Russia Revives 'Dead Hand' Nuclear System with New Underground Bunker in the Urals, Operational Since 2023

The Revival of the 'Perimeter' Nuclear Retaliation System

According to ХВИЛЯ: Russia has reinstated the Soviet-era nuclear retaliation mechanism known in the West as the 'Dead Hand.' This system now features a new subterranean bunker located at Kosvinsky Kamen mountain near the settlement of Kitlym in the Ural region. Designed to automatically launch nuclear strikes if communication with command is lost following an enemy nuclear attack, the system underwent extensive construction starting in 2018 and continuing to the present. The facility incorporates hundreds of thousands of tons of steel, concrete, cabling, and ventilation equipment, and officially entered active service in 2023.

Construction Details and Technical Overview

Kitlym, a small settlement with roughly 2,000 residents and a single access road, hosts the bunker known by the codename Object 1335-a focus of Western intelligence. The 'Perimeter' system was originally created by the USSR in the 1980s to send long-wave radio signals to mobile missile launchers, enabling automated retaliation should command communications be severed.

Investigative journalists have examined approximately 2.5 million Russian documents and satellite images revealing the vast scale of construction. Since 2018, Russia has procured heavy machinery and around 20,000 tons of steel-equivalent to the weight of three Eiffel Towers-for the bunker. Tender documents mention at least 24 underground chambers, with the distance between the main and emergency exits spanning about 2.5 kilometers. By 2020, the site used 361.4 kilometers of cable, 30 transformers, and 160 ventilation units.

Professor Per Holtermann estimates the facility covers no less than 150,000 square meters. Military unit 20003 is stationed there, featuring a large entrance and a rooftop machine gun turret. The site has been modernized, with troops conducting combat drills and gas mask training. The first official acknowledgment of the 'Dead Hand' system's resurgence appeared in a 2020 transcript of a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and military officials.

Veteran Yuri Andreyev confirms the system became operational in 2023, with Major General Viktor Khalin stating that Object 1335 is technically capable of executing automatic retaliatory strikes.

In 2024, Dmitry Medvedev alluded to the 'Dead Hand' in a Telegram post amid escalating U.S. sanctions. Western intelligence agencies from the U.S., France, Britain, and others closely monitor Object 1335. In response to rising geopolitical tensions, the United States is upgrading its own underground nuclear facilities in the Cheyenne Mountains (Colorado) and Raven Rock (Pennsylvania). The 'Perimeter' complex is a key component of Russia’s nuclear strategy, particularly in the face of perceived threats from U.S. bunker-busting weapons.

Experts note that the expansion of Object 1335 aligns with Russia’s broader nuclear modernization efforts, which have been given high priority by the military. Analyst Tom Rosett observes, "The 'Perimeter' system is regaining prominence amid heightened geopolitical tensions, as Russia views itself in conflict with the West."

Analysts suggest that President Putin’s deep concern over decapitation strikes underscores the strategic importance of this project within Russia’s leadership.

The revival of the 'Perimeter' system and construction of new underground facilities signal Russia’s push to strengthen its nuclear deterrence amid increasing friction with Western nations. This development highlights the growing role of automated nuclear command systems in critical scenarios. Given current global security challenges, such advancements could influence strategic stability worldwide and provoke responses from other nuclear powers.