Doomsday Asylum: What is known about the bunkers of the leaders of Russia and the United States

Daria Voznesenskaya

The construction of two bunkers at once under the White House began in 1942 - immediately after Pearl Harbor. The first is under the Treasury building, to which an underground tunnel led from the White House. A spacious building of 10 rooms could accommodate almost the entire presidential administration. The second - for 10-12 people - was located under the eastern wing of the White House, and it was possible to get there from the oval office in a matter of seconds. During the time of Harry Truman, it was expanded and became known as the "President's Emergency Center". It was renovated under George W. Bush and refurbished under Barack Obama.

Journalist Ronald Kessler claimed that in 2010 a new bunker was built under the White House, going 5 floors underground. It is likely that Donald Trump was hiding in it in April 2020, when anti-government unrest began in the United States.

The main refuge of American presidents is located under Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado. In the early 1960s, it attracted the attention of the military, since almost the entire massif consisted of granite and was able to withstand even a hit of an atomic bomb. In this structure, a system of artificial caves was created. They placed 15 metal structures, 12 of which represent a three-story building. All structures did not touch the inner surface of the mountain - they were installed on huge springs, each of which weighed 350 kg. The total useful area of ​​the bunker is 18,000 square meters.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also has several such bunkers. Much less is known about them. The first more or less official information was published in the Pentagon report on the military potential of Russia, which Trump requested before the first meeting with Putin. According to US intelligence, the Russian leader has two huge bunkers that can save the country's political elite in the event of a nuclear war. It can accommodate up to 10 thousand people. One of them is located at a depth of 300 meters under the Kremlin, the second is not far from Moscow State University. The structures are connected by tunnels, through which you can also get to the Vnukovo airport.

Two more fortifications are located 60 km south of Moscow. Stocks of food, fuel, oxygen, means of communication, etc. are stored there. In addition, according to the report of the Americans, another bunker is located in Bashkortostan - it was built right in Mount Yamantau. The construction of the shelter began in the 1980s. After the collapse of the USSR, the pace slowed down, but with the advent of Putin, work resumed with renewed vigor. The structure of the bunker is similar to a mine with horizons extending from the shaft at different depths. Horizons are cylindrical systems carved into the rock, with a diameter of 30 meters. The total length of the tunnels is about 500 km. Numerous engineering developments are also used in the grotto, most of them are secret. But it is known, for example, that iron ore deposits are used as a huge antenna, the transmitter was connected directly to them.

The bunker in Bashkortostan is designed for 60,000 people, but if necessary, it can accommodate up to 300,000 people who can stay up to six months. The area near the mountain now looks uninhabited, although it is constantly patrolled by the military. Those who manage to get there find nothing but dilapidated buildings. According to published information, Putin personally supervised the construction of this bunker. The trip there was touted to the public as a vacation for the president, who loves to ski.