RESTRICTED ZONE OF POBEDA AND ATOMIC PLANT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A049400230001-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 19, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 14, 1959
• Content Type: REPORT

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INFORMATION REPORT I N FORMATION REPORT
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
USSR (Sverdlovskaya Oblast)
Restricted Zone of Pobeda and
Atomic Plant
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 14 JUL 4959
NO. PAGES 1
REFERENCES
An eight-page report on the restricted zone of Pobeda and an atomic 50X1-HUM
plant located west of the town of Verkhne-Neyvinskiy (N 57-16, E 60-p9)
The report includes two sketch maps of the restricted zone and a sketch
of a gas compressor seen in the in building
STATE ARMY X NAVY AIR
BI
(Not: Washington distribution indicated by "X"; Fieid distribution by "#".)
AEC
F-1
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RESTRICTED ZONE OF POBEDA
E 61-01) were located in the area.
U The 20 x 20 kilometer restricted area of Pobeda, located west of the
town of Verkhne-Neyvinskiy (N 57-16, E 60-09), approximately 70 kilo-
meters northwest of the city of Sverdlovsk (N 56-50, E 60-38) was
created in 1945. Within the restricted zone of Pobeda were located
the secret city of Pobeda, prison camps, two secret military plant s,
one of them an Atomic Plant and the other referred to as Glavnyy Korpus
(Main Building) and other installations. For location and description
of the area see overlay of the zone of
Alapayevak on page 8 and sketch on the attached ozalid.
The Murzinka and Bunarka Rivers ran through the zone, and several
villages, one of which as called hlurzinka (N 57-42,
Control of Civilian PoD ation by MGB
2. When the restricted area was turned over to MGB control, the majority
of the population was evacuated. A minimum number of persons were left
for essential work such as farming and taking care of livestock. These
remaining inhabitants were not permitted to have any contact with the
prisoners who were brought into the area. The villagers were not allowed
to leave the area except in case of necessity, and then t hey had to re-
ceive special authorization from the MGB who were in complete control of
both free and prisoner personnel. Even when the villagers did have per-
mission to leave, they had to return as soon as possible. Those who left
the area without authorization were arrested, tried and sentenced.
Prisoner labor
3, After the restricted area was established, approximately 35,000 Soviet
prisoners and the same number or more of war prisoners, mostly German,
were brought into the area and kept in separate camps. These prisoners
did the construction work on all the installations. Prisoners were always
sent from this camp to special camps in Siberia so they could not communi-
cate with other prisoners and talk about where they had worked. When they
had finished their prison sentence in Siberia, they were given only limited
freedom, and were forced to settle down in tome near the camps. Two towns
of this nature in Siberia were Kalinin (sic)in the Magadanskaya oblast of
the Khaborovskiy Kray, and Pobeda (N 64-27, B 144-55) in the Yakutskaya
oblast.
Railroad Tranauortation
4, A double-track, standard gauge non-electrified line led from Sverdlovsk
IN 6-50 T 60- 8 to Pobeda.
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This special railroad
line or spur covered a distance of 70 kilometers and terminated two
kilometers beyond the station (11). The rails rested on concrete
croesties and the ballast was crushed stone. The purpose of the
line apparently was the transportation of prisoners, food, and con-
struction materials.
Secret City of Pobeda
Construction of the secret city (2) began in 1948 or 1949 on a site
located about 1,500 meters from the left bank of the Bunarka River in
a wooded area of a marshy, rolling terrain which was first drained, then
leveled by dynamiting the hills. The dynamiting was directed by sapper
troops. A hard stone with yellow and brown lines was carefully gathered
up after the dynamiting for an unknown purpose. Large, two-lane streets
with a wide central walk, modern six or seven stcry high buildings and a
magnificent nine-story high hospital were constructed.
coal, potatoes, and other supplies were stored here
Liy ne Quarters and Personnel in Secret City of Pobeda
By 1950 living. quarters were available for workers, technicians, and en-
gineers who worked on construction, and the military personnel stationed
in the zone. All the structures had reinforced concrete basements with
a central corridor with rooms pr cells on each side.
the basements might be used for another purpose.
Approximately 1,000 officers,
plant was engaged in atomic production by the year 1950 and uranium
ore was used.
Their uniforms were khaki-colored with an insignia, believed to
be a picture of a serpent and a cup on the epaulets.
Atomic Plant (Atomik Zavod)
This underground atomic plant had been constructed between the years 1945
and 1948 by from ten to fifteen thousand prisoners and was entered by way
of the two buildings indicated by (10) on the overla and ozalid. The
plant was in partial or full operation by 1950? the
comprising the majority of the military personnel, lived in the city.
e s erranean stallation had many laboratories and functioned
altnostly entirely automatically 24 hours a day. Every morning at 0800
hours or 0900 hours, several persons, dressed in white smocks and many army
officers in uniform entered the installation. the
installation was controlled and directed'b the milita
the non-military personnel consisted of Komsomol members.
Vibrating Sounds Emanating from Underarourrl Atomic Plant
lasting from two to three minutes, and originating in the underground in-
stallation, were heard five or six times during every 24 hour period.
During the day these sounds were not noticed` very much becauseof the
general noise caused by the construction wort. At night the noises were
so loud that were awakened.
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C-0.N-F-I-1 E-N-T-I-A-L
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Underground Cables in Vicinity of Underground Atomic Plant
Underground cables in the area around the subterranean Atomic Plant
were laid at a depth of one meter. In spite of signs warning of the
danger, from eight to ten laborers were killed because their tools
touched the cables, when they were working on the job of digging water
and drainage ditches in the area. Cables were laid in many places in
the area.
Trucks at Atomic Plant Transporting Unidentified Corrosive Liquid
10. lobserved approximately 30 six or. seven-ton, canvas-
covered, military type trucks with.the exhaust pipe in front, enter
and leave the plant daily. these trucks were loaded
with filled demijohns in the plant although possibly the liquid in the
demijohns had been brought into the plant. The glass demijohns were
45 centimeters high plus the 10 centimeter high neck, and had a maximum
diameter of 30 centimeters and a minimum diameter of 10 centimeters at
the narrowest point. These contained a transparent colorless liquid
which, when spilled, appeared to boil and gave off a vapor which irri-
tated the eyes. In order to avoid work, prisoners sometimes incapaci-
tated themselves by burning themselves with this liquid. It was said
that a drop of the liquid would burn a man's hand so severely that it
would not heal for a year. the trucks led to an
out-of-sight warehouse in the forest. heard an ex-
plosion followed by a fire which was quickly put ou .
the explosion had occurred in the warehouse.
Glaynyy Korpus (Main Building) Area
'11. An area referred to as Glavnyy Korpus (Main Building) indicated on the
overlay and sketch as (15), measured 2,500 x 800 meters and was under
construction for an unknown purpose. It was thought.to have some re-
lation to the Atomic Plant (10). The entire area was surrounded by a
barb wire fence. Construction was initiated in 1949 or 1950 and it was
completed by 1952. Throughout the
12.
extensive area occupied by this plant were building foundations, ditches,
and elevated concrete pillars which gave the impression that all the in-
stallations in the entire plant were being worked on at the sans time,
rather than one building being completed at a time. From ten to fifteen
thousand prisoners were employed on the construction site. German
technicians and engineers also worked here and were in privileged positions
compared to the other prisoners.
Unfinished Building Containing Machinery in the Glavnvv Korpus Area
one installation in the Glavnyy Korpus areal
particularly notable. This was a 200 x 80 meter reinforced concrete 50X1-HUM
-structure with basement, which appeared as though it was going to be
two stories high. it did not yet have a roof. 50X1-HUM
Several shops were already being equipped with lathes, planers and milling
machines. The installation of the machinery was under the direction of
four or five German prisoners who were probably s cialists in this field.
Construction was carried on only during the day. the plant 50X1-HUM
was still not functioning although some of the machinery had already been
installed. Fifteen Soviet-make gas compressors and five or six
water compressors sic), all the same size, were being installed for an 50X1-HUM
unknown purpose on the first floor of this structure.
C-O-N-F-I-BLE-N-T-I_-L
50X1-HUM
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Gas _ Comore s sor s
i3.
were gas compressors
fifteen of the compressors being installed
because of the type of six-
millimeter steel tube used, and because of the fact that
the tube sections were welded together.
See sketch on
page 7 of the gas compressor. the compressor
measuring 1.20 meters high, 1.50 meters long, and .60 meters wide.
Each compressor had two inlet and two outlet pistons (sic) each
measuri 10 centimeters in diameter the roduced
n
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g y p
a pressure up to eight atmospheres. Each compressor filled two heavy, 50X1-HUM
steel cylindrically shaped tanks which measured two meters high and
1.20 meters in diameter. For every two or four compressors a control
panel with an automatic starting and stopping device was installed.
The electric motors hich drove the compressors were
"large" After installation, 50X1-HUM
the compressors were protected from the construction work dirt with
wooden sheets. The gas for the compressors came from the subterranean
plant (10) The gas conduction
pipes leading to the compressors were of drawn steel and were welded 50X1-HUM
at the joints.
jeaend for Overlay and Ozalid, of Restricted. Zone of Pobeda
Margin numbers in parentheses (1) through (35) refer both to the over-
lay identified in the first paragraph of this report, and also to the
attached ozalid of sketch of the same area. Numbers (16)
through (21) appear only on the ozalid.
(1) Approximate eastern boundry of zone of Pobeda indicated by
broken line. The entire perimeter of this zone was fenced off
by barb wire and patrolled by MGB troops and guard dogs.
(2) Secret city of Pobeda indicated by broken line in the form of
a circle.
(3) Main prison camp. This camp measured approximately 500 x 1000
meters and accommodated 15,000 prisoners.
(4)' Prison camp. This was somewhat smaller than the main camp and
accommodated 10,000 prisoners.
(5)
tion, there were other camps: for the prisoners of warn
Prison camp. Similar to camp described in point (4). In addi-
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(6) Railroad terminal point referred to as tupik (siding).
(7) Asphalt streets rich led from secret city of Pobeda, across
bridges over the Bunarka River, to the restricted plants. One
street led through the main prison camp (3).
(8) Bunarka River. This river had a small channel.
bridges over the river
(9) Concrete bridge leading over Bunarka River.. There were other
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(10) Atomic Plant. The plant could be entered by way of the two
structures indicated on the overlay and sketch by number (10).
These were located approximately fifteen kilometers from the
Bunarka River and approximately three kilometers from the secret
city of Pobeda. Each of these flat-roofed, two-story high
structures measured 200 x 15 x 8 meters and, from a distance,
appeared to be occupied living quarters; from close-up they
appeared to be industrial structures. The walls and possibly
the roofs were camouflaged with green and yellow paint.
(11) Small railroad station which had been constructed between the
years 1945 and 1950.
(12) Five-meter wide asphalt road. This road led from Verkhne-
Neyvinskiy, ran parallel to the Bunarka River, crossed the
restricted area, and continued in a western direction into the
woods to an unidentified destination.
(13) Narrow metal smokestacks. These rose to a height of four raters
above the atomic plant buildings.
(14) Two storage sheds. These 30 x 10 meter structures consisted of
a roof supported by a structural metal frame. In one shed, torn
of aluminum and steel in the form of square and round bars; 7-
meter long slabs up to 15 millimeters thick; and 30 centimeter
wide sheet of many thicknesses were stared. The other shed was
used to protect the aluminum and steel slab. Quantities of
alcohol and lacquer were available. the mixture 50X1-HUM
was used for paint.
(15) Glavnyy Korpus. (Main Building.) Thii 2,500 x 800 meter area
was under construction.
(16) Murzinka railroad station of`the Sverdiovek-Nevyansk line.
(17) Lake Iset.
(18) Railroad line leading toward'Sverdlo- ?
(19) City of Verkhne-Neyvinskiy.
(20) Village of Bolorechka.
(21) Railroad line leading towards Nevyansk
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Sketch of a gas compreseor,, in the plant
(No. 15 on the legend and eketch)in the restr, ted area of Pobeda.
let for water cooling dgstem
C-4-N-F-I-84C..N-T-I-A4L
Inlet for lubricating oil
Inlet for water cooling
ecystem
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Temperature Gauge
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C-O-LF-I-D-E_N-T-I-A- L
Overlay of the zone of Alapayevsk
indicating location RestrIcted one eda.
Soal. 1:250,000
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low
/97Lta ' It nle 11 1'
II SKETCH of THE QELTRICTED ARLA of POBEDA
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