Plokštinė Military Town Military town
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in 1962 "Dvina", one of the first underground R-12 ballistic missile launch complex in the Soviet Union, started operating in the Ploštinė forests (Plungė district).
A military town has been established 0.5 km from the missile launch base. On the territory of 12 hectares, about 30 buildings of various purposes were built: residential houses (barracks), officers' headquarters, 2 canteens, a boiler room, a power plant, a medical station, a club, a pig farm, warehouses, garages and other buildings.
The platform's underground missile launch complex operated until 1978. June 18 The soldiers left the area, taking only their weapons with them. in 1979 the management of the former military complex was handed over to the Association of Republican Agricultural Recreational Institutions of the Plungė district, and the Platelia Pioneers' Rest Camp "Žuvėdra" was established in the military town. The area was remodeled and adapted to the needs of the camp, which operated until 1990. After Lithuania regained its independence, the Pioneer Camp was closed.
Since 1993 the facility is managed by the Žemaitija National Park Directorate. Many buildings of the military campus were demolished in 2017 due to their state of emergency. Currently, there are about 10 buildings left in the area, which can be viewed from the outside by visitors. There are information stands that tell about the former buildings and their purpose.
Used sources and references:
Shaft nuclear missile launch base "Dvina" - Praeitis Žvalgas
https://www.praeitieszvalgas.lt/sachtine-branduoliniu-raketu-paleidos-baze-dvina/
Educational programs
Tour of the former military town
Near Lake Platelia, in the forests of Ploštinė in 1960. the construction of the underground base for launching thermonuclear missiles "Dvina" was started. in 1962 at the end of December, the first combat alert was announced at the base. In four 30-year-olds 4 R-12U type medium-range ballistic missiles armed with thermonuclear warheads are deployed in deep shafts. They were intended to destroy Western European countries.
The top secret facility required a large amount of military equipment and service and command personnel. For that purpose, a town with 30 buildings was established 500 m from the missile launch site. The entire facility occupied an area of about 12 hectares, surrounded by as many as 6 protective fences.
What happened here, what was the purpose of the buildings and what fate befell the military town and what secrets Ploštinė forest still keeps, you will find out on the excursion...
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