Crimea has emerged as the central obstacle to ending the war in Ukraine being at the nexus of great power competition is nothing new Crimea sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and even by the Germans for a brief period during World War II "It is this sort of semi-mythical realm where the world of the nomads meets the world of the sedentary ancient Greek civilizations," explains Brian Glyn Williams a professor of Islamic history at University of Massachusetts "It is a zone where Christianity meets Islam and it has been contested by these empires and faiths [and] societies for thousands and thousands of years." the first (and perhaps only) thing that came to mind for most people about Crimea was the Alfred Tennyson poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade," about a hapless British cavalry assault on a heavily fortified Russian artillery during the Crimean War (1853-1856) when Russia invaded Crimea and the Kremlin subsequently annexed the Ukrainian territory both Kyiv and Moscow see Crimea as a red-line in negotiations to end the war Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists it must be returned as part of any truce and Russian President Vladimir Putin is just as firm that it be retained by the Russian Federation The etymology of "Crimea" is not easy to pin down, according to Douglas Harper, the creator and editor of Online Etymology Dictionary That is typical for many toponyms (place names) especially those labeling regions as "high trafficked" as Crimea "The name's not going to have a straight line through history It's coming up through the Mediterranean." a professor who teaches medieval linguistics folk and oral tradition at the University of Minnesota agrees that determining the origin of place names is especially challenging "The verdict very often is: origin unknown," he says that Crimea is not the original name for the peninsula It was known as Taurida or the Tauric Peninsula by the Greeks who named it after the ancient inhabitants of the region "But those names vanished when the Mongols came," Liberman says "If there is a convincing etymology for the modern name it must be found among the Mongols or their linguistic relatives," he says declaring "One thing is clear: it's certainly not Islamic one hypothesis is that "Crimea" derives from a Mongol or Turkic root such as Kherem or Kerem meaning "fortified place" or "wall," — a name adopted by Slavic speakers and anglicized over time the English pronunciation of the modern Russian pronunciation of the name [which] is 'Krym' and that is how it is pronounced in Ukrainian," he says "Crimea is already an anglicized form of this." probably coined in the 14th or 15th century But we probably will never know the precise original word and meaning," Liberman says Although the name of the region doesn't appear to be very old by linguistic standards the origin of the people known as Tatars who inhabited Crimea is much older "The Crimean Tatars are Europe's last descendants of the Mongol Tatar Turkic Golden Horde… direct Muslim and Turkic descendants of all these ancient races going back thousands of years," says Williams who is the author of The Crimean Tatars: The Diaspora Experience and the Forging of a Nation people like Marco Polo sailed from Venice in the Mediterranean up through the Bosphorus Strait where modern day Istanbul is located the Italians settled all around the coast of the Black Sea and they traded in the hinterlands with all the tribes living in what's today in the Caucasus or Crimea or Romania," Williams says Crimea became a key entrepot for commercial shipping and a vital port for Russia's Black Sea fleet Although the proximate cause of the Crimean War in the mid-19th century was a dispute between Russia and the Ottoman Empire over control of Christian holy sites in Jerusalem historians also attribute the conflict to geopolitical rivalries and imperial ambitions "You could also call it the first world war because it engaged … very large international empires," says Mara Kozelsky a history professor at the University of South Alabama Kozelsky says that many places now in the news because of the current war in Ukraine also came under attack during the Crimean War "The Crimean War so severely devastated the entire peninsula that it really did not recover until the eve of World War I," she notes "brave British cavalrymen formed up… and charged straight into Russian cannons," Williams says "It became just a bloody massacre… the end of the cavalry era and the beginning of modern warfare." A century after the Battle of Balaklava that inspired Tennyson's famous poem Soviet leader Nikita Kruschev transferred Crimea to the Republic of Ukraine in a move that would have far-reaching consequences for an independent Ukraine in the decades to come Williams says Kruschev at the time wouldn't have been concerned about his decision becoming the seed for future conflict The Soviet leader simply "never [imagined] the Soviet Union would one day collapse." Days after the ouster of Ukraine's pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych — who had spurned the European Union in favor of closer ties with Moscow — masked Russian troops launched a covert military operation to seize Crimea from Ukraine known as "little green men" because they wear no insignia on their uniforms are accompanied by denials from the Kremlin that any of its forces are involved Two months later, Putin annexed Crimea Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine has brought Crimea to the forefront once again The Trump administration has presented a proposal to end the fighting that would officially recognize the Kremlin's control over the peninsula But that's something that Ukrainian officials say they can never concede Months after the invasion, Zelenskyy put it succinctly: "This Russian war.. began with Crimea and must end with Crimea — with its liberation." Become an NPR sponsor The organization reported this on their Telegram channel "We are actively searching for the weak links in those defenses," the post says the invaders appear to have restarted using for military purposes the Soviet-era underground submarine base known as Object 825GTS and located in Balaklava is an underground complex where submarines can be based we are passing on all the information we have gathered to our friends from the Ukrainian Defense Forces who are keen on setting up surprises for the invaders," ATESH noted ATESH has discovered a repair base and a secret warehouse storing Russian military equipment near the Fedorivka settlement in the Saky district the Russians restore their war-damaged armored vehicles While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 The BSF’s unexpectedly mediocre performance following the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 combined with the Ukrainian military’s increasingly potent capabilities necessitated both redeployments and increased defensive operations heightening Balaklava’s value as opposed to Sevastopol’s open roadstead Despite being mothballed for nearly three decades the Balaklava facility has received renewed interest a consequence of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war has severed the link between the Mediterranean squadron and the Black Sea Fleet leaving Russia’s warships isolated and vulnerable to Ukrainian attack As Russia is determined to hold Crimea and has been reinforcing the peninsula’s defenses as its size restrictions presently render it unsuitable for its original purpose the war has shown the BSF’s shortcomings in an unfavorable light which will necessitate substantial reforms following the cessation of hostilities Agents of the Atesh partisan movement recorded how russian occupiers in temporarily occupied Crimea, specifically in Balaklava Bay, are installing new booms against unmanned surface and underwater drones, as well as mining entrance areas. All this is being done to strengthen and protect Balaklava Bay, as reported by Atesh on Telegram which have already been identified by Ukrainian partisans Balaklava is crucial for the occupation army and its loss would deal a powerful blow to the occupiers' entire military logistics in the Black Sea "russians are trying to keep what they have afloat for now but thanks to the coordinated work of our agents the Defense Forces of Ukraine will soon destroy all the occupiers' equipment The Atesh movement continues its work to destroy the occupiers as well as encouraging locals to join the movement Earlier Defense Express reported that the Atesh partisans had uncovered russian oil depot in the Smolensk region Ukraine is also grateful for your personal commitment," President Volodymyr Zelensky said  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 2:23 am)Drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said set to operate within the Council of Europe will focus on Russia's political and military leaders up to 20 Russian soldiers were killed and their equipment destroyed The move represents an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions passed in the wake of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests "We are ready to deepen our contribution to the training of the Ukrainian military," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on May 5 by Kateryna DenisovaPhoto for illustrative purposes A general view of yacht marina at the Russian-occupied settlement of Balaklava in Sevastopol (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)Explosions were heard in Balaklava a settlement in the city of Sevastopol in occupied Crimea after an air raid alert went off on July 1 the Telegram channel Crimean Wind reported claimed that air defenses were operating in the city Crimean Wind shared a photo reportedly taken by locals showing a tall column of smoke rising above Balaklava presumably near the town's thermal power plant Razvozhayev claimed that according to the preliminary data four air targets were destroyed near Balaklava "but the wreckage fell in the coastal zone." Information on the scale of possible damages is being clarified Explosions were also reported in the area of Cape Fiolent, independent media outlet Krym Realii reported The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these reports and the Ukrainian military has not commented on the reports at the time of this publication Ukraine has carried out several successful attacks against Russian targets in occupied Crimea and its vicinity, heavily degrading the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Ukrainian forces struck around 15 Russian air defense systems in occupied Crimea over the past two months Over 15 radar stations and more than 10 control centers stationed on the peninsula were also reportedly hit Kateryna Denisova works as a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent She previously worked as a news editor at the NV media outlet for four years covering mainly Ukrainian and international politics Kateryna holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv She also was a fellow at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany Main image: Aerial view of Balaklava Bay in Crimea Photo: Konstantin Mihalchevskiy / Sputnik / Profimedia Billionaires Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, close associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin, have acquired at least 10 plots of land in Balaklava Bay in annexed Crimea over the past year and a half. These plots were seized from Ukrainian and local owners, according to Verstka They plan to build a large yacht marina on the acquired land The initiative to construct a yacht marina in the bay was assigned by Vladimir Putin back in 2018 as part of a federal program for the development of Crimea and Sevastopol the Rotenberg company Stroygazmontazh won a tender for the marina's design responsible for building the Crimean Bridge local residents and business owners from mainland Ukraine became obstacles to the marina's construction which is supposed to accommodate 600 yacht berths and hotels for visitors The first property seizures in the bay began in 2015 under the pretext of returning military lands that had been sold off by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense Owners fought against the Russian-appointed authorities in Crimea for about 10 years over their properties The situation accelerated after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine The Crimean Parliament passed a special law allowing the seizure of property from individuals "associated with unfriendly states." This enabled the auctioning of properties owned by Ukrainian businessmen allowing the Rotenbergs to acquire them at economically unreasonable prices government bodies overwhelmed local owners with lawsuits accusing them of unlawfully acquiring property before Crimea's annexation violating Ukrainian laws and the Constitution criminal cases were initiated against the most stubborn businessmen such as Crimean entrepreneur Vladimir Ovanesov the Rotenberg brothers purchased an unfinished hotel for 105 million rubles which had been seized from Ukrainian businessman Alexey Plyas The hotel was located on a 3,500 square meter plot the Rotenbergs acquired property from Ukrainian politician and businessman Andrey Senchenko Senchenko owned a hunting lodge belonging to Prince Yusupov on Tavricheskaya Embankment and a plot of over 1,000 square meters on 7 November Street The peninsula's authorities auctioned these properties which the Rotenberg's company "Port Lamos" bought for 211.5 million and 37 million rubles The billionaire brothers also obtained property from businessman Vladimir Ovanesov who owned buildings at Tavricheskaya Embankment 28-29 and a house at Tavricheskaya Embankment 32 previously owned by former Balaklava district council deputy Leonid Sushko from the Progressive Socialist Party of Ukraine they acquired properties that were previously registered with the FSB including Crimea's oldest cinema Rodina and several plots on Nazukin Embankment and Novaya Street The process of consolidating property by the Rotenbergs in Balaklava Bay is far from complete Your browser is too old. To use this website, please use Chrome or Firefox April 10, 2025 @ 7:00 amNews, Walkerton Herald-Times “You know us as the company that’s been streamlining your home and life by making technology behave for over 30 years 185 Wallace Ave., Listowel, ON N4W 1K8. © All materials copyright Midwestern Newspapers, 2006-2025. Photographs and text found here may not be used for any purpose whatsoever without express permission. If you need something, please ask. Your feedback is welcome. Please direct comments, questions or suggestions to mwilson@midwesternnewspapers.com Forgot your password? Every Thursday the Get On team try & find you an edge in assessing the form for the weekend races in Victoria & around the country and Charlotte Littlefield take a deep dive into the behind the scenes world of the horse racing industry Join Ben Asgari for a full analysis on all the big races Our form men look for a winner in the early markets Weekly program hosted by Racing.com's Terry Bailey highlighted by live studio interviews with racing participants.  Every fortnight Clint Hutchison & Warren Huntly review the trials which have caught their eye & who you should be following out of the trials Join Sam Doran as he takes a look at some of the regional towns of Australia Dissect all the latest racing news and talking points with a variety of special guests A comprehensive preview show of Hong Kong racing which focuses on form Racing.com's expert team provides the latest news from the track With Hamish McLachlan & Ross Stevenson takes a look at what’s offbeat over the top & often intriguing in the great game Mike Symons and Grace Ramage on The Wrap - Sunday Edition Join our team as they look back at some of best races of the past from country to metro Relive all the classic moments in racing with the Racing.com team A celebration of the group 1 races that ensures the Spring Racing Carnival is the envy of the world Relive all the glory of Victorian Group 1 races from yesterday and beyond Racing.com personalities reflect on their 10 stand-out performers in a variety of categories Our team dissects the feature races this summer to find you a winner Brent Zerafa and Nic Ashman take a look at the stand-out performances from the weekend's racing Explore the world of racing with the A Good 3 Podcast Host Mick Wall is joined by Simon Marshall & Julian Vallance to dissect the weekend's best racing and give their best bets for around the country Racing.com shares some of the best racing stories Follow racings unsung heroes and there journeys as apart of our #LoveTheHorse Grace Ramage speaks to trainers & jockeys at trackwork ahead of the Autumn Racing Carnival Dr Turf and Ben Asgari dissect the feature races on Saturday’s metropolitan card to find you a winner The King received a British Army guard of honour to mark his arrival at Balmoral Castle Charles is taking up his summer residence at the Aberdeenshire castle and watched on as the troops from Balaklava Company the Royal Regiment of Scotland marched in front of its gates along with a kilt and a jacket and waistcoat as he inspected the personnel Balaklava Company are renowned for their ceremonial presence in Scotland with the Royal Guard at Balmoral being one of their most privileged positions This Royal Guard was also the first for Major Neil Cargill "To be given the responsibility of upholding this fine long-standing Highland tradition during such a significant occasion is a real privilege which will never be forgotten," he said "Building on our proud and renowned history and strengthening our allegiance to our Colonel in Chief and our native land." The Band of the Regiment of Scotland and the Pipes and Drums of the Royal Corps of Signals also performed at the ceremony The King met the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland a Shetland pony called Corporal Cruachan IV It is not the first time King Charles has met the mascot – Cpl Cruachan IV received a rub on the nose from the King on his first visit to Balmoral since becoming King.  the King's Royal Guard paraded through Ballater with the Ballater Colour from East Bridge to Victoria Bridge past the war memorial King Charles succeeded his late mother Queen Elizabeth II as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Scotland Balaklava Company will remain on Royal Guard in Balmoral for the duration of the King's summer stay Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe to: there is a mysterious underground submarine base which periodically attracts attention for various reasons russian occupiers created a Cold War Museum on this base where the exhibit is the S-49 diesel-electric submarine of Project 633 which once belonged to the russian Black Sea Fleet reports occasionally emerge suggesting that russians are conducting military activities at Object 825 The primary source in this case was a report from the Atesh partisan movement which stated that russians in Balaklava Bay were reinforcing engineering barriers in preparation for a potential attack by Ukrainian maritime drones and possible sabotage groups this report states that "the occupiers are repurposing the old underground submarine base is located in Balaclava and is an underground complex capable of sheltering submarines and providing repair and maintenance" it might suggest that russians are preparing to reopen the complex to deploy their Project 636.6 submarines armed with Kalibr cruise missiles similar to how Object 825 was used during the Cold War it would not be entirely accurate to claim that russians have used Object 825 in Balaklava exclusively for civilian purposes up to this point Balaklava Bay was used as a berth for the patrol ships of the Federal Security Service of the russian federation’s Coast Guard which are also part of the overall defense system of russian occupiers in Crimea the Russians always have reason to worry about the reliability of Balaklava Bay's defense system the concern does not lie in the type of ships or vessels that could be deployed there but rather in the fact that the facility is under the supervision of the Federal Security Service there were also reports of the unclear nature of russian activity in Balaklava Bay the focus was more on modernizing the berthing infrastructure for surface patrol ships it appeared that the russians genuinely intended to resume the operation of the base for their submarines here we are referring to an underground base which main structures were carved into the rock and designed for submarines much smaller than the ones russians now have at their disposal the S-49 museum submarine fits perfectly into the dimensions of the Object 825 base structures it should be noted that the S-49 has a hull length of 76.7 meters the Kalibr missile carriers of the Project 636.6 Varshavyanka-class submarines have a hull length of 73.8 meters there is a risk that the Varshavyanka may simply not fit into the dimensions of the Object 825 base structures without additional work in the rocky part of the facility it seems more likely and practical for russians to keep their Kalibr carriers at a remote base in Novorossiysk where no additional infrastructure work is required Earlier Defense Express reported that the fall of the Assad regime had left russia’s Mediterranean task group without critical support Modern diesel-electric submarines of Project 636.3 and Project 877 carriers of Kalibr LACMs for the russian Black Sea Fleet or the missile corvettes of Project 21631 Buyan-M and Project 22800 Karakurt simply cannot enter the Balaklava facility The Ukrainian Atesh partisan movement reports that russian occupiers are strengthening naval engineering barriers in Balaklava Bay to protect against unmanned boats and sabotage groups the occupiers are repurposing the old underground submarine base is located in Balaclava and is an underground complex capable of sheltering submarines and providing repair and maintenance It is reported that Ukrainian partisans are actively looking for weaknesses in russian defenses and passing information to the Defense Forces of Ukraine Earlier Defense Express reported that russian occupiers had repurposed civilian facility into headquarters in Crimea Home » Russian Navy Moving Back Into Cold War Fortress In Crimea But there are signs that Russia has been trying to expand and enhance its naval bases in Crimea Images indicate that the Russian Navy is re-establishing a naval base at Balaklava The isolated inlet on the southern coast of Crimea is ideally suited and is the site of a historic Cold War base there has been ongoing work in the main naval base at Sevastopol Balaklava is a small inlet 5 miles south of Sevastopol Steep hills provide natural protection against storms and it was the site of a major naval base during the Cold War In the 1950s the Soviets dug a submarine tunnel into the mountain on the west side in recent years there have been reports in Russian media that the base might be reactivated These appeared to be highly speculative at the time The medieval ruins overlooking Balaklava are a popular tourist attraction and the harbour itself is filled with yachts the new infrastructure could conceivably be explained away as civilian There have also been reports in local media of plans to expand the yacht facilities in the harbor But the timing and context clearly point to this being a new naval facility The museum is still open to the public so tales that the tunnels themselves may be reactivated seem unlikely the new quay will bring the base back into operation It is too early to say how many warships the new facilities will be able to accommodate. Or which classes. But it is expected to become a satellite base of Sevastopol if it is completed. Possibly the Kilo Class submarines, which are already using Sevastopol less frequently, will be prioritized. The area in Sevastopol has previously been the home of the FSB’s (the modern KGB) patrol ships. These have been patrolling the north of Crimea and the area of the Kerch Bridge intensely since the invasion. It is unclear whether the FSB will still berth there after the upgrade. The new quay in Sevastopol may have been planned for some time. But as late as February 10, two weeks before the invasion, FSB coast guard cutters were parked there as usual. After the invasion it was mostly cleared and ready for construction. The war is not going to Russia’s plan. Although it may still be some time away, there is now talk of Ukraine retaking Crimea which was annexed by Russia in 2014. This seemed unthinkable just months ago. Work started before the war began to go against Russia. Now the construction of these facilities is still progressing but they may not be ready for some months. In that time a lot could happen. So it is unclear whether they will ever serve their intended purpose. These developments are significant however and are no doubt being followed closely by analysts. Naval News brings you news coverage of the latest naval defense shows & events. We are also reporting on naval technology from all over the world. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Play Duration: 2 minutes 40 seconds2m 40sBrought to you by With temperatures tipped to reach 40 degrees and above on Sunday, many events have been cancelled due to health & safety concerns. These include Gilles at the Grounds and the Balaklava Christmas Pageant. But, for the Civic Park Carols, the show must go on. Mayor of Tea Tree Gully, Marika Ryan said to Sonya Feldhoff, "We don't want to cancel it, it's such an important event".  Civic Park Carols in Modbury attracts crowds of 40,000 people for the festive celebration.(Supplied: City of Tea Tree Gully) Download the ABC listen app to text and call your favourite live radio Explosions were reported in the temporarily occupied Crimea on the night of October 24 Russian air defense forces were actively engaged according to the Crimean Wind and Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev Reports indicate that the explosions in the occupied Ukrainian peninsula began around 1:20 a.m the governor of Sevastopol announced the activation of air defense systems in response to an alleged missile attack air defense systems are engaged in the city "Preliminary information suggests that military forces destroyed one missile at a significant distance from the shore over the water area," he stated on Telegram Razvozhayev also claimed that "no civilian facilities in the city were damaged." residents of Crimea reported loud explosions heard not only around Sevastopol but also in Balaklava a closed basin in the southwestern part of Crimea located 40 kilometers southeast of Sevastopol The Crimean Wind reports that amidst claims by local officials about the interception of one missile there were at least five explosions: two between Balaklava and Sevastopol and three near the Belbek airfield were also heard in the Baydarskaya Valley around 1:10 a.m It is worth noting that before this incident, explosions were reported in the occupied Crimea, along with a fire at the Belbek airfield on the night of October 7 In mid-August, Russian forces claimed a drone attack on Sevastopol with explosions also heard in Kerch during that attack Earlier this month, the largest oil terminal in Crimea burned in Feodosia after being targeted by Ukrainian Defense Forces on October 7. This facility burned for about a week, with tanks exploding on the oil depot’s premises over several days. Menu Listen Pearls Before Swine’s quasi-historical mystery album is hard to grasp its songs coming in waves of breath and snippets of sound With 232 pages and an expanded 12″ by 12″ format our biggest print issue yet celebrates the people and Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records the sophomore album from the endearing Brighton duo is a jolt of punk-rock beauty The NYC-based project’s second album delights in its confident sense of chaos with vocalist Cole Haden knowing full well there’s no way we’re going to avert our gaze for a single moment Channeling Ziggy Stardust’s glam transcendence Will Toledo resurrects the album as a grandiose narrative vehicle while marking his valiant stride into the rock canon This year marked a spate of classic albums from 1968 rebirthed, reimagined, and re-spat out into the world to honor the fifty year milestone. A half-century is no joke in the world of music, especially when that year marks one of the most inspiring and creatively energized moments in our cultural history. Pearls Before Swine’s second album came out that year too—and while it’s not getting a seven-disc suitcase full of mono remasters it is getting released into the wild albeit bittersweetly and simply (founder Tom Rapp passed away earlier this year) so that those uninitiated might try to parse some sense from its still-strange ways had a countercultural prankster edge to it—the songs catchy in their snickering beatnik ways While the UK was still churning out psychedelia of the “Candy and Currant Bun” variety and the US was beginning to get back to the land this quasi-historical mystery album featuring a lisping songwriter who was recording 78 RPM cylinders and talking about Florence Nightingale existed It was fitting that the album had a home on ESP Records then—and now it has one on Drag City and Phil Ochs—yet with a spiritual quality that makes the songs feel like they came from the age of William Blake this renovator’s delight proved hot property at its recent auction with buyers from all over the state hoping to secure one of last near-city bargains The three-bedroom home at 9 Racecourse Rd, Balaklava sold under the hammer for $194,000 – $64,000 above its advertised price guide Based on a $38,800 (20 per cent) deposit and interest rates of 6.44 per cent the home will cost its new owner just 225 a week It’s $680 a week – or about $130 a day – less than the average mortgage repayment on a $780,000 home in Adelaide SIGN UP NOW FOR OUR FREE REAL ESTATE NEWSLETTER said the property – set on a massive 970 sqm block – attracted six registered bidders “I thought we may be able to push the price up to $150,000 or $175,000 but we ended up getting $194,000 which I think is a fantastic result,” he said “The actual bidder who bought it came from Balaklava and they are going to restore it “But we also had a couple of other people come from as far as Adelaide and one interstate person who had a proxy bidder there.” Dreams shattered: Family abandons home amid surge in building costs Is this Australia’s cheapest house? ‘Like Rundle Mall’: $360k container home sold in 30 minutes This Balaklava home sold under the hammer for $194,000 The home is located just 50 minutes from Adelaide’s northern suburbs Mr Warner said the home’s popularity highlighted an increasing need for buyers to look further afield to secure affordable properties “The couple who bought it haven’t been long term residents of Balaklava and have previously developed properties in Queensland and New South Wales The prime product they are looking for is something within 100km of the CBD of any main city within an hour the (property) fits within those criteria and it’s even closer to Gawler and the northern suburbs of Adelaide “There’s not a lot of bargains like this out there (anymore) and I think you really have to look further afield to find them they become more expensive closer in (town)…and it only gets cheaper as you get further out.” Footy great to captain major real estate firm Tourist operators eye off ‘fishy’ beachside listing Mystery sporting identity behind record Hills land sale revealed With no working toilet and most rooms looking worse for wear Mr Warner estimates the new buyers will have to spend an extra $30,000 to just repair the kitchen and bathroom facilities the rest (of the work required) is elbow grease,’’ Mr Warner said Mr Warner said the home was sold under instructions from the Public Trustee third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. Under ground in Balaklava Bay lies one of the most top-secret abandoned military bases in history.  According to Ukraine.com the discreet location made it a perfect spot for the top-secret naval base However, according to The Bohemian Blog the Crimean submarine base was not constructed until 1957 The top-secret base was built by the USSR as a site to repair and maintain the Soviet Black Sea Fleet According to Politico Khrushchev claimed the Soviet Union had missile superiority According to The Bohemian Blog the base took four years to construct and required the stealthy removal of more than 120 tons of rock in order to make the tunnels accessible to the water The base, known as Objekt 825, was also created to house a fleet of USSR submarines should the country wish to make a retaliatory nuclear strike against the USA Each compartment of the high-security naval base was obstructed by large doors to ensure maximum security. According to Discover Ukraine the compartments were also blocked by gates made of steel and covered in a layer of concrete the base was equipped with adequate ventilation and electricity for the 1,500 military personnel at the base The base is regarded as one of the world's largest secret military objects According to Discover Ukraine the canal is located underneath the thick layer of rock storehouses for torpedoes and other weapons and administrative offices for military personnel including even the family members of those who worked at the base needed "extensive documentation" in order to enter Balaklava Unlike many other military facilities, the naval base at Balaklava operated beyond the fall of the USSR The very last Russian submarine was removed from Balaklava Bay in 1996 five years after the fall of the Soviet Union and those who moved to the town had little knowledge of the underground base some managed to sneak down into the abandoned base and explore the submarine base officially opened to the public in summer 2003 Guests can step inside the base's abandoned walls to take photos and learn about its history The conversion of the base into a museum effectively allows visitors to step back in time to the days of the Cold War. The museum is currently open for tour groups after a period of reconstruction Hazmat suits hang next to the canal that leads from Balaklava Bay to the heart of the underground base white yachts bob on the turquoise surface of Balaklava Bay a quiet inlet hidden from the open waters of the Black Sea filled with submersible giants of the Soviet navy Located on the southwestern tip of the Crimean Peninsula a strategic port that Russia has used to project power across the Black Sea and beyond for more than 200 years Balaklava Bay was home to a top-secret submarine base designed to survive a U.S nuclear strike — and then deliver a retaliatory blow Yury Tarariyev served as a captain in the Soviet navy's 14th Submarine Division he saw Crimea go from being the Soviet Union's "unsinkable aircraft carrier" to Ukrainian vacation resort to occupied Russian military stronghold we took nuclear warheads on board and were ready to use them if ordered to," he said he saw the Soviet Union fall apart — and with it Tarariyev says he had tears in his eyes when the last submarine took to sea from the Balaklava base in 1992 A model of the Kiev aircraft carrier is on display in the museum Today the Soviet warship is a theme park in China Crimea had suddenly become part of independent Ukraine Although Russia ended up keeping most of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet it had to lease Crimean naval facilities from the Ukrainian government in Kiev the underground base in Balaklava Bay fell into disrepair and was plundered for scrap metal before it became a museum in 2003 Like many Crimeans, Tarariyev cheered Russia's takeover of the peninsula in 2014 after protests in Kiev brought a pro-Western government to power. At the time, Russian President Vladimir Putin justified the annexation by saying it would prevent Crimea's naval bases from falling into NATO's hands Such reasoning resonated with locals whose lives were tied to Crimea's storied military past which predates its history as a Ukrainian territory Foreign invaders besieged Sevastopol twice in the span of a century and Tarariyev's father helped liberate the city from Nazi invaders in 1944 "Thank God that everything is back to normal and Crimea and Sevastopol returned to their home port," Tarariyev said about the Russian annexation Russian troops fanned out and occupied the Crimean Peninsula using the bases of Russia's Black Sea Fleet as staging areas A hastily arranged referendum — held under Russian occupation and in violation of Ukrainian law — was supposed to give the land grab the sheen of legitimacy It was the first time since World War II that one European country had seized territory from a neighbor and Western countries didn't want to risk more than imposing economic sanctions on Russia Tarariyev's museum came under the control of the Russian Defense Ministry and a portrait of Putin went up at the entrance Visitors access the former subterranean base next to a canal that leads from Balaklava Bay into the heart of the mountain A giant metal gate weighing 165 tons would have sealed off the base during a nuclear war and withstood a blast of 100 kilotons — five times the destructive power of the U.S "Somehow a plane was supposed to penetrate all our air defenses and drop a nuclear bomb here," said Tarariyev seawater floods the bay and covers the hilltops and then a wall of water comes crashing down on this gate Museum director Yury Tarariyev served as a captain in the Soviet navy for 15 years before the USSR fell apart He supported Russia's annexation of Crimea the underground canal could have sheltered up to seven medium-sized submarines Tunnels connecting the sprawling base were especially curved to deflect blast waves Enough supplies were stockpiled to last 30 days The most secret part of the base was where nuclear warheads were stored before being loaded onto subs Workers wore special garments to avoid creating static electricity and the walls were padded to reduce echoes that might cause orders to be misunderstood but always know what you say!" are written in Russian on a wall in red paint to remind the workers of the need for secrecy The museum's most poignant display is a model of the aircraft carrier Kiev, which was decommissioned after the fall of the Soviet Union and today is the centerpiece of a theme park in China Fishermen cast their lines at the entrance of the once top-secret submarine base in Balaklava Bay new exhibits also reflect the hostility between the United States and Russia that was revived after Putin annexed Crimea attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki shows Uncle Sam pointing his finger at the visitor next to the giant words "crimes against humanity." Another exhibit details a U.S plan to destroy the Soviet Union with atomic bombs justifying Moscow's own nuclear arms development and underground bases like the one in Balaklava Bay says she would prefer the bad old days to remain a thing of the past "It's not a good idea to return to those times," Stepantsevich said "It would be a great idea to be friends and to cooperate rather than to have a war The Ceremony of the Keys is a historic event held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse heralding a week-long celebration of Scottish culture and traditions The tradition marks the official start of Royal Week a period when the King spends time engaging with the Scottish people and participating in various events across the country The King is offered the keys to the city by the Lord Provost during the traditional ceremony and returns them as a gesture of faith in the local administration has deep roots dating back to the 19th century when Queen Victoria established the tradition of spending time in Scotland This arrival is marked by a formal procession with a guard of honour composed of Scottish regiments This spectacle sets the tone for the week's festivities blending ceremonial splendour with Scottish tradition the Lord Provost of Edinburgh as the official figurehead of the city the Lord Provost and the members of the City of Edinburgh Council welcome Your Majesty to the capital city of your ancient and hereditary kingdom of Scotland and offer for your gracious acceptance the keys of Your Majesty's good city of Edinburgh." the King then replies: "I return these keys being perfectly convinced that they cannot be placed in better hands than those of the Lord Provost and councillors of my good city of Edinburgh." The monarch traditionally inspects troops when he takes up residence at the castle Previously, the guard of honour of Holyrood Palace included members of the Balaklava Company of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders who were on official duty for the week Members of F Company have also provided the Guard of Honour for Her Majesty in previous years, as well as troops from 5th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland Last year marked the first time King Charles III attended the Ceremony of the Keys at his official residence in Scotland as monarch A 21-gun salute was fired to welcome His Majesty to the Scottish capital The Ceremony of the Keys is a public event allowing residents and visitors to witness this historic ritual where the King welcomes around 8,000 people from all walks of Scottish life to enjoy a leisurely afternoon with him in the picturesque gardens of the palace The new launch site in Balaklava demonstrates Russia's strategy of long-range strikes and playing for time In a daily update on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 13 December 2023, the UK Ministry of Defence (UK MoD) referred to intelligence from the Ukrainian Air Force reporting that Russian forces launched at least 15 Shahed-131/136 one-way-attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA-UAVs) and two Kh-59 missiles from the Balaklava district of Crimea on 12 December “Balaklava is now the fifth confirmed OWA-UAV launch site being used in Russian operations against Ukraine alongside the sites at Cape Chauda Ukrainian air defences are said to have destroyed nine UAVs and both missiles Ukrainian military officials said that the missiles targeted Zaporizhia Oblast and Kryvyi Rih while Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command reported that a Russian UAV strike damaged an administrative building in Odesa City “Russia is likely dispersing its OWA-UAV launch capabilities across several locations as both a force protection measure and to complicate Ukrainian air defence efforts,” UK defence intelligence surmised “Russia will likely use additional launch sites in response to Ukrainian attacks forcing Ukraine to adapt to new transit corridors of these systems.” It has become clear that Russia is now targetting Ukrainian infrastructure as a way of eroding national morale as both sides enter a period of winter attrition The new launch site in Balaklava demonstrates Russia’s strategy of long-range strikes and playing for time Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Russia’s adoption of a long-range strike strategy may account for its loss of personnel since the invasion began in February 2022. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that US intelligence assessed that the war in Ukraine has devastated the pre-war Russian military although Russia has partially offset these losses and continues to prepare for a long war in Ukraine Russia’s Shahed-136s are precision-attack loitering munition systems developed by Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) which is a subsidiary of Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO) a state-owned aerospace company controlled by Iran’s Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics The suicide drone has been in service with the Iranian military since 2021. Russia also imported Shahed-136 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to use in the war against Ukraine The drones have been rebranded as Geran-2 or Geranium-2 by Russia The drone measures 3.5 metres (m) long and 2.5m wide and weighs 200 kilogrammes (kg) The fuselage of the aircraft is centralised and blended into the wings It can carry up to 40kg of warheads at its nose section and can be mounted and launched from a military or commercial truck In August 2023, the ISW also revealed that Iran intends to establish Shahed production sites in Russia and Belarus to make the system more readily available to invading Russian forces against Ukraine Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network A toilet is smashed and the ceiling is caving in – but plucky renovators looking to snap up a bargain are still expected to flock to this three-bedroom country home located just an hour’s drive north of Adelaide On the market for $385,000, 15 Ralli St, Balaklava is ideally suited to house flippers with several renovated properties of similar character and size worth upwards of $700,000 It would certainly suit a builder (who could restore the house themselves),’’ Ms Curnow said “We’ve got other (renovated) grandeur homes in the district that are (selling) in the $700,000 to $800,000 vicinity so…you could put (spend) a couple of hundred grand on it and not overcapitalise at all “The (best) option would be to knock off that back bit (of the home) and completely redo the wet areas and the kitchen – you could even add on a master and ensuite.’’ The character home at Balaklava is in need of a renovation But there’s no doubt it’s packed with potential and even comes with a pool While laws prevented the house being rented in its current state Ms Curnow said it could still be lived in by owner-occupiers with the vendor having resided there for the past two decades She said the bathroom was the worst part of the home where soil movement had caused the ceiling to collapse onto a toilet below cracking the cistern and destroying the toilet pan but leaving a stunning stained-glass window intact A separate toilet nearby is still in working order Ms Curnow said there was also cracking in the modern kitchen visible on the outside of the home but hidden behind gyprock and cabinetry inside “It was just the movement of the ground (that has caused the damage),’’ she said “There’s some structural work and underpinning (required) so you would need a professional to do that but they (builders) are becoming more and more affordable Surprise reason this sport lover’s dream won’t sell Homeowners band together in hope of $383,000+ windfall Eight-year-old’s scrapbook inspires $12m Adelaide ‘castle’ a smashed toilet has left many buyers asking `what happened here?’ One of the main living spaces has cracks in the wall The floorboards have already been polished is set on a huge 2250sqm block on two titles with four large front rooms boasting original There is also a saltwater swimming pool with solar heating several sheds with power and concrete floors and a large backyard that Ms Curnow said was perfect for “bonfires or (creating) a BMX track or something for the kids’’ She anticipated interest in the property would be strong “It’s a great price point and … I’m expecting to see a lot of people that want to come and see what’s involved in renovating it,’’ she said is exactly what I’m looking for’ and they will sink their teeth in and off they go.’’ Another busy one Down Under overnight! Racing in Australia in the early hours of Wednesday morning from Ballarat, Balaklava, Warwick Farm, Doomben and Canberra. Overnight Double pays 9/4! The way CORDINA won on debut was impressive and with natural improvement I expect her to come forward again and make it 2-2 against these She is short in the betting but deservedly so Tsarine also won on debut but hasn’t been seen since although could still be the danger.  Race 6 Ballarat 6.15 Cordina (4/5) After some good runs in defeat MAWJOOD was back to his best again winning well at Randwick last month He could really kick on now and is well placed to follow up against these Little Beginnings has been knocking on the door and could be the one to chase the selection home again Race 5 Warwick Farm 6.05 Mawjood (4/5) The Australian Daily Double consists of both the NAP and NB and is a great way of covering our two best bets of the night to maximise profit Race 5 Warwick Farm 6.05 Mawjood NEXT BEST Race 6 Ballarat 6.15 Cordina NAP Pays 9/4! Check out all my tips in Australia in the early hours of Wednesday morning I’ve gone through every race across all FIVE meetings in Australia overnight so here’s what I’m backing (just scroll down). All my tips can be added straight to your bet365 bet slip (just click the orange links) My Australian Notebook Double consists of both my tracker horses running Down Under overnight. They are two horses that have caught my eye. Pays 13/2! Race 2 Warwick Farm 4.20 Engine Room NOTEBOOK Race 4 Ballarat 5.05 American Wolf NOTEBOOK Pays 13/2! This is probably my most popular multiple Down Under as it combines both my Daily Notebooks along with my Value Tip and Daily Eye Catcher. Usually really good value too. Pays 70/1! Race 4 Doomben 5.44 Trump Card VALUE TIP Race 8 Balaklava 7.40 Gruelling EYE CATCHER Pays 70/1! Another Mega Acca overnight which includes some of my best bets. Always includes the NAP (best bet) and NB (next best bet). Pays 12/1! Race 2 Ballarat 3.55 Montjuic Magic Race 6 Doomben 6.54 King Potter Pays 12/1! I fancy these two at decent odds overnight so I’ve combined them to make an Each Way Double. Pays 40/1! Race 6 Warwick Farm 6.40 Lincoln Rocks Race 7 Balaklava 7.05 Midnight Harry Pays 40/1! Daily Free betting tips including horse racing tips football predictions and free bets from all of the trusted bookmakers About Us Football Betting Tips Football Draw Predictions Half Time Full Time Tips Over 2.5 Goals Tips Horse Racing Betting Tips UK Racecourses Irish Racecourses Tote Placepot Tips NAP of the Day Grand National Tips Cheltenham Festival Copyright – GetYourTipsOut (GYTO) 2025 © All Rights Reserved Members of the Royal Regiment of Scotland have been training their skills and drills in preparation for their upcoming ceremonial duties have been hard at work practising their ceremonial parade skills which will be on display in front of the entire world during the coronation of King Charles They are also preparing for their upcoming summer ceremonial duties which will include providing the guard for the Royals during their summer stay Please note that any information sent to the Corporation's official email that is marked as restricted or classified will not be processed and will be deleted filled with submersible giants of the Soviet Navy Yury Tarariyev served as a captain in the Soviet Navy's 14th Submarine Division Balaklava Company from 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland have been undergoing a Fit For Role inspection in London they will take up guard outside Windsor Castle for the first time It will come a year after Balaklava Company took up guard outside Buckingham Palace for the first time Prior to the inspection at Wellington Barracks, personnel have been preparing at Redford Barracks troops were being inspected by the London District Brigade Major and the Garrison Sergeant Major soldiers from the company will also perform ceremonial guard duties in London from 22 April until 7 May, in addition to taking up guard position outside Windsor Castle Major Johnny Thompson said: "For me it's my first time but for a lot of the company they were here last year so that's really useful continuity for the company coming down Balaklava Company will be joined by Corporal Cruachan IV - the regimental mascot who seems to be taking it all in his stride Cruachan will be behind the band leading the company commander and the rest of the company into Buckingham Palace then over to St James' Palace also has a certain swagger like the jock soldiers you see with their kilts on who have recently returned from exercise in Kuwait, are on form too Later in the year they will form the royal guard at Balmoral Soldiers from the Royal Regiment of Scotland's ceremonial unit have passed their final inspection to ensure they are fit for role Balaklava Company will be undertaking state ceremonial duties at Edinburgh Castle and the official royal residence in Scotland It marks the end of weeks of demanding training on the parade ground as well as taking meticulous care of their ceremonial uniforms The soldiers were inspected by the Commander of 51st Infantry Brigade said: "You can tell that the effort that the troops have been putting in in the last week has paid off dividends what you've seen there is the end result of about a week-and-a-half of very hard work "Being in the Royal Regiment of Scotland isn't as simple as being an English regiment where you merely put on a woollen suit "You will have noted that a lot of our footwear is a variety of different colours so you have black polish on the shoes to make shine whitener on your gaiters to make them gleam white and of course neither the twain of them should meet when they are freshly done." He went on: "You've got a variety of pieces of brass that need shined "Those soldiers who have been on operations make sure their medal is also polished "The Royal Regiment of Scotland uniform looks superb but it is a very intricate beast to get ready." Balaklava Company will also represent the regiment at freedom parades around Scotland during the summer season For some of the soldiers this will be their first ceremonial season with the unit said: "So far I am really enjoying it. It's a new thing for me all the parades this is one of the first times I have actually been in the number ones dress but I'm really enjoying it – just bringing everything up getting it to look good for parades." As well as performing ceremonial duties for the Royal Regiment of Scotland Balaklava Company is also an infantry unit that has recently deployed to Salisbury Plain and Germany to support the Army Special Operations Brigade and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as well as conducting company training at Brecon Private David Holmes said: "Soldiering out in the field and soldiering on the square – they are related and sense of principle Before that we were with the Ranger battalions on their Army Special Operations Brigade exercise on Salisbury Plain "That part of the cycle is just to reinforce soldiering skills getting the basics right because – at the end of the day – we are still a light role infantry company and despite being able to do all the ceremonial stuff we do still need to the soldiering stuff as well." Like mother, like son, King Charles III honored Queen Elizabeth II's legacy in the Scottish countryside On Monday, King Charles III arrived at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where the monarch presided over a small ceremony outside the castle gates, according to a press release from Buckingham Palace. Charles' visit comes nearly a year after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who died at the Scottish estate in September 2022 at the age of 96 King Charles wore traditional Scottish garb and had a friendly equestrian exchange when a pony was brought to the outdoor event Check out photos from the Balmoral Castle ceremony King Charles III got into the fashion spirit during his visit to Balmoral Castle wearing a traditional Scottish kilt to the ceremony which combined a teal base with orange and yellow plaid stripes light blue button-down shirt and red stockings King Charles III took some time to greet fans gathered at the outdoor ceremony Charles approached the crowd of royal enthusiasts many of whom were beaming and recording the monarch with their cellphones The ceremony King Charles III presided over at Balmoral Castle involved an inspection of the Guard of Honour from the Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland. The Royal Regiment of Scotland is a military unit that consists of the sole Scottish line infantry of the British Army according to the British Army's official website King Charles was recently announced as Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Regiment of Scotland King Charles III inspects Balaklava Company during Balmoral Castle ceremonyAn eagle-eyed King Charles III inspected the Balaklava Company 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland during the ceremony at Balmoral Castle The company was under the command of Major Robert Weir a pipes-and-drums band within the Royal Regiment dressed in hunter-green military attire and holding their knife-tipped weapons stood before King Charles III as he made his inspection Even with his royal duties at the Balmoral Castle ceremony King Charles III found some time to horse around During his inspection of the Balaklava Company 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland Charles met with the regiment's mascot Shetland Pony Corporal Cruachan IV The king was all smiles as he stood in front of the small black horse which was dressed in a teal and blue plaid covering for the ceremony King Charles III: British monarch presented with new crown in Scotland in honor of coronation ‘To Dads everywhere’: King Charles pays tribute to Harry, Philip with poignant Father’s Day pics Chasing a winner on Wednesday afternoon at Caulfield-Heath SENTrack’s Giddy Up with Gareth Hall’s Midweek Masterclass segment has taken a deep dive into Wednesday’s racing Mitch Lewis has focused on Caulfield and Balaklava's meeting whilst Chris Nelson and Mark Rhoden have looked at Ipswich and Warwick Farm respectively What's gambling really costing you? Set a deposit limit. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au Crafted by Project Diamond Donate This website uses cookies to enhance your experience. Read our Privacy Notice This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again Ukraine — For a place scripted for a starring role in the end of the world the Soviet Union ensured it would get its revenge from beyond the nuclear grave the United States and Soviets each engaged in a policy of mutual assured destruction No matter how many missiles rained down on one country enough of the other’s arsenal would survive to make sure the perpetrator didn’t escape unscathed The base at Balaklava was designed to withstand a nuclear attack and then unleash a storm of missiles at the United States But the Cold War ended not with Armageddon’s nuclear bang but communism’s exhausted whimper leaving one of the key “Russian” military bases in the world deep inside another country Although Russia has negotiated a deal with Ukraine to keep a base in nearby Sevastopol the submarines sheltered in Balaklava Bay were sent home their nuclear missiles dismantled or taken back to Russian soil The Ukrainian government in 2003 ordered the military to take over the facility with the plan of converting it to a museum Balaklava’s doomsday base would finish its life as an attraction for the growing number of Western tourists who are coming to the Black Sea region on cruises and vacations just less than a mile from the mouth of the Black Sea A 15th-century Genovese fort sits atop one hill a remnant of earlier conflicts in the region Balaklava’s subtropical climate makes it an excellent spot for cultivating grapes that are turned into a sparkling white wine we put on jackets before stepping into the dark Soviet dictator Josef Stalin ordered the doomsday submarine base built Beria at the time was the second most powerful man in Russia in charge of everything from the Russian atomic-bomb program to the secret police Beria brought in experts who had built the Moscow subway system to carve a channel through the mountain creating a secret link between Balaklava Bay and the Black Sea Blast doors weighing 150 tons were placed at the ends and the channel was curved to lessen any blast effects and the village of Balaklava was formally annexed into the military city of Sevastopol the channel could be used to secretly arm and maintain seven Soviet nuclear missile submarines at any time The submarines would surface in the Black Sea at night and the authorities would shut off all the lights to the surrounding city The submarine would enter Balaklava Bay and sneak into the underground channel before lights were restored the submarine would wait until dark and then take the secret exit directly into the Black Sea and disappear But the base’s most important role would come in war where thousands of sailors and civilians would hide from nuclear bombs The base was built to withstand a direct hit of up to 100 kilotons the equivalent of six of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima In the armaments room of the museum is a display of four mock nuclear warheads along with models of the Typhoon nuclear missile submarine The role of Balaklava was to survive that first attack open its doors and send submarines into the Black Sea where they would launch a retaliatory strike against the United States The Ukrainian government has been working to turn the sprawling complex into a showcase for “what-if” Cold War tourism The base has been used for art exhibitions and community events There are plans for more exhibits on nuclear war and hopes of bringing a decommissioned missile submarine back to the base for visitors to see there are even plans for that greatest symbol of the victory of capitalism: a gift shop A tour of Balaklava Bay is an option on the Pearls of the Black Sea cruise on Cunard (1-800-728-6273) Independent travelers can reach Sevastopol by a 17-hour train from Kiev or overnight ferry from Istanbul Americans can stay up to 90 days without a visa The hours of the Balaklava base museum vary widely and some travelers have reported finding it closed when they tried to visit Arrange for a tour guide through your hotel Military parades are held on Ukraine Victory Day The U.S.-Ukraine Foundation represents Ukrainian tourism interests in the United States. Call 202-223-2228 or visit www.traveltoukraine.org.