Neat Industrial City with Amazing SOVIET Flavor! KIRISHI in Leningrad Region of Russia

A ride around Kirishi in Leningrad region of Russia! Join Membership to support more travel videos like this -    / @baklykovlive   The city of Kirishi in the Leningrad region of Russia. It is located on the right bank of the Volkhov River, about 110 kilometers southeast of St. Petersburg near the border with the Novgorod region of Russia. The population here is around 49,000 residents. The exact origin of the name Kirishi is unknown, but most probably have Finno-Ugric roots. Historically, the village of Kirishi was first mentioned in Chronicles back in 1693 and appeared on maps as early as 1792. However, the modern history of Kirishi began in the 1920s with the construction of the railway line from St. Petersburg, then called Leningrad through Mga to Senkovo. At that time a railway bridge was built over the Volkhov River along with the Kirishi railway station. A worker settlement started to develop around this station and was also named Kirishi. It became home to a standardized housing factory, a large wood chemical plants and a match factory. During World War II, fierce battles took place here. The right bank of the Volkhov River formed the Kirishi bridgehead occupied by Nazi Germany's 18th army. The settlement was almost completely destroyed and was so severally damaged as after the war authorities even decided not to rebuild it. Kirishi remained forgotten for nearly 15 years after the war until the late 1950s when the area was researched, as an ideal location for a large energy industrial complex intended to supply northwestern Russia with electricity and petroleum products. Planning and construction of a new town next to the future industrial complex started in 1959. In 1960, the council of ministers of the Soviet Union officially approved the construction of the Kirishi oil refinery and the Kirishi State District Power Plant (in Russian abbreviation "GRES"). One year later in 1961, construction of the oil refinery began alongside the developments of the first residential districts of the new city. In 1963, the construction project in Kirishi was declared an all Soviet Union Komsomol Shock Construction Project signifying the highest priority status in the Soviet Union. For example, the famous Baikal-Amur Mainline (BAM) railroad built across eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East since 1974 was also designated as a Komsomol Shock Construction Project. No wonder the rapidly developing settlement of Kirishi was granted official city status in 1965. Ivan Dorin was appointed as the town's chief architect. Today, Kirishi's economy primarily revolves around petrochemical enterprises. The main industrial facilities include: "Kirishinefteorgsintez" (commonly abbreviated as "Kinef"), an oil refinery and the town's main employer. Kirishi State District Power Plant (GRES), another key employer in the city. Though there are no oil fields near Kirishi, the town serves as the end point of the Almetievsk-Nizhny Novrogod- Yaroslavl-Kirishi oil pipeline. Other enterprises in Kirishi includes "Rusjam-Kirishi" Glass Packaging Factory, "NefteZavodMontazh" specializing in technological equipment installation, "SevZapEnergoMontazh" providing construction, installation, design and maintenance of pipelines, "Mechanization Management 68" performing earthworks, road construction and site improvements, "Kirishi PMK19" building roads, sewage systems and foundations, "Kirishi DSK" residential construction company, "Penoplex" producing polymer-based building materials. In 1998, "Penoplex" established a plant in the northern industrial zone producing thermal insulation building materials. In 2004, the Kirishi Water Sports Center was opened and today Kirishi is one of Russia's major water polo hubs. The town is home to men's and women's teams like KINEF-Surgutneftegaz" and "KINEF-2." The women's "KINEF-Surgutneftegaz" team is a 20-time Russian champion, 12-time Russian Cup winner and two-time Euro League Final Four champion. The Volkhov River here is navigable and in the 1970s there was regular hydrofoil passenger service between Kirishi and Novgorod. The "Neftyanik (The Oiler)" Sports Palace in Kirishi hosts major international water polo competitions and serves as a training base for Russia's national water polo team. Additionally, also international chess tournaments are held there.