Russia is reportedly expanding Facility 1335, an underground command centre in the Ural Mountains linked to the Soviet-era Perimeter system, known in the West as “Dead Hand”. The system was designed to enable a retaliatory nuclear strike if a major attack destroyed Russia’s leadership or severed communications, making the reported work significant amid heightened tensions between Moscow and the West.

A joint investigation cited satellite imagery, construction records and photographs suggesting extensive recent development, including new tunnels and at least 24 underground chambers. Documents reportedly indicate construction contracts worth hundreds of millions of pounds between 2011 and 2024, involving about 20,000 tonnes of steel and 150,000 square metres of concrete; however, the article’s claims about the facility’s current operational role are based on open-source evidence and expert assessment.