☢️ ZELTINI - ABANDONED #SOVIET ☭ NUCLEAR MISSILE BASE ☢️ | ALUKSNE FOREST - 🇱🇻 LATVIA

In this video I drove about 2 hours and 30mins each way, to the far North East of Latvia, to within about 40kms of the Russian border. I drove from Riga the capital and my goal was to get to the abandoned former Soviet Nuclear Missile Base in the parish of #Zeltini. The base is hidden away in thick forest in the Aluksne Municipality, but I had no issues getting right to the old guard house at the front gate, using GMaps.

The base operated from 1962 to 1984 during the Cold War and it stored at least 8, #R12-Dvina medium range nuclear ballistic missiles that could strike all targets in Europe and the UK from Latvia. The missile and rocket system was designated the SS-4-Sandal by the West. The combined system was not silo launched from a tube in the ground ay Zeltini, but from concrete launch pads in what is called an open launch from a missile cradle. These were big rockets at around 22m high, the same ones that caused the controversy in the Cuban missile crisis.

To give a sense of the power these nuclear weapons had at Zeltini, the R12 had the power of between 1 and 2.3 Megatons of TNT and both bombs dropped during WW2 on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, amounted to about 25 Kilotons combined and those caused over 200,000 deaths and destroyed everything within a 2km radius. So imagine 8 missiles that could unleash at least 8 Megatons. The base itself was a Soviet state secret and classified as Top Secret, most in Latvia did not know it existed until after 1990.

You can drive like I said, right into the base and park near the statue of Lenin's head which was relocated and placed over one of the old launch pad rings. There are makeshift benches there to have a seat and relax and take it in. I suggest taking some robust shoes if you plan to walk through the forest to the hangars and buildings and also in warmer months some insect repellent. Take some water and snacks as its a bit of a drive to get something otherwise. When I was there I only saw one other car entering as I was stopped at the front and aside from that is was deserted.

Very interesting place to think you are walking around what was not just another hidden Soviet base, but what was an active nuclear missile base, primed and ready to activate if the need arose.

Its co-ordinates are 8PWW+QW Grēveles, Zeltiņi Parish, Latvia.

Stay safe.

Видео ☢️ ZELTINI - ABANDONED #SOVIET ☭ NUCLEAR MISSILE BASE ☢️ | ALUKSNE FOREST - 🇱🇻 LATVIA канала Bits of Europe