Russia has revived its Cold War-era “Dead Hand” nuclear retaliation program, operating from a fortified underground command center at the Kosvinsky Kamen mountain in the Urals known as Object 1335. According to a joint investigation published by The Sunday Times, Danwatch, and the Dossier Center, the massive bunker has been modernized and brought into active combat duty under President Vladimir Putin to ensure mutually assured destruction if the country is attacked.
Operation Dead Hand and Object 1335
Guarded around the clock by soldiers stationed in a machine gun tower, the entrance to Object 1335 sits near the remote Urals village of Kitim. Originally built under the Soviet codename “Perimeter” during the 1980s paranoia over a potential nuclear attack, the system was designed to act as an automated doomsday trigger. If a nuclear attack severed ties with Russia’s top military leadership, the underground base would activate backup long-wave radio channels. These signals would instruct mobile missile launchers and surviving silos to launch a counter-attack.
“Perimeter is a communication system,” explains Pavel Podvig, a UN disarmament expert and head of the Russian Nuclear Forces Project, in the investigative findings. “If you are hit, you need to be sure that you can transmit the order for retaliation.”
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Massive Underground Expansion and Procurement
Public procurement contracts and public archives analyzed by Danwatch show that Moscow has poured hundreds of millions of pounds into expanding the site since 2018. Documents reveal the purchase of heavy excavation machinery, air filtration systems to block chemical, biological and radioactive agents, and roughly 20,000 tons of steel—equivalent to the weight of three Eiffel Towers.
The heaviest period of construction and supply deliveries occurred between 2020 and 2021. During 2020 alone, contractors utilized 361.4 kilometers of cables, 5,429 light fixtures, 30 transformers, and 160 ventilation modules. Satellite imagery confirms that three original mountain entrances have been supplemented by heavy excavation work, creating at least 24 underground chambers equipped with compressed air systems.
Putin’s Paranoia and the Threat from Western Bunker Busters
The revival of the Perimeter system aligns with mounting security concerns in the Kremlin regarding advanced U.S. conventional weaponry.
Active Combat Duty and Official Confirmation
Though hidden behind strict security protocols and a garrison designated as Unit 20003, retired Russian military officials have openly confirmed the facility’s operational status. In statements published in 2022 and 2023, retired Major General V.G. Halin of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate confirmed that Object 1335 had been introduced into experimental combat duty. Colonel Y. Andreyev, a veteran of the Main Directorate of the Aerospace Forces of Russia, subsequently noted that the bunker entered full combat duty in 2023, featuring automated response capabilities designed by late weapons designer Gleb Yurievich Vasilyev.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the “Dead Hand” system?
Known in Russia as Perimeter, it is a Cold War-era automated nuclear retaliation system designed to launch a counter-strike if Russia’s leadership is wiped out in a first strike.
Where is Object 1335 located?
It is housed deep inside Kosvinsky Kamen, a granite mountain in the Ural range near the village of Kitim.
When was the facility modernized?
Extensive construction, equipment procurement, and tunnel expansion took place primarily between 2018 and 2021, with the facility entering active combat duty in 2023 according to retired Russian military officials.
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