A clandestine expedition has managed to infiltrate the vast former Soviet military base known as Plokštinė missile base, located near Lake Plotelia.i, in Lithuania, and published his discoveries in the Lithuanian media TV3. Although the facility had been declared a museum and partially open to the public, parts of it are still protected and off official circuits.
The base, built in 1960 and operated by the 79th Guards Missile Regiment of the Soviet Army, housed four silos with R-12 Dvina missiles (NATO designation: SS-4 Sandal). It was complemented with an underground complex of tunnels up to 30 meters deep and concrete domes that could be opened in minutes. Its strategic value lay in the ability to achieve objectives in Western Europe.
During their journey, the explorers discovered flooded tunnels, abandoned control stations and sealed chambers that were never opened. They also found control panels with Cyrillic inscriptions, partially intact documentation and remains of original military furniture.
Among the most striking findings are a launch console with its locking system in green (indicating maintenance) and a set of Soviet clocks stopped at the time of the complex’s deactivation, suggesting an abrupt closure. In addition, children’s drawings were discovered engraved on bunk beds and an underground garage that still contained tires and abandoned tools.
However, the exploration was not without risks. The teams had to avoid walls in poor condition, collapsed floors and partially flooded structures, as well as a high voltage installation still active in some areas of the premises.
The TV3 report highlights that direct access to the visitor is limited: “At first it was possible to visit guided tours, but now entire parts of the site are restricted for security reasons.”“, they indicate. Local authorities confirm that the site is part of the Soviet heritage, but due to its deterioration it is under surveillance and partial military control.
As a consequence of this exploration, international interest in the base has once again grown. Today, Plokštinė is presented as a museum (the Cold War Museum) where one of the original silos is displayed. However, most of the complex remains sealed, guarded and prohibited from free access, reinforced with cameras, fences and patrols.
This raid offers which functioned as a strategic military citadel submerged under a Lithuanian forest. The echoes of the nuclear past are still latent in the tunnels and galleries of Plokštinė, today full of graffiti, rusty equipment and frozen memories of the 20th century.
