Full Report
Russia has significantly expanded and modernized a secret underground command center inside Mount Kosvinsky Kamen in the Urals in recent years, a facility…
Analysis Summary
# Morning News Roll-up September 28, 2026
## Overview
Recent investigative reports and expert analyses highlight Russia's significant modernization of its hardened nuclear command-and-control infrastructure. Specifically, the expansion of a massive underground facility at Mount Kosvinsky Kamen suggests a reinforcement of backup communication channels—often referred to as the "Dead Hand" or "Perimeter" system—aimed at ensuring retaliatory capabilities in the event of a decapitation strike.
## Top Stories
### Russia Expands Massive Nuclear Command Center "Object 1335"
- Summary: A joint investigation revealed that Russia has modernized a secret underground complex inside Mount Kosvinsky Kamen in the Urals. The facility, known as Facility 1335, involves at least 24 underground chambers and extensive shielding against chemical, biological, and radioactive contamination. Between 2018 and 2021, procurement peaked with the acquisition of 20,000 tons of steel and hundreds of kilometers of cabling to support the site's command-and-control functions.
- Source: hxxps://theins[.]ru/news/297582
### Experts Clarify the Function of the "Perimeter" (Dead Hand) System
- Summary: While media reports suggest a "revival" of a Doomsday machine, nuclear expert Pavel Podvig clarifies that the Perimeter system was never deactivated. Rather than a fully autonomous "automatic response" machine, Perimeter functions as a hardened backup communication system. It utilizes "command rockets" to transmit launch codes to missile silos if traditional landlines and satellite links are destroyed during a nuclear exchange.
- Source: hxxps://russianforces[.]org/blog/2006/04/dr_strangelove_meets_reality[.]shtml
### Russian Military Records Confirm Combat Duty for New Command Facility
- Summary: Military publications from 2022 to 2026 by high-ranking Russian officers, including Maj. Gen. V.G. Khalin, confirm that Facility 1335 was placed on "experimental combat duty" and achieved full combat status by 2023. These records indicate the facility is technically capable of facilitating an automated retaliatory strike sequence if specific conditions—such as the detection of nuclear explosions on Russian soil and loss of communication with leadership—are met.
- Source: hxxps://www[.]thetimes[.]com/article/03e5c093-cd63-4156-85ac-af5d5f2aa45e
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# Main Topic
Modernization and Expansion of Russia’s "Perimeter" (Dead Hand) Strategic Nuclear Command and Control Infrastructure at Mount Kosvinsky Kamen.
## Key Points
- **Facility 1335 (Object 1335):** A massive underground command complex located near Kytlym at Mount Kosvinsky Kamen.
- **Infrastructure Scale:** The site features at least 24 chambers, 2.5km distance between exits, and approximately 150,000 square meters of surface area created by concrete usage.
- **Modernization Timeline:** Significant construction activity peaked between 2018 and 2021, involving earthquake-resistant air conditioning and advanced filtration systems.
- **Strategic Function:** The site serves as a backup node for the "Perimeter" system, designed to transmit launch orders via command rockets if primary command channels are neutralized.
- **Operational Status:** Military sources indicate the facility was placed on active combat duty in 2023.
## Threat Actors
- **Russian Federation Ministry of Defense:** Primary entity responsible for the construction and operation of Facility 1335.
- **Strategic Rocket Forces (RVSN):** The specific branch utilizing the Perimeter system and command rockets.
- **Motivation:** Ensuring "Second Strike" capability and strategic deterrence against Western nuclear forces.
## TTPs
- **Hardening and Deep Burying:** Utilizing mountainous terrain (Kosvinsky Kamen) to shield command nodes from direct nuclear strikes.
- **Redundant Communications:** Using "command rockets" (radio-relay missiles) to broadcast launch codes mid-flight to silos that may be cut off from the ground network.
- **Conditional Automation:** The system is programmed to allow retaliatory authorization by reserve command posts only if nuclear detonations are detected and communication with the Kremlin is lost.
## Affected Systems
- **Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces C2:** Specifically the automated command-and-control layers.
- **Facility 1335:** The physical underground chambers, ventilation, and data transmission equipment.
- **Perimeter (System A-232):** The integrated backup communications network.
## Mitigations
- **Strategic Monitoring:** Continued satellite imagery analysis of spoil heaps and road construction at Kytlym to gauge facility expansion.
- **Arms Control Surveillance:** Verification of nuclear doctrine changes and deployment of command rockets.
- **Geopolitical Deterrence:** Maintaining robust early-warning systems to counter the perceived necessity of automated retaliatory systems.
## Conclusion
The expansion of Facility 1335 signifies Russia's commitment to maintaining a survivable nuclear command structure. While often sensationalized as an autonomous "Dead Hand," the intelligence suggests a sophisticated, human-gated backup system designed to ensure that a decapitation strike against Moscow does not prevent a retaliatory response. This modernization reflects an increased emphasis on strategic resilience in the current global security environment.