The Village of Bachurino: History and Location
The village of Bachurino is located in the Novomoskovsky Administrative District of Moscow (until July 1, 2012, it was part of the Leninsky District of Moscow Oblast).
Geographic Location
It sits roughly 21 km southwest of central Moscow and 10 km east of the town of Moskovsky.
The village’s name likely derives from the non-calendar given name Bachura. It is first mentioned in the 17th century as an estate belonging to F. A. Ladyzhensky, later passing to the Tyutchev family, and afterward to the merchant Tyulyaev family.
By 1862, Bachurino was a landowner’s hamlet with 15 households and 93 residents. By the early 20th century, it held the Tyulyaev family estate. During the Soviet period the village belonged to various districts of Moscow Oblast, and since 2012 it has officially been part of Moscow.
Surviving Landmarks
What remains of the Tyulyaev estate:
- A linden park (18th century)
- Two ponds at different levels
- The ruins of a cattle yard (early 20th century)
- The wooden Church of the Icon of the Mother of God «Softener of Evil Hearts» (built in 2006)
The Building Complex of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR)
Location and History
The SVR headquarters is located near Bachurino, in the Sosenskoye settlement of Moscow’s Novomoskovsky District. The complex borders the Yasenevo district.
Russia’s SVR is the legal successor to the KGB’s First Chief Directorate (PGU), which was responsible for foreign intelligence. After the USSR’s collapse in December 1991, the SVR officially declared itself the successor to the USSR Central Intelligence Service.
Structure and Functions
Today’s SVR performs the following tasks:
- Political intelligence — gathering information on the foreign-policy plans of other states.
- Economic intelligence — monitoring financial and trade processes that affect Russia’s interests.
- Scientific and technical intelligence — obtaining data on advanced technologies and military developments.
Architecture and Infrastructure
Administrative buildings
Analytical work centers
Special facilities for officer training
Also nearby Bachurino is the SVR Academy (in the Khlebnikovo forest park, Mytishchi district).
Conclusion
Bachurino is a historic village that still bears traces of a noble estate, but today it’s better known for its neighbor: the closed compound of Russia’s SVR. This facility plays a key role in the country’s security, carrying on the traditions of Soviet foreign intelligence.