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52:
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59:
254:), signed by Latvia and Russia on 30 April 1994, Russia had been allowed to run the radar station for four years, after which it was obliged to dismantle the station within eighteen months. The deadline for dismantling was 29 February 2000. Russia asked Latvia to extend the lease on the Dnepr station for at least two years, until the new
332:
from the region, as Russia had promised four years prior in 1994. All materials of value were removed from the site and transported back to Russia when the last
Russian troops left that year; the 60 buildings that comprised the former complex and town, including apartment blocks, a school, barracks
288:
in the world. Construction of the tower began in 1984, but was halted by local authorities in August 1991. It served as one of the USSR's most important radar stations as it was responsible for scanning skies to the west for incoming bombers or nuclear missiles before the USSR disintegrated. The
387:
From
February 2016 in response to increased interest at the site, the municipality began charging an entrance fee of 4 euros for individuals. As of 21 October 2018 the ghost town was closed for visitors and is solely used by the armed forces of Latvia and its NATO allies.
238:
was being built there before the collapse of the Soviet Union. The installation was strategically important to the Soviet Union as its radars covered
Western Europe. The two barn-like radars were one of the most important Soviet
365:). The winning bid was by Russian firm Alekseevskoye-Serviss for 1.55 million lats (3.1 million USD; 2.2 million EUR). The auction, which lasted two hours, was also contested by another Russian firm, as well as a bidder from
383:
as a training ground. The remainder is to be leased by the local government with the stipulation that potential investors develop the area economically. Demolition of selected derelict buildings has since commenced.
753:
869:
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494:
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event spilled tens of thousands of
Latvian people onto country roads and fields to watch the early morning spectacle, which was also televised nationwide. A dedicated soundtrack,
621:
353:
decided to sell the site in 2008, and on 5 February 2010, the entire 40-hectare (99-acre) former town was sold as a single lot at auction in Riga. The starting bid was 150,000
749:
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263:
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in
Belarus became operational. Riga rejected these requests, and the radar was verified closed on 4 September 1998 by an inspection team from the
486:
297:
to accompany the event. Latvian leaders, diplomats and other officials toasted the blast with champagne, with the Prime
Minister of Latvia
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801:
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The winning bidder pulled out of the auction, as did the runner up. The town was reauctioned in June 2010 for only 170,000 Lats.
230:
In the 1960s, two Soviet Dnepr radar (NATO designation "Hen House") installations were constructed at the site near the town of
82:
943:
575:
550:
525:
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and an officers club, were abandoned but left standing. The buildings, in increasing disrepair, were still standing in 2010.
210:, and the surrounding area. The ghost town was built in the 1960s to house Soviet military personnel serving at two Soviet
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51:
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215:
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Rosenstiel, Francis; Edith Lejard-Boutsavath; Jean-Jacques Martz (2001). Council of Europe (ed.).
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the radar stations were torn down and the buildings abandoned. It has been repurposed for use in
195:
252:
On the Legal Status of the
Skrunda Radar Station During its temporary Operation and Dismantling
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159:
469:
449:
445:
376:
358:
350:
294:
775:
750:"Latvijoje buvęs karinis Skrundos miestelis parduotas už 170 tūkstančių latų (nuotraukos)"
8:
285:
277:
On 4 May 1995 US demolition experts razed a 19-story tower, which housed a former Soviet
240:
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405:"Aizsardzības ministrs atklās pārbūvēto mācību kompleksu militārajā poligonā "Mežaine""
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546:
521:
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37:
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in Latvia has ended". The demolition was sponsored by the US, who paid 7 million
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The
Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe: basic documents, 1993-1995
202:. The military training area consists of a former ghost town, variously known as
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282:
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stations for listening to objects in space and for tracking possible incoming
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16:
Latvian Army training ground and former Soviet early warning radar station
570:. The Hague, Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 390–398.
259:
211:
404:
366:
306:
379:
for €12,000 (14192.4$ ). Around half the area was transferred to the
321:
545:. The Hague, Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 335.
431:"History and the Current Status of the Russian Early-Warning System"
214:(NATO designation "Hen House") installations at the site, after the
727:
317:
231:
199:
329:
862:"Skrundas lokatora pilsētiņā uzsākta militāro būvju demontāža"
487:"Latvia takes over the territory of the Skrunda Radar Station"
895:
362:
244:
924:
More about Soviet military installation and the ghost town
892:"Bijušajā Skrundas lokatora pilsētiņā ievieš ieejas maksu"
776:"Former Skrunda army base auctioned off for LVL 170,000"
618:"For sale: bargain missile warning station, no mod cons"
316:
In a joint New Year 1998 statement, the presidents of
697:"Latvian ghost town auctioned off for $ 3.1 million"
694:
594:. Associated Press, AP Archive 04/05/1995 04:00 AM.
264:
Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe
832:"Ghost town finds use as military training ground"
802:"Local government to purchase military ghost town"
695:Koksarovs, Romans; Peach, Gary (5 February 2010).
186:military training area of the 4th Brigade of the
935:
670:"Latvia auctions off Soviet military ghost town"
592:"LATVIA: SKRUNDA: DEMOLITION OF 19 STOREY TOWER"
225:
620:. The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 February 2010.
422:
929:Google Aerial View on Virtual Globetrotting
724:"Latvia sells entire town for €2.2 million"
520:. Delhi, India: Isha Books. p. 129.
313:The rubble was cleared by November 1995.
340:
268:
518:Minority: Social and Political Conflict
515:
328:to complete the pullout of all Russian
936:
672:. AFP. 5 February 2010. Archived from
646:. Irish Independent. 6 February 2010.
428:
812:from the original on 22 December 2015
565:
491:Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia
842:from the original on 30 January 2016
756:from the original on 12 October 2016
721:
650:from the original on 24 October 2010
598:from the original on 2 February 2017
782:from the original on 16 August 2016
13:
902:from the original on 24 April 2016
778:. The Baltic Course. 6 June 2010.
497:from the original on 21 April 2019
301:proclaiming that with this event "
293:, was written by Latvian composer
14:
960:
917:
872:from the original on 9 April 2016
309:for the destruction performed by
281:system, one of the most advanced
726:. Baltic Reports. Archived from
624:from the original on 5 June 2011
258:station under construction near
57:
50:
884:
854:
824:
794:
768:
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722:Dahl, James (6 February 2010).
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688:
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375:In 2015 the site was bought by
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610:
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559:
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509:
479:
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204:Skrunda-1, Skrunda-2, Lokators
172:Military training area Mežaine
1:
866:Public Broadcasting of Latvia
836:Public Broadcasting of Latvia
806:Public Broadcasting of Latvia
391:
381:Latvian National Armed Forces
336:
184:Latvian National Armed Forces
944:Military locations of Latvia
644:"Soviet ghost town for sale"
273:Former Daryal radar receiver
226:Soviet military installation
216:collapse of the Soviet Union
7:
438:Science and Global Security
311:Controlled Demolition, Inc.
180:Militārais poligons Mežaine
29:Militārais poligons Mežaine
10:
965:
250:Pursuant to an agreement (
752:. 15min.lt. 5 June 2010.
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45:
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26:
21:
516:Chandra, Ramesh (2004).
324:urged Russian President
450:2002S&GS...10...21P
98:56.716667°N 21.983333°E
543:European Yearbook 1999
458:10.1080/08929880212328
429:Podvig, Pavel (2002).
346:
345:The ghost town in 2016
274:
188:Latvian National Guard
179:
160:Latvian National Guard
117:military training area
344:
272:
949:Kuldīga Municipality
699:. AP. Archived from
566:Bloed, Arie (1997).
377:Skrunda Municipality
286:early-warning radars
196:Kuldīga Municipality
150:Garrison information
103:56.716667; 21.983333
898:. 4 February 2016.
868:. 14 January 2016.
808:. 16 January 2015.
730:on 16 February 2010
703:on February 8, 2010
676:on 13 February 2010
409:Ministry of Defense
241:early warning radar
94: /
351:Latvian government
347:
275:
577:978-90-411-0372-7
552:978-90-411-1677-2
527:978-81-8205-140-9
493:. 24 March 2004.
198:near the town of
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838:. 22 July 2015.
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295:Zigmars Liepiņš
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158:4th Brigade of
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918:External links
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320:, Latvia, and
299:Valdis Birkavs
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170:, officially
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142:Built by
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904:. Retrieved
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874:. Retrieved
856:
844:. Retrieved
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814:. Retrieved
796:
784:. Retrieved
770:
758:. Retrieved
744:
732:. Retrieved
728:the original
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705:. Retrieved
701:the original
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678:. Retrieved
674:the original
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652:. Retrieved
638:
626:. Retrieved
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600:. Retrieved
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511:
499:. Retrieved
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470:the original
444:(1): 21–60.
441:
437:
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414:15 September
412:. Retrieved
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399:
386:
374:
371:
348:
315:
303:World War II
290:
279:Daryal radar
276:
251:
249:
236:Daryal radar
229:
207:
203:
192:Raņķi Parish
171:
167:
166:
122:Site history
28:
876:21 December
846:21 December
816:21 December
260:Baranovichi
212:Dnepr radar
101: /
77:Coordinates
938:Categories
734:6 February
707:6 February
680:6 February
654:6 February
628:6 February
602:30 January
501:6 February
392:References
367:Azerbaijan
361:; 211,000
337:Ghost town
307:US dollars
222:training.
208:Līdumnieki
89:21°59′00″E
86:56°43′00″N
466:122901563
357:(290,000
322:Lithuania
291:Liberatio
40:, Latvia
900:Archived
870:Archived
840:Archived
810:Archived
780:Archived
754:Archived
648:Archived
622:Archived
596:Archived
495:Archived
283:bistatic
182:), is a
155:Garrison
906:9 April
446:Bibcode
318:Estonia
232:Skrunda
200:Skrunda
176:Latvian
168:Mežaine
132: (
65:Mežaine
22:Mežaine
786:14 May
760:14 May
574:
549:
524:
464:
330:troops
145:Latvia
896:DELFI
473:(PDF)
462:S2CID
434:(PDF)
256:Volga
245:ICBMs
127:Built
38:Raņķi
908:2016
878:2015
848:2015
818:2015
788:2012
762:2012
736:2010
709:2010
682:2010
656:2010
630:2010
604:2017
572:ISBN
547:ISBN
522:ISBN
503:2010
416:2022
355:lats
349:The
234:. A
134:2022
130:2022
114:Type
454:doi
363:EUR
359:USD
206:or
190:in
940::
894:.
864:.
834:.
804:.
489:.
460:.
452:.
442:10
440:.
436:.
407:.
369:.
266:.
247:.
194:,
178::
910:.
880:.
850:.
820:.
790:.
764:.
738:.
711:.
684:.
658:.
632:.
606:.
580:.
555:.
530:.
505:.
456::
448::
418:.
174:(
136:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
