This documentary explains the origin and subsequent lifestyle of living in Russia's secret cold war nuclear cities. City 40 began construction right after Stalin received the plans for "the bomb" from the USA. It became a plutonium and enriched uranium site for the country and still serves as the most major stockpile of nuclear material today.City 40 and its sister, Mayak, are like roach motels: you check in but you never check out. The security is beyond paranoid and once there you must go through a rigorous screening to visit outside of the city. You can not have guests there, ever. Even today, these cities live pretty much as they did in the 1950's. City 40 has about 100K inhabitants who are mostly all tied to the plants and stockpiles. They have always received the best food stores in the markets and have better healthcare than most Russians. Until the Yeltsin Era City 40 and Mayak were never on a map of any sort. They did not exist as far as Russia was concerned. In fact, until Yeltsin, no one born in these cities had a birth certificate. Citizens can now file for the certificates.
The secret cities all have their episodes of nuclear accidents and this doc goes into them. The documentary interviews and follows a few people but the gist is: If this is the best you got, let me go home to the Bronx.
Compelling in its own way. (NF)
Edits: 10/29/16
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Topic - 'City 40': Secret cities in Russia . . . - Billy Wonka 22:53:00 10/28/16 (9)
- There are similar (or worse) horror stories about USSR U mining districts. - free.ranger 16:01:36 10/29/16 (6)
- As an epilogue of sorts they had a list of cities in . . - Billy Wonka 11:21:07 10/30/16 (5)
- Can't find any references to a closed "city". - free.ranger 18:38:47 10/30/16 (4)
- Did you watch the film and see the epilogue? - Billy Wonka 09:09:50 10/31/16 (3)
- No, have not seen the film. - free.ranger 09:36:47 10/31/16 (2)
- RE: No, have not seen the film. - Frihed89 04:26:43 11/04/16 (1)
- Oh, one more thing - Frihed89 04:31:56 11/04/16 (0)
- Do you ever leave the Barcalounger? - genungo 08:58:39 10/29/16 (1)
- Only for sex. * - Billy Wonka 12:33:15 10/29/16 (0)