Moscow village

The Soviets developed extensive military facilities in Somalia. In October 1972, Soviet engineers and construction crews started to expand the port of Berbera. A three-section floating pier was assembled and oil pipeline, linking the port with the site of a new military airfield, was built. In addition, a floating barracks-machine shop, similar to those that had appeared when the Soviets moved into Alexandria in June 1969, was towed down from Vladivostok. This significantly improved the ability of the Soviet Navy in the Indian Ocean to supply and repair its units and rest its crews. As a consequence, the number of visits by Soviet naval vessels to Berbera sharply increased. In early 1973, the USSR installed a long-range communications station at Berbera. This facility, established at a time when its American counterpart in Ethiopia was being phased out, was used to help co-ordinate the movement of Soviet warships throughout the Indian Ocean. Also, at around this time, a missile-handling facility and a 13,000-15,000 ft surfaced runway were built at Berbera. The airfield enabled Soviet Tu Bear and II-38 May ASW reconnaissance aircraft to stage periodic flights over the Indian Ocean region.