Birch Gate

The Great Gatchina Palace (Russian: Большой Гатчинский дворец) is a palace in Gatchina, Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It was built from 1766 to 1781 by Antonio Rinaldi for Count Grigori Grigoryevich Orlov, who was a favourite of Catherine the Great, in Gatchina, a suburb of the royal capital Saint Petersburg. The Gatchina Palace combines classical architecture and themes of a medieval castle with ornate interiors typical of Russian classicism, located on a hill in central Gatchina next to Lake Serebryany. The Gatchina Palace became one of the favourite residences of the Russian Imperial Family, and during the 19th century was an important site of Russian politics. Since the February Revolution in 1917, it has been a museum and public park, and received UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1990.

Connetable (Russian: Коннетабль) is an obelisk and square in Gatchina, Russia, located at the intersection of 25 October Prospect (main city's street) and Krasnoarmeysky Prospect. The author of the project was probably Vincenzo Brenna.

Priory Palace (Russian: Приоратский дворец) is an original palace in the formerly royal town of Gatchina, Leningrad oblast, Northwest Russia, a suburb of Saint Petersburg. It was built in 1799 by the architect Nikolay Lvov on the shore of the Black Lake (Chyornoye ozero / Чёрное озеро). Constructed for the Russian Grand Priory of the Order of St John, it was presented to the Order by a decree of Paul I of Russia dated August 23, 1799.

Gatchina (Russian: Га́тчина, IPA: [ˈɡatːɕɪnə]) is a town and the administrative center of Gatchinsky District in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It lies 45 kilometers (28 mi) south-south-west of St. Petersburg, along the E95 highway which links Saint Petersburg and Pskov. Population: 92,937 (2010 Russian census); 88,420 (2002 Census); 79,714 (1989 Soviet census).It was previously known as Khotchino, Gatchina (until February 14, 1923), Trotsk (until August 2, 1929), and Krasnogvardeysk (until January 28, 1944). Gatchina, the largest town in Leningrad Oblast, is best known as the location of the Great Gatchina Palace, one of the main residences of the Russian Imperial Family during the 18th and 19th centuries. The historic center and Gatchina Palace are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site's "Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments". Another popular tourist attraction in Gatchina is the Prioratsky Palace. Gatchina has placed highly in quality-of-life rankings in Russia.

Bolshekolpanskoe Rural Settlement is a rural settlement in Gatchina Municipal District of the Leningrad Oblast (Leningrad Province) in northern Russia. The Bolshekolpanskoe Rural Settlement contains 16 villages. The administrative center is the village of Bolshiye Kolpany (Great Kolpany).

Taytsy (Russian: Та́йцы) is an urban locality (an urban-type settlement) in Gatchinsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located north of the town of Gatchina. Population: 2,853 (2010 Russian census); 2,644 (2002 Census); 2,929 (1989 Soviet census). Taitsy is home to the Demidov Estate, a World Heritage Site.

Voiskovitsy (Russian: Войсковицы) is a village in Gatchinsky District Leningrad Oblast. It is part of Syaskelevsky rural settlement.

Krasnoye Selo (Russian: Кра́сное Село́, lit. Red (or beautiful) village) is a municipal town in Krasnoselsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia. It is located south-southeast of the city center. Population: 44,323 (2010 Census); 44,081 (2002 Census).It was founded in the early 18th century as simply Krasnoye, as a suburban village south of St. Petersburg. In 1764, the village had a paper mill, located near the road leading to St. Petersburg. During the 19th century, Krasnoye Selo developed as a recreational suburb of the capital with numerous summer dachas and villas, including the summer residences of the royals. In 1884, the famous airplane designer Alexander Mozhaysky tested his early monoplane there, achieving a power-assisted take off or 'hop' of 60 to 100 feet (18 to 30 m). In late pre-revolutionary times, Krasnoye Selo was the location of the annual military manoeuvres presided over by the ruling Emperor himself. It was in Krasnoye Selo that, on Saturday July 25, 1914, the council of ministers was held at which Tsar Nicholas II decided to protect Serbia in its conflict with Austria, thereby bringing about Russia's entrance in the First World War. During World War II, Krasnoye Selo was under German occupation from 12 September 1941 until 19 January 1944.Krasnoye Selo was granted town status in 1925, and in 1973 it was transferred under the jurisdiction of the city of Leningrad (St. Petersburg's name in 1924–91).

Gorelovo (Russian: Горелово) is a former military aerodrome. It's located 23 kilometers (14 mi) southwest of Saint Petersburg city center, and 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) west of Pulkovo Airport. Right now it is a developing place for general aviation and a take-off site for the "419th helicopter repair plant", which is located at the eastern part of the runway. Internal Russian index code for this airfield is XLLE.

The Squeaky Wheel (a nickname given by radio listeners) is a utility shortwave radio station that broadcasts a distinctive sound. From around 2000 until 2008 the station's attention tone was a high-pitched two tone signal that vaguely resembled a squeaky wheel. From 2008 the channel marker changed to two different tones in a short sequence repeated with a short silent gap. The frequencies were 5473 kHz (day) and 3828 kHz (night). Several times voice messages in Russian military format have been reported. The exact transmitter site is unknown, but is thought to be near Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The signal strength is weak in Central Europe and the signal sometimes even disappears for days in the noise. Other frequencies observed are 3650 kHz, 3815 kHz, 5474 kHz, and 5641 kHz.The Enigma designation is S32 with S indicating Slavic language. However, from 2000 to 2005 it was designated XSW when voice on the station was unknown.

On 7 February 1981, a Tupolev Tu-104A passenger jet crashed during take off from Pushkin Airport near Leningrad, Soviet Union, resulting in the death of all 50 people on board, including 28 high-ranking Soviet military personnel. The official investigation concluded that the aircraft was improperly loaded.

Pushkin Airport (Russian: Аэропорт Пушкин) (ICAO: ULLP) is an airport in Leningrad Oblast, Russia located 28 km south of Saint Petersburg. It handles small airliners. It was home to 147 OVZ RZB regiment flying Mil Mi-8 helicopters and contains Ilyushin Il-18, Ilyushin Il-22, and Ilyushin Il-38 aircraft. The base is home to the 332nd Guards Independent Helicopter Regiment as part of the 6th Air and Air Defence Forces Army.On April 15, 1946, the 405th Air Defence Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 36th Air Defense Fighter Division was relocated to the airfield from the Warsaw airfield on La-5 aircraft. The regiment became part of the 2nd Guards Fighter Aviation Corps. On June 5, 1946, the regiment was disbanded.Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces, as well as the 20th Aircraft Repair Plant (ARZ) are based at the airfield. On August 11, 2012, a celebration was held dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Russian Air Force, at which the Su-34, Su-27, MiG-29SMT, MiG-31, Su-24, MiG-25, An-12, An-26 aircraft were demonstrated, An-30, An-72, Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters. Since September 2012, the Red Banner Aviation Base of the Russian Air Force has been based at the airfield.