Missile Base Tour

The Museum of Strategic Rocket Forces is based not far from the town of Pervomaysk on the outskirts of Kirovograd. It’s a unique military museum located on the territory of former highly secretive missile base. There is only one other public museum like this, the Titan Missile Museum in the USA.

Ukraine, being a member of the Soviet Union, played a significant role in the creation of its nuclear missile shield. It had the world's third largest nuclear arsenal. And the Museum is one of the witnesses of the Soviet nuclear power. After the collapse of the Soviet Union on the territory of Ukraine there were 222 units of modern strategic weapons - 176 strategic intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and 46 heavy bombers. About 86 strategic intercontinental ballistic missiles were placed near Pervomaysk.

The Pervomaysk missile base was founded in 1959 and operated by the Strategic Rocket Forces. ICMB launch sites were constructed throughout the USSR during the 1960s, with the 43rd Rocket Army, formed in Vinnitsa. The 46th missile division was impelled in 1960 in Pervomaysk. It grew from 3 regiments with 30 launch sites in 1961 to 9 regiments with 86 launch sites in 1978. The Museum site was the command post of the 309th Missile Regiment which included 10 launch sites bunched near Pervomaysk. This site remained operational until 1997. In 1994 Ukraine signed the Budapest memorandum, and it was obliged to remove all nuclear weapons from its territory. The Pervomaysk missile base operated by the 43rd Rocket Army was turned into a museum.

The Museum of Strategic Rocket Forces includes a unified command post, silo-based missile launcher, equipment and facilities that were used for maintenance of missile systems, rocket engines, and communication system. In the premises for military staff there are many unique exhibits that tell us about the genius of technological achievements used for the creation of nuclear-missile shield of the state.

Most equipment, surface and underground facilities are fully preserved in the same condition to give us a feeling of the authentic atmosphere. Here you have a great chance to descend the 150-meter underground corridor, sit at the command post of the Missile Base and press the button that could cause an emergency nuclear explosion at the Cold War times. You will definitely feel the enormous power of the fortification complex. View more.

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