The Soviet Union was the superpower rival to the United States. The Cold War between the two nations led to military buildups, the nuclear arms race, and the Space Race. Soviet leaders since the late 1920s have emphasized military production over investment in the civilian economy. The high priority given to military production has traditionally enabled military-industrial enterprises to commandeer the best managers, labor, and materials from civilian plants. As a result, the Soviet Union has produced some of the world's most advanced armaments. Ekaterinburg (named as Sverdlovsk since 1924 till 1991) played the most important role in the Soviet military-industrial complex and was closed for foreigners till 1991.

During the tour you will see the most interesting sites of the local military history (The Soviet Army Square, The Black Tulip Memorial, The Headquarters of The Ural Military District) and then will make a trip to small town V.Pyshma for excursion in brand new Museum of Arms of UMMC (the biggest in Russia private collection of arms, military vehicles, aircrafts, helicopters and soviet cars).

Duration of the tour: 3,5 hours (1 hours walk in Ekaterinburg + 2,5 hours car trip to the exhibition of Arms in V. Pyshma, 25 km. from the downtown)