Kyiv Underground & Bunker UrbEx Tour #2

After exploring the drainage system, we were put into an Uber that brought us to a location in Kyiv way closer to the city center. Slava lead us into the backyard of some houses and left us there. While he went to check for guards, we should not speak to the pidgeon. That’s at least what we understood. When he came back, he pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked a door that leads into the bunker.

Bunker shock wave reduction system

After walking down bit we came to a massive bunker door. But the most interesting part there was the nuclear blast shockwave reduction system. Because a bunker must be ventilated, it has to have an opening to the outside. But through that opening the shockwave can enter the shelter and injure or kill people inside. Therefore there is a small opening in the side of tunnel before the blast door that was usually semiclosed to allow the airpressure sieve through it into a larger chamber behind where the pressure can dissipate.

Life support systems

After that we walked through the power generation and life support parts of the structure. Some of the fans were actually powered and could be turned on.

This bunker is a Soviet civil protection bunker below some office building. It was meant to be used by the staff in case of a nuclear strike and for nuclear-safe storage of data (primarily on paper) and 70ies computers. So for the latter there were Faraday cages set up inside to protect against electromagnetic pulses (EMP).

The treasure chamber

The absolute highlight of the bunker was a well preserved and seemingly pretty untouched room with several artifacts from Soviet times. Including some geiger counters, gas masks, filters and other stuff.

There is actually one working phone left. You can hear buzzing on the line if you pick up the handset. But we – obviously – didn’t want to try it out.

If you happen to be in Kyiv anytime soon, or are planning to do so, you can book the Kyiv Urbex Tour for yourself, too.

If you missed it, read the last article with the first part of the underground tour. Be sure not to miss the next part of this series, where we finally head to the exclusion zone and start the hike.