August 9th 1945: After the United States dropped their atomic bombs on Japan the Soviet Union immediately began the construction of nuclear shelters all throughout their major cities. With plans for 250,000 civilian shelters with the capability of saving 11% of their urban population.

October 11th 1955: After 10 excruciating years of construction all of the shelters were completed. Thanks to the help of an industrious Soviet people and an unlimited budget from the government. All in all there were 7,000 shelters in the Moscow city limits, 3,000 in St. Petersburg, 100,000 in Tula, and 200 in Tver. These are only government funded civilian bunkers. With thousands more unregistered personal bunkers spread all throughout Russia, and hundreds of government funded military bunkers designed to store military equipment for an entire unit.

During the Cold War the Soviet Government planned and formed a contingency of government with the planned sheltering of all major political officials and their families in multiple civilian and government shelters.

There were also plans for special purpose military units primarily GRU, OMON, ODON, and Vityaz (MVD) units. They were given the orders to restore peace to Russia after a nuclear war, and they stayed in their bunkers for months sometimes years at a time until they were relieved by another group. This was to ensure that if a war broke out and Russia was attacked that someone would survive to restore order.

The Soviet Union had secured major trade with China during the Cold War. The Soviet Union knew that China was also working with the United States, but they had a larger plan in mind. The Soviet Union used the Chinese to boom their economy and secure a massive stockpile of equipment and funds all in preparation for the end of the world.

This of course all seemed even more necessary when the European Commonwealth started to breakdown due to lack of resources and the United States was at war with China. All while this was happening the Soviet Union was locking their doors and closing their windows waiting in preparation. The border guards disappeared from the Berlin Wall, Soviet advisers abandoned their proxy wars, and an embargo was raised against the Chinese. Russia effectively turned into a hermit nation over night.

European and Arab troops attempted to secure the oil fields in the Caucasus region of Russia but were sent running home like small children by the Russian troops stationed there. Some say Russia had one of the only oilfields still producing oil at the time and they were heavily protected with large amounts of Russian troops. When China invaded Alaska the Soviet Union broke all political ties with China and began sending ships out of Vladivostok to intercept Chinese warships and supply convoys, and ground troops attacked many Chinese border installations trying desperately to force China to withdraw from the United States.

Fortunately the United States beat the Chinese out of Alaska and began landing in ports and airfields that the Russians had secured years earlier, this ultimately lead to a quick occupation of China. Many Chinese bases were either destroyed by the Russians or under attack by the Russians while the others tried to hold out against the Chinese. It was the first time since the Great Patriotic War that the United States and the Soviet Union fought together against a common enemy. It was also the first time in history that a communist country fought against another communist country in open warfare.

October 2077: Although the Soviet Union and the United States were battering the Chinese into submission that did not stop the Chinese government from using nuclear weapons against them. When the sirens rang over Russia as the nuclear exchange began most people that lived in the cities were safely tucked away in their bomb shelters and metro tunnels. But those poor souls that were stuck outside, the ones that lived outside the cities, and the ones that just didn't make it. They burned in nuclear fire their ghostly shadows burned into the street, the cries of women and children echo in eternity throughout the now dead cities.

January 2078: The first military bunker opened its doors just 30 miles from the Moscow city center. They were greeted by the horrors of the war the streets were littered with charred corpses and ashen shadows. The radiation was high seeing as how 4 nuclear bombs were dropped on the city, the sky was clouded in nuclear fallout and the air was unfit to breathe. It was truly unfit to sustain life but there were a few survivors on the surface ones who managed to seek shelter in closets or basemants. These people wore surplus military gas masks and scavenged what they could from the carnage.

May 2080: The military not just in Moscow but all over urban Russia had started to form small settlements all around the major cities and started to bring some civilians out of their bunkers and into the settlements. So far it had seemed like the government was no longer Red Square laid in ruin destroyed by the bombs, and no members of the Politburo have been heard from. So the military formed city states and began rebuilding what was left of society under Marshall Law, these city states could communicate with each other but very few could physically trade with each other due to the thick dark air, and the most dangerous Psi Storms and nuclear emissions these are anomalies from the war that no one understands all they know is that of your caught outside during one it will kill you.

Brave pilots known as “Shturmovaya Letchiki” or “Storm Fliers” attempted to fly their prewar airplanes and helicopters between the cities but air travel was risky and nearly 98% of the pilots died before reaching their destinations. The military had no other choice but to send men and women out into the wilderness in an attempt to establish a land path between the cities.

Most of the main roads were blown out by conventional bombs, clogged with traffic, or irradiated by nuclear debris. Making a land bridge nearly impossible, but the rivers were even worse. All the waterways in Russia were polluted with massive amounts of radioactive debris and cities like Kiev and Moscow had their water treatment plants sabotaged with radiation bombs rendering their water undrinkable for a long period of time. This lead to an increase in consumption of stockpiled supplies that were collected and distributed by the military.

December 2085: After nearly 7 years of failed attempts the military finally reaches Irkutsk the capital of Siberia. To their surprise they are greeted by a small air force unit and a large population of civilians who managed to escape the war with minimal casualties and only minor damage from conventional bombs. The one nuclear bomber that was sent their was shot down by the small air force and their outdated Yak-25 fighter planes, the men and women who did so were praised as heroes throughout the region and the head pilot Vasili Chernikova was elected as the leader of the I.S.U named after the three member cities Irkutsk, Severobaykalsk, and Ulan Ude. These towns managed to stay connected due to the Baikal-Amur Mainline train and the ferry that runs from Irkutsk to the other towns during the summer months.

June 2090: Most major cities have managed to connect with each other, Except for Vladivostok and Arkhangelsk who have remained cut off since the bombs fell. Still there has been no contact from the Politburo and when an expedition to the political bunker the military had found that the ceiling had collapsed under the weight of the building on top of it being hit with two nuclear bombs. This could have been a mistake made accidentally during the construction phase or an intentional flaw made by disgruntled workers. Either way most of the inhabitants had been killed by what appeared to be the nuclear blast and debris from the collapse but their were 4 bodies in the panic room that looked to of killed each other while fighting over a room filled with enough supplies to feed the whole bunkers population of 200 for 20 years.

This lead to a need to form a new government, upon lots of discussion amongst head military leaders and the civilian populace a new government was formed. Consisting of elected leaders from every major surviving Soviet city that had been connected with another. This turned into a government of representatives that mostly controlled their respective territories but would help out other cities if they needed it and shared supplies amongst the others. This group took up the name U.S.R.R or United Surviving Russian Republics and cast aside their communist beliefs and worked towards the prosperity of all Russians no matter who they were or are now.

The 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division or “Taman Guards” was the first military unit to step foot above ground in the Moscow Military District after the bombs fell. They are some of the most highly decorated Guard Divisions in Russian having saved two different Soviet Presidents from two separate coup's and ending an uprising in Ukraine. All of this prestige even though it was before the war is still carried with a high honor in the hearts of the people and of the men themselves. To become a Guard Division is to be one of the most highly decorated and experienced units in the Russian military and these men certainly earned it.

When the bombs fell only 5,000 of the total 12,000 military personnel were inside the bunker or made it to the bunker. A large number of civilian refugees also sought shelter in the bunker their numbers ranging around 2,000. After a few years in the underground complex a small detachment of troops left in search of survivors. On their trip from Tula to Moscow they found very few survivors but the ones they did find they sent back to their bunker. Upon arriving in Moscow they were astounded at the level of destruction that had taken place nearly half of the city was destroyed and the other half was burning.

They thought for sure that their once great city was gone and no one survived but their were people on the streets trying to fight the fires and save the city even as the radiation burned their skin. The troops could do nothing but help them for it was their duty to their country, they saved as many as they could and took them back to Tula setting up an above ground settlement to help ease the strain on the bunker. Eventually when the settlement was built and debris in Moscow was clear they started evacuating civilians from the bunkers and bringing them to Tula, along with civilians there were also other military units that had survived above ground or in the bunkers that had been brought into the Taman Guards.

In terms of equipment they are well equipped with the best that the Soviet Union had to offer. With a wide array of pre war weapons to T-70 Main Battle Tanks and BMP armored personnel carriers. They wear standard http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Soviet_soldier_DN-SC-92-04942.jpg and are distinguished by their http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/68/Taman.png and Russian Guard Division http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Chest_badge_Guards_Russian_Federation.png. The Taman Guards due to their size and prestige have turned into the unofficial head of state for the U.S.R.R even though no one city state holds more power than the other. They are based out of their bunker in Tula and the settlement they have set up around and inside Tula. Also since Moscow is seen as a no mans land the Taman Guards took control of the region to help protect what national monuments and heritage sites still remained from being defaced of destroyed.

Their leader is a man by the name of Alexander Chernikova. He was a Senior Lieutenant in the Taman Guards before the war and took command of the unit when his commanding officer failed to make it to the bunker. He is a stern man that leads his troops with great skill and compassion. If anyone would question what the Taman Guards stood for all they have to do is read their motto that is painted on buildings, tanks, and worn on their clothing."Rodina, chest, slava" or “Motherland, Honour, Glory”

Papa's Rangers were originally a civilian militia group that rose up from the ruined homes and bomb shelters of Vologda. They were formed by a man known simply as “Papa Volo.” When the bombs fell on Arkhangelsk and Moscow the heat wave burned most of Vologda to the ground. The small military presence was not enough to protect the people and what was left of the town, so Papa Volo gathered up what survivors he could that were willing to fight and formed a militia with the intention of aiding the military. After a few years most of the military either deserted on died leaving Vologda and its few survivors in a state of anarchy.

But Papa Volo and his ragtag group of soldiers although I use that term loosely formed their own government and took over the town. To his people and his men he is a fair leader and he ruled over his territory for nearly 11 years until the main military force from Moscow found them. When the U.S.R.R was founded and elections took place in Vologda, Papa Volo won with an overwhelming amount of votes, nearly 90% of the people living in Vologda voted for him and requested that his ranger's act as the security in the region.

Although they were currently ill equipped at the time and had poor training the military decided it would be wise for them to stay in power. So they were trained and equipped with military gear consisting of AK-47 assault rifles, Mosin Nagant rifles, SKS rifles, PKM machine guns, PPSH sub machine guns, and an assorted amount of other makes and models of Soviet era weapons. Most rangers wear http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/sub4/Russ-partisans.jpg with bits and pieces of military equipment attached to it, but some do prefer the military's standard uniform and wear that instead.

But there is one piece of equipment that everyone in Papa's Rangers wears and that is the http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Coat_of_Arms_of_Vologda_%28Vologda_oblast%29_%281780%29.png on their shoulder. All in all the military can't complain with the results that Papa's Rangers have given them, having repelled and overwhelming amount of raiders and ghouls multiple times. They surely have earned their place in the U.S.R.R. The current government center for Papa's Rangers and Vologda Oblast is http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Panorama_of_Vologda_Kremlin.jpg/1000px-Panorama_of_Vologda_Kremlin.jpg in Vologda.