About the secret hangar of the nuclear base

On December 31, 1962, one of the first underground R-12 ballistic missile launch complexes in the Soviet Union, Dvina, began operating in the Plokštīne forests (Plungė district).

From 1963 to 1978, the complex housed 4 medium-range ballistic missiles R12 (SS-4 Sandal), armed with thermonuclear warheads with a yield of 2.3 megatons. All missiles were aimed at Western European countries. This complex, together with ground-based launch bases for similar missiles, formed a single Soviet nuclear weapons group in Lithuania, capable of destroying all of Europe. During the 16 years of operation of the complex, not a single missile was launched, although in 1968, during the Prague Spring, military readiness was declared.

Approximately 0.5 km from the R-12 Dvina nuclear missile launch base, a military camp and a nuclear warhead storage facility (hangar) were built. Very little is known about the purpose of the hangar. It is believed that there were repair shops and a cargo yard here, as well as a hangar where the R-12 thermonuclear missile warheads were probably stored. The hangar is a huge, approximately 60 m long concrete building, covered with a layer of earth on the outside and hidden among the forests.

Currently, the building, like the entire former underground missile launch base, belongs to the Samogitian National Park Directorate. The object is not open to visitors. It cannot be viewed from the inside. However, the building can be viewed from the outside without prior reservation.

The exposition is arranged in the former ballistic missile launch complex of the Soviet Union, which is the only well-equipped facility of its kind in Europe. The Plokštines missile base was completed in 1962. on December 31. It was placed in the largest forest massif, east of Lake Plateļi. There were 4 SS-4 "Sandal" medium-range ballistic missiles equipped with 2-megaton thermonuclear warheads, aimed at Western European countries. 1978 after the base was discovered by US intelligence, it was closed with the removal of armaments. 2012 after reconstruction, an exhibition of relevant content was opened here.

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.

In the Plunge district, on both sides of Šateikiai town, in the forest massifs, in 1960. The Šateikiai ground-based medium-range missile launch base was built. One of the 4 bases of this type that operated in Lithuania.

The base was equipped with ground launch sites for four R-12, R-12U (SS-4 Sandal) medium-range ballistic missiles (one of the most popular in the USSR). Ballistic missiles were stored in reinforced concrete hangars on the territory of the Šateikiai forest military unit. The machines were parked in the hangars, and one R12U missile was installed on their platforms. According to the command, the machines had to go to the specified place, and the rockets were launched in the direction of the dictated coordinates. At the signal, the missiles were about to be launched into the countries of the European part of the NATO bloc.

in 1962 September - 1963 in January, during the Caribbean crisis, when the tension between the USA and the USSR reached its peak, nuclear missiles from the Shateikii missile launch base were transported by train cars to Sevastopol, where they were loaded onto cargo ships and transported to Central Cuba (Havana). Soldiers were building rockets in the forests of the center of the island of Cuba. This operation was called Operation Anadyris, the shipment of missiles and other weapons to Cuba.

The next date when the highest level of readiness was announced at the base was 1968. the Prague Spring (events in Czechoslovakia), when rockets were directed towards the West German Federation, because it was expected that the countries of the NATO bloc would support the Czechoslovak rebels with arms.

Missiles were removed from the Šateikiai ground-based missile launch base around 1978, when it was already considered obsolete, and its maintenance was irrational. The closure of the base was also prompted by the fact that in the 20th century 8 Dec. help it was already clear that the locations of the stationary missile launch bases had been identified by US intelligence.

It is interesting that later in the base, in a small reinforced concrete hermetic building surrounded by several barbed wire fences, tactical projectiles with a nuclear charge, intended for firing from "Pions", were stored. The explosive power of one such projectile is estimated at 2 kilotons. For comparison: nuclear bombs "Little Boy", 1945 August 6 dropped by the Americans on Hiroshima (Japan), the equivalent yield of energy released was equal to 13-16 kilotons. They could have appeared in Šateikia in 1981. at the end

The 384th High Power Artillery Brigade was also stationed in Šateikiai. The brigade had self-propelled howitzers 2S7 "Pion" of 203 mm caliber. Their purpose is to attack the rear of the enemy, destroy important objects at a distance of 47-55 kilometers. These tactical projectiles with a nuclear charge could have been exported from the territory of Lithuania in July 1992. The plan of the withdrawal of the troops of the Russian Federation by railway transport provides information that the chemical assets of the 384th Heavy Artillery Brigade were transported in 36 covered wagons. It was probably nuclear explosives.

After the missile launch base was abandoned, the structures fell into disrepair. Currently, when visiting the territory, you can still find the remains of 6 reinforced concrete warehouses (hangars), as well as endless ground rocket launch sites that were overgrown with bushes. The entire area of the former base is still carved out by a network of roads covered with concrete slabs.