Strategic Missile Forces museum, Pervomaysk

During the Cold War, 176 nuclear missile launching silos were located at missile bases across Ukraine. Pervomaysk in Ukraine was standing third in line, behind the United States and Russia, for the title of most powerful and dangerous nuclear weapons hotspot. On the outskirts of this mining town stood missile silos that were loaded with nuclear arms. These weapons included over seven hundred tactical warheads, SS24 missiles and SS19 missiles – quite a large arsenal for such a small town. Most of the warheads were facing the American shores. After years of negotiation with both America and Russia, Ukraine agreed to destroy their weapons of mass destruction. They were all demolished, all except one. On 4 June 1996, the first sunflowers were planted where the mighty silo once stood. That one remaining complex was turned into the “Nuclear Missile Museum”. The museum is maintained by ex-missile troops officers, who double up as tour guides.

Intercontinental ballistic missile SS-18 “Satan” Mod 5 (R-36M2 “Voivode”)

– the maximum starting weight – 211.4 tons
– length – 34.3 m
– diameter – 3 m
– weight of the warhead – 8730 kg
– maximum range – 15000 km
– shooting accuracy – 0,5 km
– multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle warhead can contain 10 warheads with an explosive equivalent of 750 kilotons of TNT each

More about Satan SS-18


Specialised car based on MAZ-537 army artillery truck. Designed to transport container with a missile and its load in silos.





Specialised truck used to fuel up missile with specialized combustible

Top view of truck for transporting container with UPC and its loading into the mine.





Silo-launcher facility for missile SS-24 “Scalpel” (RS-22A “Molodets”) is high security fortification, which consists of reinforced concrete hermetic cylinder with equipment compartment. Silo-launcher has 120-tonne cover safety device, necessary to ensure sealing a mine and protect the missile from the damaging effects of nuclear weapons. It opens completely in 8 seconds.


T-80 tank for base defense



Cover of a command silo.

Antenna of the unified command post. Serves to provide a radio communication in time of peace between the UPC and the command post of missile division. Antenna height is 28,5 m.

Cruise missile Kh-22NA (with nuclear warhead). Missile is designed to destroy important area targets.
– height of start 1-14 km
– altitude – 22 km
– range – 400 km
– flight speed – 900-1700 km/h
– warhead – thermonuclear


Maneuvering engine of intercontinental ballistic missile SS-18

Turbopump of the missile engine for SS-18

Engine of intercontinental ballistic missile SS-19 “Stiletto”. Engine capacity – 100 tons.

Engine detail of the second stage of the missile SS-15 “Scrooge”