Russian military forces are guarding a fortified underground command center buried deep beneath the granite slopes of Mount Kosvinsky in the Ural Mountains, according to a joint investigation published by The Sunday Times, the Danish media group Danwatch, and the Dossier Center. Citing satellite imagery and open-source intelligence, the reporting reveals that President Vladimir Putin has revived the Soviet-era “Dead Hand” nuclear retaliation system, known as Perimeter, to prepare for potential Western attacks.
Inside Object 1335 and the Ural Mountain Bunker
The facility, designated as Object 1335, sits beneath Mount Kosvinsky at an elevation of roughly 396 meters. It is positioned near the remote village of Kitlim, a settlement of about 2,000 residents featuring a single incoming road, a post office, and a school, surrounded by miles of dense pine forests and rugged terrain where visitors are immediately noticed.
First established by the Soviet Union in the 1980s, the bunker system was engineered to withstand direct hits from specialized American earth-penetrating bunker-buster bombs. According to the investigation, the underground tunnels remain invisible until a visitor approaches the guarded checkpoints.
How the Perimeter System Functions
The Perimeter strategy is designed to guarantee mutually assured destruction if Russia suffers a disabling nuclear strike that eliminates its top military leadership. In such a scenario, Object 1335 would transmit long-wave radio signals to mobile missile launchers equipped with communication gear. Those launchers would then fire missiles capable of relaying encrypted launch orders to surviving underground missile silos.
Pavel Podvig, a United Nations disarmament expert and head of the Russian Nuclear Forces project, explained that Perimeter is essentially a system for connection, stating that if a strike is carried out against you, you must be sure that you can transmit an order to take retaliatory measures. Describing the military priority, a high-ranking Russian military official characterized Object 1335 as a place where strategic missile forces will execute their historical mission to strike any enemy.
Geopolitical Drivers and Expert Analysis
Security analysts attribute the modernization and reinforcement of Object 1335 to rising geopolitical tensions between Moscow and the West.
Andy Weber, a former U.S. assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical, and biological defense programs during the Obama administration, states that President Putin exhibits acute concern over leadership-targeting strikes, making the expansion of resilient command systems a logical priority.
Did You Know?
The Perimeter system relies on automated safeguards designed to bypass severed communication lines, ensuring that a retaliatory strike can be launched even if the primary command structure is entirely destroyed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Object 1335?
Object 1335 is a heavily fortified underground command center located beneath Mount Kosvinsky in the Ural Mountains of Russia, built to survive nuclear blasts and direct bunker-buster bomb attacks.
What is the “Dead Hand” system?
Known formally in Russia as Perimeter, the “Dead Hand” is a Cold War-era automated nuclear retaliation system designed to launch counter-attacks if Russian leadership is wiped out in a first strike.
Who uncovered the revival of this base?
The existence of the active modernization effort was revealed through a joint investigation conducted by The Sunday Times, Danwatch, and the Dossier Center using satellite imagery and open-source intelligence.
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