[Kelseecat65]

Abandoned military bases, deserted hospital wards and cinemas which are now just a shadow of their former glory - these are the haunting images of the ghosts behind the former Soviet Union's Iron Curtain.

Photographer Rebecca Litchfield risked radiation exposure and was even arrested and interrogated in her bid to photograph army barracks, laboratories, graveyards for old fighter jets, silos and gyms.

Litchfield, 32, from south-east London, traveled to nine countries that were part of the Soviet Union or accepted as satellite states for her book 'Soviet Ghosts'.

Her first visit was to Chernobyl, the site of a catastrophic nuclear accident in 1986, in October 2012.

She went on to visit places in Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, the former East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

She said: 'Not many explorers travel to Russia, where the rules are very different, locations are heavily guarded and a strong military presence exists everywhere.

'There are serious consequences for getting caught. We managed to stay hidden for all of the trip, we maximized our stealth, ducking and diving into bushes and sneaking past sleeping security.

'But on day three our good fortune ran out as we visited a top secret radar installation. We saw the radar and made our way towards it, but just metres away suddenly we were joined by military and they weren't happy.'

After some negotiations however the photographer and her companions were allowed to continue their journey through the former USSR.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...raveyards.html

[FunkPumpkin]

Fantastic photos! Thanks!

[87wildside]

Oddly, the first pic reminded me instintly of Rage Against The Machine. Thank you for sharing. Might have to check out that book.

[30564U]

Some of those shots look like abandoned sets from "Dr. Strangeglove". Totally cool.

[Kelseecat65]

I love love love these kind of pics!!

[MesaGrande]

Even looking at these stairs makes me dizzy

[Oswald2001]

Superb collection.

[Politkovskaja]

Oh, I have a Chernobyl pic in a few days for you Kel

[HarveySpecter]

[jlip22]