The bunker was originally built in the 1920s, but went through significant modernization (see the modernization plan here) in the 1930s and turned into a Millioner bunker - at least this is how it was called by the Red Army troops (you can read the Russian side of the story of the bunker following a link in the end of this page).
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This picture shows the entrance to the eastern part of the bunker. This is probably the best-preserved major fortification in the area - most of the rooms of the eastern part are preserved, including a wall with gunports. Actually, one fighting compartment is completely preserved! Apparently, there were two demolition charges set to destroy this part - one on the roof and he other one at the southern wall. The first charge made a large hole in the roof and destroyed some of the inner walls, the other one destroyed part of the outer wall with the gun ports.
Picture of the 2 eastern casemate with MG gunports, note the direct hit on the corner of the nearer casemate:
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Close view of the gunport and observation slit. Note the bullet marks on the frame of the slit: it must have been a Red Army sharpshooter.
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View of break in the roof of the eastern casemate - result of explosion during the assault:
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The heaps of concrete lumps and powder in the midst of ruins of the eastern casemate hide the entrance to the inner chambers of the bunker - the underground barracks that connected the two casemates:
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Probably the most impressive thing about the inner chambers is that the iron frame that supported the two-level beds still has small S-hooks hanging on it - these are the hooks that Finnish soldiers used for hanging clothes.
The corridor ends with a dead-end - explosion caused the roof to collapse. One can still see fragments of brick wall - these are remains of a stove that was used to heat the bunker.
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The western part of the bunker was not as lucky as the eastern part - as it is seen from the picture, it is almost completely destroyed, apparently by internal explosion. In some 50 meters to the north-west from the Sk2 bunker there was a large concrete barrack, also almost completely destroyed.
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The roof of the western casemate was turned upside down by the explosion, but a crater from direct hit by a heavy artillery shell is very easy to spot. Armored outlet of periscope, similar in design to the one of Sn5 bunker, is also intact.
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The story by Captain Sipovitch, who led a Red Army rifle battalion assault on the pillboxes No. 45 and 44 in early February 1940 and was later decorated with the Golden Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union for the battle is here.
See the photos of the bunker after the assault in the Historical photos section.
© Bair Irincheev 2001 - 2006