Metro-2 – The “Other” Moscow Underground Transport System?

By
Marcus Lowth
Published Date
April 19, 2019
Last Updated
September 23, 2021
Estimated Reading Time
12 min read
Posted in
Conspiracy Theory Analysis, Government

Even as many of their citizens faced a life of hardship, fear, and at times persecution from “the state”, the Moscow Metro was opened to the world as a shining example of why Soviet Communism outweighed the “evil capitalist West” in providing a “progressive and fair” society.

And while there is no doubt the metro system was indeed beautiful, elegant, and connected the city of Moscow so its citizens could get to their state-sponsored jobs without the very interference they faced in their everyday lives, it was perhaps a shining example of the hypocrisy of such an ideology.

A picture of the Moscow underground blended into a futuristic picture of a underground rail tunnel

Is there a secret rail network under Moscow?

These criticisms would find themselves in the conspiracy circles of researchers in both the West and East when claims surfaced of a secret, “other” underground metro system. One used for “government business” and unofficially unrecognized. And what’s more, they continue to be so.

Do these secret tunnel systems exist? And if so, were they, like other similar systems around the world, for the transport of top-secret material and documents for government projects and programs? Or were they merely a glowing example of the double-standards often found in such Communist societies and ideologies, where the masses, who despite “owning” everything have so very little, while those at the top seemingly live a life of privilege and secretive luxury.

A Long History Of “Subterranean Construction Projects!”

Before we look exclusively at the Moscow Metro system and any potential secretive lines running in sympathy to it, we should perhaps take note that, like other countries around the world, Russia has a long history of “subterranean construction projects” [1] long before their royal family and other supposed “elites” were coldly and cowardly assassinated in the early twentieth century to clear any oppositions for generations to the Communist project.

And like the dark, cloak-and-dagger world of the Soviet Union that would follow, these underground systems were often built out of a desire to maintain absolute and unquestioning control.

A depiction of a lonely underground rail platform

Many people claim a network of rail tunnels exist under Moscow for the elite only

For example, until the 1500s, a purposely built underground chamber under the Kremlin housed around 800 ancient texts and manuscripts from the Byzantine library in Constantinople. These manuscripts contained writings in Hebrew, Arabic, Latin, and Greek. The underground chamber of intellectual riches was “lost” in the early sixteenth century.

Several decades after this, Ivan the Terrible would construct his own underground systems where he could torture and murder those he saw fit to terrorize in such a way. Incidentally, and certainly living up to his name, legend states that following the construction, all of the workers, planner, and literally anyone who had anything at all to do with the project was brutally executed [2] to prevent any “secrets” of the underground construction becoming known to anyone but himself.

In fact, by the time the royal family was callously overthrown by the Bolsheviks, the advanced underground systems were already very much in place, thanks in most part to those same elites who were murdered or shipped off to the Gulags. Even today researchers suggest as many as 15 underground “levels” exist under Moscow.

A Modern Masterpiece From The Purposeful Destruction Of The Past!

Perhaps the fact that many of the materials for the Moscow Metro system would come from many of the historic buildings that were destroyed upon the orders of Stalin is in sympathy with the ruinous ideology that presided over its construction. While plans had been in place for such a project dating back to the early-1900s before the revolution, work did not officially begin until 1931.

Alleged picture of the Metro D6 tunnel switch

Metro rail D-6 tunnel switch

Perhaps the fact that many of the materials for the Moscow Metro system would come from many of the historic buildings that were destroyed upon the orders of Stalin is in sympathy with the ruinous ideology that presided over its construction. While plans had been in place for such a project dating back to the early-1900s before the revolution, work did not officially begin until 1931.

Many of the workers would have to perform much of the work by hand due to a “shortage” of modern tools. In reality, though, they were often political opponents of the state (although this is not official according to the records).

Perhaps, then, this might explain why only certain “loyal” workers [3], often soldiers, would begin construction on another, secret metro line – Metro-2 – also on Stalin’s orders, who became increasingly paranoid [4] in the run-up to the Second World War of being assassinated.

Maybe his concerns were accurate. Despite their projection to the rest of the world of the utopian nature on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain, there were many inside the Soviet Union who hated Stalin. As well as the regime and “the state” that controlled their lives.

Only Those With “Special Clearance” Could Enter Metro-2

Theories differ as to the extent of this underground system, if indeed it does exist. Some believe that with the death of Stalin construction of the Metro-2 system would stop. Others, however, believe that work has continued over the decades. With successive governments – even after the fall of the Soviet Union – adding sections as the city itself has grown. As well as to accommodate the needs of the modern world.

According to one researcher, Yuri Zaitsev, today there exists four purposely constructed lines. These connect the Federal Security Services, various different government departments operating in and around the Kremlin, and the especially designated “government airport” at Vnokovo. [5]

A picture of an enclosed single underground rail line

There are claims of secret tunnels under many cities around the world

These long-standing claims were seemingly confirmed in 2008 when the head of the Moscow Metro independent trade union claimed there was a recruiting drive for “secret routes” among metro drivers. Many would apply, most were not successful. He would state:

Entering the midst of these tunnels is only for people with special clearance!

Further still, the vehicles operating on the Metro-2 lines are most often “very short trains”. These are usually one passenger car with an electric battery locomotive.

In the same year, a former minister under Boris Yeltsin, Mikhali Poltoranin would seemingly further confirm the existence of the Metro-2 system. As well as the vast network of tunnels, stating the network could “hide a lot of people”. Further still:

I know that Metro-2 has branches that go to the suburbs. So that the command could move away from the epicenter of a nuclear attack!

There was an apparent abundance of former ministers going on record to confirm the existence of the secret underground metro system. Officially, however, the claims remained a rumor. However, these claims would continue to surface.

“Abyss” – Another Example Of Fact Hiding In Fiction?

In 1992, almost immediately following the collapse of the Soviet Union came the fictional novel Abyss by Vladimir Gonik.

He would essentially claim authenticity for much of the book’s plot – set in an underground bunker in Moscow. That is, from information he learned during his time working for the Soviet Ministry of Defense. As a doctor from the early-70s-to-mid-1980s.

Alleged picture of the Metro-2 rail tunnel

Alleged picture of the Metro-2 rail tunnel

According to him, the term “Metro-2” first came into use during this time. Members of the Politburo would use it regarding the second secret metro system. It was, according to Gonik, used exclusively by high-ranking Politburo members. As well as members of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) of a similar stature.

Furthermore, each of the “elite” members of the Communist regime, despite the declaration of equality throughout the Soviet Union, had a personal underground apartment in the case of war or public disorder. Each complete with lounge, personal bathroom, study, and kitchen. These facilities could house them and their entire families.

One-time information minister, Alexander Muzykantskiy, would claim the underground system was “gigantic” and would state:

…(It’s) designed to ensure the stable operation of the senior military and political leadership in times of armed conflict. Including a nuclear conflict!

What is also interesting is that similar claims have been made by other researchers and even defectors. One such example is Oleg Gordievsky, who would claim in 2001 that:

You still do not know the main KGB secret yet – a huge underground city. A whole communications network of such facilities. But they will not show you, they will never, of course!

While that is perhaps much more dramatic than the claims made by Gonkin, when we examine another area of the mystery Moscow underground network, they begin to make a little more sense.

Before we move on to some of the other claims of the underground Moscow network, we will turn our attention to another alleged mission it was used for. One perhaps unforeseen when it was designed.

An Ancient UFO Under Moscow?

Although it is perhaps a little more outlandish than other claims regarding the alleged secret rail network under Moscow, one account that comes to us from Russian UFO researcher, Anton Anfalov, reveals an account of an apparent UFO discovered deep under the ground in Kiev, [6] which was then taken to Moscow and ultimately transported via a secret underground rail network.

Anton Anfalov, who came across documents which stated the huge, silver object, approximately 20 feet long, had been discovered under Kiev (approximately 15 feet below the ground) in the summer of 1947 by construction workers during the rebuilding of the city following the destruction of the Second World War. According to the report, after the site was secured and cordoned off by the military, the object was discreetly moved to just outside of Moscow, a town named Podlipki (now called Korolyev) where, incidentally, the first Soviet missile research center was built. There, Soviet scientists examined it. And some of their findings were remarkable.

According to their studies, the object had been in the ground for at least 5,000 years, meaning that it was not a secret aerial vehicle of the Nazis or even the Americans. Furthermore, upon finally managing to open the object and look inside, they discovered a range of advanced technological instruments, as well two small chairs (presumably for pilots, although they would have been much smaller than an adult human).

It was seemingly clear to the engineers and scientists who examined the strange craft that it was “not of terrestrial origin” and was clearly of “non-human manufacture”. From the size of the two chairs, it was estimated that the pilots of the craft could have been no more than four feet in height.

Further to their examination of the strange craft, they determined that what they had was merely the front cabin section. The rest of the craft must have crashed elsewhere, or even exploded (although this is pure speculation). They would estimate, though, that the craft, with the missing sections, would have been approximately 40 feet in length.

“The Eyes Can See But The Teeth Can’t Chew!”

Also of interest in Anfalov’s report, are the claims that strange inscriptions were found inside the cabin. Later study of this unknown language suggested it could have been ancient Sanskrit. This made those investigating it ponder whether the craft might be the remains of a Vimana, which are heavily documented in ancient Indian texts.

This is perhaps interesting, as the texts that speak of Vimanas (essentially, ancient aerial vehicles) do so as if they are real and not myth. Many in the ancient astronaut community believe these writings prove that such advanced technology was on Earth in antiquity.

Interestingly Anfalov also reveals that the apparent spacecraft was actually discovered in the late nineteenth century by archeologist, Vikentiy Khvoyka, but was ultimately reburied. According to Anfalov Khvoyka was unable to extract the object from the earth, and after reporting the find to the Tsarist Police, the governor of Kiev arrived to inspect the discovery for himself. However, after a short inspection, perhaps realizing they were looking at some truly out of the ordinary, the governor ordered that the object be covered over and reburied.

Of course, this was not the case in 1947. So it is perhaps of even more intrigue that Anfalov claims that from the partial reverse-engineering of the ancient but highly advanced craft, they managed to upgrade their own missiles and rocket systems, something which possibly assisted them in their initial lead in the Space Race.

One of the engineers alleged to have been involved in these reverse engineering attempts was Sergey Pavlovich Korolyev. According to the report, he claimed of the advanced technology they were confronted with that “the eye can see but the teeth can’t chew”. Essentially, that the technology was so advanced, most of it was years ahead of where their best scientists and engineers were at the time. Ultimately, they managed to understand very little of it.

However, it is perhaps worth noting that only a decade later, the Soviet Union launched the first satellite into space, causing a temporary panic of sorts in the West, particularly in the United States, who felt that a Soviet presence in space might tip the balance of power on Earth.

So, how does that relate to the Metro 2 system? That is where we will turn our attention to next.

The Equally Remarkable Claims Of V.L. Durov

In the book The World’s Weirdest Places, respected researcher Nick Redfern relays the claims of a one-time KGB officer, V.L. Durov, who not only claimed the story of the discovered UFO was true, but that at some point in 1987, the ancient vehicle was secretly transferred to a bunker “far below the Kremlin”. [7]

Elaborating, Durov claimed that this was achieved using a “series of very deep underground rail systems”. What’s more, these rail networks had been designed to “ferry and protect senior government and military personnel in the event of a nuclear strike on Moscow”. Did Durov, then, not only confirm the accuracy of the alleged discovery of an ancient UFO but also that the Metro 2 system is indeed a reality.

The claims that these networks were in case of a nuclear strike and that they were designed for the protection of, essentially, the Soviet elite, resonates very nicely with other claims of the Metro 2 system’s existence. As does the fact that it extended very deep under the ground. And while it was certainly not designed to transport vehicles seemingly from another world, given that it doesn’t officially exist, it makes for the perfect transportation option.

It is certainly an intriguing notion. And, as we shall see next, there are alleged entrances to this secret underground network, hidden in plain sight all around the outskirts of the city. The report claims that these secret reverse-engineering projects continued until the downfall of the Soviet Union, with more being understood as terrestrial technology improved. Whether this alleged ancient spacecraft remains deep under the Kremlin or along some other line along Metro 2 remains open for debate.

Ramenki-43 – The City Under The City?

Perhaps one of the most intriguing claims surrounding the secret underground rail systems of Moscow actually resides in the south-west district of the city in Remenki. In fact, to be precise, they reside within a “vacant lot” – which in the old Soviet Union and, in part, still today, have dark connections to industrial military activity – near Moscow State University.

According to the researcher who voiced concerns of the entrance, this huge (and unofficial) underground bunker connects with multiple other underground facilities and installations. All of which are top-secret. Furthermore, up to 15,000 people could safely reside in the underground network.

Even more bizarre, and certainly suspicious to those familiar with such concepts, was the apparent “building project” that began on the same site of luxury houses. The buildings would sit in a perpetual state of part-development. A clear marker, perhaps, to those with “special clearance”. And a disguise to keep everyone else away.

Even more intriguing, and certainly at least a partial corroboration of the claims of Ramenki-43, are the claims of an apparent “KGB officer” speaking to TIME magazine under anonymity in 1992 following the fall of the Soviet Union. He wouldn’t, however, use the term Ramenki-43 but rather simply “Underground City”.

According to the interview, the KGB officer would claim the reality of Ramenki-43. He would also claim involvement in its construction. This would begin in the mid-1960s and took almost a decade to complete. He would, though, claim that the facilities could hold 15,000 people for “almost 30 years” in the event of a nuclear incident.

Incidentally, the name “Ramenki-43” derives apparently from one of the many of “addresses” from which the underground network can be secretly entered.

The video below looks at such underground facilities.

A Hive Of Activity Hidden In Plain Sight?

It is an interesting concept involving “vacant lots” and part-finished building projects. Are they, to some, clear entrances to many of the underground networks and facilities? The ones that seemingly stretch out and down underneath Moscow?

We have examined previously, albeit briefly, the unfinished state-of-the-art Khovrino Hospital complex in Moscow. Work would stop in 1985 after construction began in 1980.

All manner of unsavory activity would dominate the complex in the years that would follow. This would lead to the erection of a vast fence of barbed-wire around the building. Many of the legends would seep into the urban legends of the city, such was their chilling nature. For example, one member of a film crew who spent time on the site would describe it as one of the “most feared (and) unfinished construction projects on the planet”.

Were these stories and urban legends the work of authorities in order to keep away adventure seekers? And more particularly, independent investigators? While there is no evidence for this and is pure speculation on our part, it is perhaps worthwhile speculation.

Are these complex underground tunnel networks really still active deep below Moscow? With entrances hidden in plain sight? Perhaps under the building boards of a housing development or some other “unrelated” project?

In fact, in 2006, yet another apparent entrance would come to light in an unsuspecting Moscow building.

Another Discovery Under The Scrutiny Of Authorities?

Upon the demolition of “infamous Rossiya Hotel” in the heart of Moscow, even more secrets regarding the Metro-2 surfaced. The 3,000-plus hotel began life in the mid-1960s. It would open in 1967 solely for the use of officials of the Communist Party.

Much like the destroying and stripping of materials from historic buildings in order to construct the official Moscow Metro system, a whole section of Moscow was flattened in order to make room for the government facility.

However, those involved in the hotel’s destruction to make way for a new, private project would make a strange discovery. They would break through to part of a tunnel system. This would lead to a nuclear-type bunker. The millionaire developer in charge of the project is Shalva Chigirinsky. He would state that as soon as word got around about the discovery, “mysterious agents” arrived at the site. He would state to the media that:

Some people in plain clothes are not allowing us access to an area where there is a tunnel from the Kremlin! [8]

According to many reports from anonymous journalists, to speculate as to why such actions are taking place in the Russian press could result in the Federal Security Services (FSB) “calling in” such journalists to explain why they would question the official narrative.

It would appear, then, that the conspiracies of the vast and secret underground tunnel network under Moscow are true. They also appear, however, to remain active. Or at the very least, to still retain secrets, not for public consumption. The mystery of the Metro-2 system is likely to continue to fascinate researchers for some time to come.

Check out the video below. It looks at the Metro-2 conspiracy in a little more detail.

References

References
1 Subterranean Secrets: Moscow’s Metro-2 and the DIY-Subway System, Atlas Obscura, February 11th, 2011 https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/subterranean-secrets-moscow-s-metro-2-and-the-diy-subway-system
2 Metro 2 https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ru&u=http://metro.ru/metro2/&prev=search&pto=aue
3 Politics and design of the Moscow Metro, Sigurd Grava, Ekistics, Vol. 43, No. 256, March 1977 (page 174-178) https://www.jstor.org/stable/43618812
4 Stalin’s Best Kept Secret: The Moscow Underground Metro 2, Niek Smit, Jalopnik, October 17th, 2010 https://jalopnik.com/stalins-best-kept-secret-the-moscow-underground-metro-5665966
5 Underground Soviet shelters and the secret Metro-2, Georgy Manaev, Russia Beyond, December 26th 2013 https://www.rbth.com/science_and_tech/2013/12/26/underground_soviet_shelters_and_the_secret_metro-2_32967.html
6 Russian Crash Retrieval Report, UFO Evidence, Albert Rosales http://www.ufoevidence.org/documents/doc1898.htm
7 The World’s Weirdest Places, Nick Redfern, ISBN 978160 1632371 (page 131-132)
8 Revealed: the secret tunnels under the ‘Red Square Hilton’, Andrew Osborn, The Independent, April 29th, 2013 https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/revealed-the-secret-tunnels-under-the-red-square-hilton-361059.html

Marcus Lowth

Marcus Lowth is a writer with a love for UFOs, aliens, and the Ancient Astronaut Theory, to the paranormal, general conspiracies, and unsolved mysteries. He has been writing and researching with over 20 years of experience.

Marcus has been Editor-in-Chief for several years due to his excellent knowledge in these fields. Marcus also regularly appears as an expert on radio talk shows including Troubled Minds and Unexplained Radio discussing these topics.

Read Marcus' full bio.

You can contact Marcus via email.

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