Click Through For Pics
In the early 1980’s, the United States and the Soviet Union seemed to be headed for imminent nuclear war.
Beginning in 1981, the KGB launched Operation RYAN, a covert program aimed at collecting intelligence on Washington’s plans to launch a nuclear first strike, which the Soviet leadership believed to be a legitimate possibility.
At the height of the early ‘80s East-West tension, the Able Archer ’83 incident occurred. Able Archer ’83 was a NATO command exercise that was meant to simulate a period of increasing hostilities, culminating in a simulated full nuclear release against the Soviet Union. This realistic exercise included coded communication and the participation and movement of heads of state and other important actors.
The Soviets thought Able Archer ’83 was the lead up to an actual first strike against the USSR, and put their military forces on heightened alert. As the world stood on the precipice, a faulty reading caused by sunlight reflecting off of clouds led to a Soviet early warning satellite indicating a nuclear missile launch from the United States. Thankfully, the Soviet commander on duty at the time, Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov, concluded that since ground radar could not confirm the launch, and because the satellite indicated only a single incoming missile instead of the hundreds or thousands that would be expected, that it was likely a false positive. Had he passed this missile alert up the chain of command, it’s very possible WW3 would have kicked off in September of 1983. However, the information was never relayed, Able Archer ’83 ended, both sides stood their forces down, and the world continued on.
It was in this climate, that the then top secret Soviet bunker complex in Ligatne became operational in 1982.
Planning for a command and control bunker meant to house the Latvian Central Committee and their support staff began in the late 1960’s. There were over 200 nuclear warheads targeted at Latvia, a country of only two million people, so it was essential that the bunker be located in a secret location near Riga.
The bunker, which is disguised under a rehabilitation facility that is still functional, is located roughly 75 kilometers east of Riga, in a valley surrounded by small hills and mountains, which theoretically would reduce the effect of nuclear shockwaves.
During Soviet times, only people with special authorization were permitted to visit the rehabilitation facility. Many local people suspected there was some sort of secret installation on the grounds, but the true nature was not revealed until decades later. While the bunker fell out of use almost as soon as the Soviet Union fell apart, it was not declassified and opened to the public until 2003. Now it is one of the most authentic time capsules to be found anywhere in the Soviet Union.
Visits to the bunker can be arranged in a variety of languages, but the tours must be booked in advance (roughly 10 EUR/person). Visitors arrive at the rehab facility and proceed down the secret stairway and underground. The bunker, which is only nine meters underground doesn’t seem quite subterranean enough to weather a nuclear attack, but that’s just a layman’s opinion.
As you enter through thick blast doors, you are greeted by a blueprint layout of the bunker’s 90 rooms that are arrayed over 2,000 square meters of interior space. The tour continues through dozens of the bunker’s rooms. The generator station meant to keep the bunker operational when cut off from outside power sources, an air conditioning system to ensure a constant supply of breathable air, recording studios which would allow the leadership to rehearse and perfect speeches before airing them to the surviving populace, and of course communication rooms allowing for links to other bunkers in the Latvian SSR, as well as Moscow.
Beyond those somewhat pedestrian rooms, the most popular attractions for tourists are generally the Soviet style canteen replete with posters bearing motivational slogans, the map rooms with hand drawn notes regarding troop movement possibilities, a conference room featuring a bust of Lenin flanked by the red banner of the USSR and the flag of the Latvian SSR, as well as the private quarters of the First Secretary of the Latvian Communist Party. His “luxurious” lodging features a desk and in a small second room, the only bed in the entire bunker
While the bunker was theoretically meant to keep 250 people alive for up to three months in the event of nuclear attack, there are numerous oversights that jump out even to tourists visiting for the first time. There are no refrigeration facilities, or other allowances made to dispose of bodies in the event of death and aside from the bed in the First Secretary’s office, there are zero beds for the other 249 people meant to live in the bunker.
While many Cold War tourist attractions feature refurbished interiors, the bunker at Ligatne is just as it was when the Cold War ended. All of the books, computers, maps and machinery are original. It is truly like stepping back into the early 90’s.
Given Latvia’s precarious position in the world today, what seems like a quirky look at ancient history, could also function as a glimpse into the future of life in the Baltics. While Latvia is now a member of the EU and of NATO, there is still fear of Russian aggression. Laura Liepina, an ethnic Latvian born after the fall of the U.S.S.R., sees the thread posed by Russia as very credible "I am terribly afraid of them, because Putin is crazy, because if he should decide to wipe Riga and Latvia from the face of the Earth, I think he would be able to do it in a few hours.
Others think the fear is overblown, Anna Orehova, a Latvian of Russian origin said that while she thinks it’s good that the bunker exists in case it ever needs to be pressed into service, the possibility of armed conflict with Russia isn't realistic.
Whether you are looking for an authentic glimpse into the Soviet past, or a possible look at the future of the Baltics, visiting the Ligatne bunker is a one of a kind experience that is not to be missed.