Discover Moldova with #MOLDPRES: story of bad reputation - bunker from Oliscani, one of biggest bunkers from former Soviet Union

The Soviet bunker from the Oliscani village, Soldanesti district

A Soviet underground 13-storied bunker is placed in the forest from the Oliscani village, Soldanesti district. More photos with this construction were posted by a Ukrainian blogger on his Internet page. He writes that such constructions can be found in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Azerbaijan.   

This bunker is one of the biggest from the former Soviet Union. The construction represents a block with two cylinders with the diameter of 36 metres and the depth of 60 metres.  

After the collapse of the Soviet empire, the works were ceased at the construction site of the military base from the Oliscani forest, Soldanesti district, a strategic object of union importance.   

How the Oliscani bunker was built?

The construction of the bunker in the Oliscani forest started in the Soviet period and it was a secret object. At that time, the authorities invested about 32 million of Soviet roubles in the construction.

In some 1985, the base, according to information, was almost ready to be made available for use. A reserve command point was deployed there for the general staff of the South-West Direction of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Warsaw Treaty.    

On the Soviet period, the access to this road, as well as to the wood was strictly banned. Maybe for this reason, the residents of the Oliscani village speak with fear about this construction and even if almost three decades have passed since it was abandoned, people say that they do not know which the mission of the bunker was.     

Why the bunker was abandoned?

When the first signals of the USSR’s disintegration appeared, however, the works ceased at the object in the Oliscani forest, where huge sums of public money had been spent. Following the withdrawal of the Soviet troops, the base was abandoned and in 1991, under presidential decree, all weapons, ammunitions, military hardware, military bases and other assets belonging to the units of the Soviet Army deployed in Moldova were declared national heritage.    

How the Oliscani bunker looks at present?

All constructions from old times remained just frameworks of two administrative buildings and of a dwelling. Concrete slabs, big stones lie on the well-afforested ground. The area of about 20 hectares is crossed by a lot of trenches.  

The bunker is made up of two identical buildings made of concrete and steel with the diameter of 36 metres, which go underground to a distance of about 60 metres or 12 stories. These two bunkers are connected through a framework of tunnels.   

It is known that there are similar constructions in Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan and Belarus.  

How can one get to the Oliscani bunker?

According to the website www.descopera.md, a mini-bus can be taken from the North Bus Terminal to Soldanesti and then to the Oliscani village.  

„From there, you can make a walk in the village and then in the wood (there are several paths, which might help you).   

Or, if you travel by car, follow the GPS, and when you corner from the main road to the left (the road which leads to the forest), go the next 100 metres and then stop on the right side. It might be necessary that you go to the site by foot.

The problem is the road from the wood, which is made up of three concrete slabs and after the first 100 metres the middle line of the concrete lacks, resulting in a big problem for moving further by car. Besides, the branches will be a problem too,’’ according to www.descopera.md.  

Correspondent: Lilia Grubii