Vladivostok, Russia. Fortress History

Smoothbore guns were placed on Bezymiannaya Mound in 1862 and the section was quartered. "The Mound" received the name "Batareinaya". The Battery was constructed in 1880-1882 as a wood-ground variant by military engineer captain Shirokov. The Battery was equipped with 9-inch and 11-inch of 1867 type coastal cannons.
It was reconstructed as a concrete variant in 1897 - 1900 by military engineer captain Yakubovskiy.
The equipment of the battery consisted of nine 9-inch coastal cannons and four 57-mm. rapid-firing Nordenfeld guns.
After building of powerful batteries on Russkiy Island in 1909 - 1914, Bezymiannaya battery lost its battle value.
The Battery was disarmed in 1923, partly destroyed in the thirties and used as a car repair plant.
During World War Two, anti aircraft guns of Pacific Navy were positioned here.
Two cannons yards, two bunked traverses on the main caliber block, a position of two 57-mm guns on the right side of battery and command-range-finder post were destroyed in seventies.
P.F. Unterberger was head of engineering part of Eastern-Siberian military region. In 1878 he visited the main strategic points - Nikolaevsk-on-Amur and Vladivostok according to order of Command. He worked out very important suggestions, which were devoted to the strengthening of these points and building coastal batteries. He suggested methods of supplying the modern artillery systems, built strong permanent defensive fortifications, which would be ensuring a circle of defense around the town and concentrate in its big garrison with needed supplies. In this way P.F. Unterberger is the founder of Vladivostok fortress. In 1889 the Kaiser-flagwas hoisted on Goldobinskaya battery. Since this year the official history of the fortress began.
The project of first permanent land surrounding (second line of defense) of Vladivostok fortress was worked out in 1899 under the lead of famous Russian professor, Colonel K.I. Velichko. Military minister infantry General A.N. Khuropatkin toughly set the common direct of defensive line. It passed from Amurskiy to Ussuriyskiy gulf through the peninsula of Muraviev-Amurskiy of the distance 3-5 km. from Golden Horn bay. It consisted of an uninterrupted moat and rampart with strong points. Coastal batteries defended sea approaches to Vladivostok. They were made, as a rule, in permanent variant: concrete breastwork and traverses between gun yards with shelters for soldiers and ammunition. The third hall is devoted to the building of first land defensive line of 1899 project and Russian - Japanese war.
Fortifications of second line of defense of Vladivostok fortress are interesting because fortifications like these were built in Port Arthur (Lu-Shun).
February 22, 1904 Japanese squadron led by rear admiral Kamimura came to Vladivostok and had fired on the town about 200 missiles. This bombardment exposed engineering errors, which were committed during the building of defensive line of 1899.
New plans of building of Vladivostok fortifications were undertaken, to account for the defense of Port Arthur. General - major A.P. Shoshin led the building of the main line of defense of 1910 project. This line crossed the peninsula of Muraviev - Amurskiy to the distance 15 -20 km. from Golden Horn Bay. And it consisted of strong points - forts. Forts of 1910 project had a lot of underground casemated galleries. The thick of walls were about 4 m. It withstood the bombardment of 420 - mm. cannons.
Vladivostok fortress had numerous casemated underground powder magazines, casemated cold storage, and broad network of roads, airdromes, and a hangar for dirigibles, numerous shelters and a church. All of these permitted to withstand a siege in the most unfavorable conditions.
The typical permanent fortifications of coastal defense of Vladivostok fortress - are coastal batteries and anti-landing canonries. Coastal batteries were built on the coast and were intended for averting the landing of enemy and for defense of fortress. Anti-landing canonries were intended for disparagement of landing beaches
In the 1930's the coastal defensive line of Pacific Fleet was created. These constructions were a reliable shield for the Far East. The part of fortifications of Vladivostok fortress was included in system of defensive constructions.
According to Stalin's order, under the leadership of Voroshilov, battery 981, one of the strongest sea battery in the world, was built on Russkiy Island in the 30's.
Until 1996 the Pacific Fleet had adopted this battery. Since 1998, it has been a branch of the Pacific Fleet museum.
Last military operation of the World War Two began on August 18, 1945. It was Kuril Landing operation. The Commander of Pacific fleet, Admiral I. Iumashev, carried out the common guiding of operation. Khuril operation finished on September 1, 1945. September 2,1945 the Japanese command has signed the act about capitulation. World War Two was officially completed.
At the end of 1969, taking into account political instability in the relations with China, the Soviet government has made a decision about creation of Vladivostok defensive region, which task was the protection of city and principal basis of Pacific Fleet in case of probable battle operations. In the common system of Vladivostok defensive region were included some fortifications of Vladivostok Fortress. In the beginning of the 1990's, Vladivostok defensive region had all necessaries for the defense of Vladivostok. At the end of 1993 Vladivostok as a defensive region, under the decision of the government, was abolished.