Naval museum complex Balaklava

Naval museum complex Balaklava (Морський музейний комплекс "Балаклава") is an underground submarine base in Balaklava, Crimea, Ukraine (originally known as Object 825 GTS). It was a top-secret military facility during the Cold War, located in Balaklava bay.

Today it serves as a museum and also houses a museum about the Crimean War.

Description and purpose
The object is the construction of the first category of anti-nuclear protection (protection from a direct hit by a nuclear bomb capacity of 100 kt), which includes a combined underground water channel with a dry dock, repair shops, warehouses for storage of torpedoes and other weapons. Additionally it could house personnel to protect them from nuclear fallout. Located in the mountain Tavros, on both sides of which there are exits. If necessary, it overrides caisson, which ash air and floated up. To exit to the open sea was equipped with a release on the northern side of the mountain. The holes in the rock are neatly covered with camouflage devices and networks.

Object 825 GTS, for service which was formed 155 Brigade of submarines designed for the repair and maintenance of submarines, 613th and 633rd projects, as well as for the storage of ammunition for these submarines. In the central tunnel (length 602 metres) the facility could accommodate 7 subs if necessary, and in all the galleries up to 14 submarines of different classes. Material handling equipment in peacetime carried out on the pier, taking into account the movement of spy satellites of potential enemy. When loading a nuclear threat was to be exercised within the database through a special tunnel. The arsenal also stored nuclear weapons. The temperature inside the base is kept around 15 degrees.

History
In the period after the Second World War, the two superpowers - the USSR and the U.S. - stepped up their nuclear arsenal, threatening each other pre-emptive strikes and retaliatory strikes. It was then that Joseph Stalin gave Lavrentiy Beria (who was responsible at that time "nuclear project"), a secret directive: to find a place where they could base submarines for a retaliatory nuclear strike. After several years of research the choice fell on the quiet Balaklava, a city immediately classified. Narrow winding strait width of only 200–400 m. harbours not only from storms, but also from prying eyes — from the open sea it is not visible under any angle. Additionally, the site is close to Sevastopol, a major naval base still used by both Ukrainian and Russian navies (including the Black Sea Fleet).

In 1957 it established a special building department number 528, which is directly engaged in the construction of underground facilities. The construction of the underground complex lasted for 4 years, from 1957 to 1961. During construction, about 120 tons of rock was removed. To ensure secrecy supplies were transported at night on a barge in the open sea. After closing in 1993, most of the complex is unguarded. In fact, in 2000, the abandoned facility was handed over to the naval forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The museum was founded according to the order of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine on December 30, 2002 on the establishment of a branch of the Central Museum of Armed Forces of Ukraine - Naval museum complex "Balaklava." After converting an object into a branch of the Central Museum of Armed Forces of Ukraine has begun a new phase in its history. The naval museum complex includes an underground portion of a weapons plant, an arsenal, as well as a marine pier and several buildings. The opening of the base was held on June 1, 2003 to inspect the open area around the artificial canal, which passes through the mountain, several shops of the plant and the arsenal, where stored torpedoes and nuclear warheads.

Contact
Address: Ukraine, Sevastopol, 99042, st. Tavricheskaya embankment, 22
 * +380 (692) 63-75-92 (Administration)
 * +380 (692) 63-75-93 (Tour Division)
 * +380 (692) 93-31-06 (Tour Division)