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From the Cold War to Modern Times: How did closed cities affect Russia's development?
Closed cities are settlements that impose travel and residence restrictions on residents and visitors, often requiring specific authorization to enter. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union built a large number of these cities to protect sensitive military and scientific facilities. These cities continue to exist today in Russia and its surrounding post-Soviet countries. These closed cities are now officially called "closed administrative divisions" (ZATO). This not only reflects the historical legacy of the Cold War, but also has a profound impact on the development of modern Russia.
The structure and operation of closed cities
Closed cities are often shown only on classified maps, which are not available to the public. In some cases, these cities don’t even have any signs or directions. Mail deliveries were often made under the names of nearby large cities to conceal the true existence of closed cities. For example, Sarov, located in the Federal Republic of Moldova, is designated Arzamas-16, while Arzamas is about 75 kilometers away in Nizhny Nekh Oblast. This geographically hidden design makes the existence of the closed city almost invisible to the outside world.
The existence of a gated city itself is often secretive, with residents expected not to disclose their residence to the outside world.
The current situation in the Soviet era
Since the late 1940s, the Soviet Union has begun to build closed cities, euphemistically called "postal boxes," a name derived from the way mail is delivered. These cities are divided into two categories. The first category includes smaller settlements with military or scientific facilities, such as Ozyorsk in Chelyabinsk Oblast and uranium-related Sillamäe. . Even for Soviet citizens, proper permission was required to enter these cities. The second category is a series of border cities closed for security reasons, such as Vladivostok in the Far East.
Some closed cities are strategically located in remote areas of the Ural Mountains and Siberia to avoid enemy attacks.
Changes after the disintegration of the Soviet Union
With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia became the country with the most closed cities. Under the new constitution enacted in 1993, the name of the closed city was changed to "Closed Administrative Areas" (ZATO) and began to be more clearly managed by the government. There are currently about 44 confirmed closed cities in Russia, with a total population of about 1.5 million. Although these cities have undergone structural changes, they still play an important role in economic and social development.
Modern closed city
Although the political and economic status of many closed cities has been adjusted, they still retain a certain degree of exclusion. In these cities, foreign investment is attracted, but it is still necessary to apply for the necessary permits to visit. For example, the Nuclear City Initiative launched by the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration and the Russian Atomic Energy Agency shows that these cities are still seeking cooperation with the outside world.
The existence of closed cities is not only a historical feature, but an integral part of Russia's modern economic and security architecture.
The impact of closed cities on modern Russia
The history of closed cities has profoundly affected the structure of Russian society and people's ideas. Due to their special living conditions, the residents of these cities have limited contact with the outside world, thus forming a small society isolated from the outside world. Such an environment not only affects the city's economic development, but also limits residents' thinking patterns and social interactions. Although workers and researchers in closed cities enjoy certain economic advantages, how should the cost of social isolation they bear be calculated?
Thinking about the future
With the rapid development of globalization, whether closed cities can still continue their previous mode of operation, or whether they need to transform into open platforms for information and technology, are issues worth pondering. More importantly, in this context, is the future of closed cities still closely related to Russia’s national security and economic development?
