Skrunda-1
Encyclopedia
Skrunda-1 is a ghost town
located 5 km to the north of Skrunda
, in Raņķi parish
, Latvia
. It was the site of two Hen House radar installations constructed in the 1960s. The 60-metre structure that housed the radar units was one of the most important Soviet early warning radar
stations for listening to objects in space and for tracking possible incoming ICBMs.
.
In a joint New Year 1998 statement, the presidents of Estonia
, Latvia, and Lithuania
urged Russian President Boris Yeltsin
to complete the pullout of all Russian troops from the region, as Russia had promised four years prior in 1994.
All materials of value were removed from the site and carried back to Russia when the last Russian troops left in 1998; the 60 buildings that comprised the former complex and town, including apartment blocks, a school, barracks and an officers club, remained. The dilapidated buildings were still standing in 2010.
The Latvian government decided to sell the Skrunda-1 site in 2008, and on February 5th, 2010, the entire 100 acre (0.404686 km²) former town was sold as a single lot at auction in Riga. The starting bid was 150,000 lats
(290,000 USD
; 211,000 EUR
). The winning bid was by Russian firm Alekseevskoye-Serviss for 1.55 million lats (3.1 million USD; 2.2 million EUR). The auction, which lasted two hours, was also contested by another Russian firm, as well as a bidder from Azerbaijan
.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
located 5 km to the north of Skrunda
Skrunda
Skrunda is a town in Latvia. It lies 150 km west of the capital city Riga.- Skrunda-1 :Skrunda is best known as the town nearest the former Soviet secret city, Skrunda-1, which housed two major radar installations during the cold war period. Skrunda-1 is currently a ghost town, as the last...
, in Raņķi parish
Raņķi parish
Raņķi parish is an administrative unit of the Skrunda municipality, Latvia. The parish has a population of 507 and covers an area of 46.48 km².- Villages of Raņķi parish :* Līdumnieki * Raņķi* Smilgas...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
. It was the site of two Hen House radar installations constructed in the 1960s. The 60-metre structure that housed the radar units was one of the most important Soviet early warning radar
Early warning radar
An early warning radar is any radar system used primarily for the long-range detection of its targets, i.e., allowing defences to be alerted as early as possible before the intruder reaches its target, giving the defences the maximum time in which to operate...
stations for listening to objects in space and for tracking possible incoming ICBMs.
Military installation
Pursuant to an agreement “On the Legal Status of the Skrunda Radar Station During its temporary Operation and Dismantling”, signed by Latvia and the Russian Federation on 30 April 1994, the Russian Federation had been allowed to run the Hen House station for four years, after which it was obliged to dismantle the station within eighteen months. The deadline for dismantling was 29 February 2000. Russia asked Latvia to extend the lease on the Dnepr station at Skrunda for at least two years, until the new Daryal station under construction near Baranovichi became operational. Riga rejected these requests, and the radar was verified closed on 04 September 1998 by an inspection team from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in EuropeOrganization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
.
In a joint New Year 1998 statement, the presidents of Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, Latvia, and Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
urged Russian President Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
to complete the pullout of all Russian troops from the region, as Russia had promised four years prior in 1994.
All materials of value were removed from the site and carried back to Russia when the last Russian troops left in 1998; the 60 buildings that comprised the former complex and town, including apartment blocks, a school, barracks and an officers club, remained. The dilapidated buildings were still standing in 2010.
The Latvian government decided to sell the Skrunda-1 site in 2008, and on February 5th, 2010, the entire 100 acre (0.404686 km²) former town was sold as a single lot at auction in Riga. The starting bid was 150,000 lats
Latvian lats
The lats is the currency of Latvia. It is abbreviated as Ls. The lats is sub-divided into 100 santīmi ....
(290,000 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
; 211,000 EUR
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
). The winning bid was by Russian firm Alekseevskoye-Serviss for 1.55 million lats (3.1 million USD; 2.2 million EUR). The auction, which lasted two hours, was also contested by another Russian firm, as well as a bidder from Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
.