Nizhny Novgorod) by the Luftwaffe continued from 1941 to 1943 in the Eastern Front theatre of World War II. The main purpose of the bombing was to destroy the industrial center of the city. Gorky Automobile Plant received the greatest damage. During the war, enemy bombers carried out 43 raids, 26 of which were at night. 33,934 incendiary bombs and 1,631 high-explosive bombs were dropped on the city. The bombings of Gorky were the most destructive blows by the Luftwaffe to the rear of the Soviet Union during the war.
Moscow | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Moscow
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Moscow (; Russian: Москва́, tr. Moskvá, IPA: [mɐˈskva] (listen)) is the capital and most populous city of Russia, with 13.2 million residents within the city limits and 17 million within the urban area. Moscow is one of Russia's federal cities.
Moscow is a major political, economic, cultural, and scientific centre of Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as the largest city (both by population and by area) entirely on the European continent. By broader definitions Moscow is among the world's largest cities, being the 14th largest metro area, the 18th largest agglomeration, the 14th largest urban area, and the 11th largest by population within city limits worldwide. According to Forbes 2013, Moscow has been ranked as the ninth most expensive city in the world by Mercer and has one of the world's largest urban economies, being ranked as an alpha global city according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, and is also one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the world according to the MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index.
Moscow is the northernmost and coldest megacity and metropolis on Earth. It is home to the Ostankino Tower, the tallest free standing structure in Europe; the Federation Tower, the second-tallest skyscraper in Europe; and the Moscow International Business Center. By its territorial expansion on July 1 2012 southwest into the Moscow Oblast, the area of the capital more than doubled, going from 1,091 to 2,511 square kilometers (421 to 970 sq mi), resulting in Moscow becoming the largest city on the European continent by area; it also gained an additional population of 233,000 people.Moscow is situated on the Moskva River in the Central Federal District of European Russia, making it Europe's most populated inland city. The city is well known for its architecture, particularly its historic buildings such as Saint Basil's Cathedral with its colourful architectural style. With over 40 percent of its territory covered by greenery, it is one of the greenest capitals and major cities in Europe and the world, having the largest forest in an urban area within its borders—more than any other major city—even before its expansion in 2012.
The city has served as the capital of a progression of states, from the medieval Grand Duchy of Moscow and the subsequent Tsardom of Russia to the Russian Empire to the Soviet Union and the contemporary Russian Federation.
Moscow is the seat of power of the Government of Russia, being the site of the Moscow Kremlin, a medieval city-fortress that is today the residence for work of the President of Russia. The Moscow Kremlin and Red Square are also one of several World Heritage Sites in the city. Both chambers of the Russian parliament (the State Duma and the Federation Council) also sit in the city. Moscow is considered the centre of Russian culture, having served as the home of Russian artists, scientists and sports figures and because of the presence of museums, academic and political institutions and theatres.
The city is served by a transit network, which includes four international airports, nine railway terminals, numerous trams, a monorail system and one of the deepest underground rapid transit systems in the world, the Moscow Metro, the fourth-largest in the world and largest outside Asia in terms of passenger numbers, and the busiest in Europe. It is recognised as one of the city's landmarks due to the rich architecture of its 200 stations.Moscow has acquired a number of epithets, most referring to its size and preeminent status within the nation: The Third Rome (Третий Рим), the Whitestone One (Белокаменная), the First Throne (Первопрестольная), the Forty Soroks (Сорок Сороков) (sorok meaning both forty, a great many and a district or parish in Old Russian).
Moscow is also one of the twelve Hero Cities. The demonym for a Moscow res ...
Andrei Sakharov | Wikipedia audio article
This is an audio version of the Wikipedia Article:
Andrei Sakharov
Listening is a more natural way of learning, when compared to reading. Written language only began at around 3200 BC, but spoken language has existed long ago.
Learning by listening is a great way to:
- increases imagination and understanding
- improves your listening skills
- improves your own spoken accent
- learn while on the move
- reduce eye strain
Now learn the vast amount of general knowledge available on Wikipedia through audio (audio article). You could even learn subconsciously by playing the audio while you are sleeping! If you are planning to listen a lot, you could try using a bone conduction headphone, or a standard speaker instead of an earphone.
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The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
- Socrates
SUMMARY
=======
Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov (Russian: Андре́й Дми́триевич Са́харов; 21 May 1921 – 14 December 1989) was a Russian nuclear physicist, dissident, and activist for disarmament, peace and human rights.He became renowned as the designer of the Soviet Union's RDS-37, a codename for Soviet development of thermonuclear weapons. Sakharov later became an advocate of civil liberties and civil reforms in the Soviet Union, for which he faced state persecution; these efforts earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975. The Sakharov Prize, which is awarded annually by the European Parliament for people and organizations dedicated to human rights and freedoms, is named in his honor.