Atomgrad

Map indicating oblasts [administrative areas] containing Atomgrads

During the Cold War the Soviet Union created at least ten closed cities, known as Atomgrads, in which nuclear weapons-related research and development took place. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, all of the cities changed their names (most of the original code-names were simply the oblast and a number). All are still legally "closed", though some have parts of them accessible to foreign visitors with special permits (Sarov, Snezhinsk, and Zheleznogorsk).

Cold War name	Current name	Oblast	Established	Primary function(s)
Arzamas-16	Sarov	Nizhny Novgorod Oblast	1946	Weapons design and research, warhead assembly
Sverdlovsk-44	Novouralsk	Sverdlovsk Oblast	1946	Uranium enrichment
Chelyabinsk-40 and later 65	Ozyorsk	Chelyabinsk Oblast	1947	Plutonium production, component manufacturing
Sverdlovsk-45	Lesnoy	Sverdlovsk Oblast	1947	Uranium enrichment, warhead assembly
Tomsk-7	Seversk	Tomsk Oblast	1949	Uranium enrichment, component manufacturing
Krasnoyarsk-26	Zheleznogorsk	Krasnoyarsk Krai	1950	Plutonium production
Zlatoust-36	Tryokhgorny	Chelyabinsk Oblast	1952	Warhead assembly
Penza-19	Zarechny	Sverdlovsk Oblast	1955	Warhead assembly
Krasnoyarsk-45	Zelenogorsk	Krasnoyarsk Krai	1956	Uranium enrichment
Chelyabinsk-70	Snezhinsk	Chelyabinsk Oblast	1957	Weapons design and research