Stalin Line

It was not a continuous line of defense along the entire border, but rather a network of fortified districts, meant to channel potential invaders along certain corridors.

[3] Neither was of much use in stopping the onslaught, though parts of the Stalin Line were manned in time and contributed to the defense of the USSR.

Following World War II, the line was not maintained, in part due to its wide dispersal across the USSR.

[2] Unlike Western Europe, where similar fortifications were demolished for development and safety reasons, much of the line survived beyond the breakup of the USSR in 1991 due to being ignored.

[2] Today, the remains of the Stalin Line fortifications are located in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine (plus possibly the eastern parts of Moldova).