An old Soviet factory in Dzerzhinsk. (Image: Getty)
is the largest country in the world and has been involved in a lot of conflict since the end of . From the to its current war with , the nation has had to rely heavily on military production. Some of ’s most powerful weapons were created in – locations hidden from maps, closed off to outsiders, and dedicated entirely to weapon production.
One of these places was , a city that was once a very important part of the Soviet Union’s chemical weapons programme. Dzerzhinsk is located about 250 miles east of Moscow, and was secretly producing deadly substances like mustard gas and nerve agents, including Sarin and VX.
:
Dzerzhinsk has a population of around 200,000. (Image: Getty)
During the Soviet era, it was off-limits to foreign visitors, and much of what happened there remained classified.
According to , an environmental organisation, the city was once home to factories making lead additives for gasoline, explosives, and other toxic chemicals.
While many of these factories have reportedly closed, chemical production is believed to still take place.
In 2012, it was reported that around a quarter of residents worked in the industry.
Unsurprisingly, the impact of decades of production has left a lasting mark, with groundwater and soil contamination from arsenic, dioxins, and heavy metals.
Don’t miss… [REVEAL]
Old Soviet buildings in Dzerzhinsk. (Image: Getty)
A 2007 study by the named Dzerzhinsk as one of the most polluted cities in the world.
At one point, the average life expectancy was reported to be just 45 years.
Production of chemical arms in Dzerzhinsk began in 1941, with factories churning out deadly substances.
Even after manufacturing stopped in 1965, large amounts of hazardous waste were buried nearby.
In 1994, work began to dismantle the facilities, but in 1998, reports suggested that remnants of the Lewisite production unit still remained.
The city was once home to factories making explosives and toxic chemicals. (Image: Getty)
Lewisite is a chemical warfare agent that causes blistering of the skin and mucous membranes.
In 2012, the city had 38 large factories, some of which exported goods worldwide.
According to Russian sources, these included enterprises manufacturing explosives, chemicals, and synthetic materials.
Some sites, like the , still continue to produce military and industrial materials.
In 2024, Ukrainian drones reportedly , but the extent of the damage was unclear.