September 21, 2026

The Moscow Metro's New Patriotic War


The Moscow Metro's New Patriotic War
Moscow's newest metro station pays tribute to Russia's War on Ukraine, blending military spectacle with Soviet-style relief panels. Yandex Realty 

The Soviet tradition of building elaborate transit stations has a new entry: a new Moscow station is all about war — mostly Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The ever-expanding Moscow metro opened a new line on September 5 as part of a celebration of the city’s 879th anniversary. The Rublyovo-Arkhangelskaya line will connect Moscow City, a high-rise business area, with the peripheral city of Krasnogorsk.

Upon entering the General Karbyshev Boulevard station, a sign welcomes passengers with the words “Engineer Troops: Special Military Operation.”

Further down is the monumental relief “Glory to the Heroes: The Pontoon Warriors of the Special Military Operation.” Like a contemporary Russian recreation of Leutze’s famous painting Washington Crossing the Delaware, these tactical-clad soldiers heave together a floating bridge through gunfire, setting up a route for invading Russian tanks.

On the station platform columns, relief panels show Soviet troops’ equipment and engineers building trenches and dugouts in the Great Patriotic War. Other panels show details of today’s military engineers' tactical gear used in Russia’s war on Ukraine. Essentials include drones, remote-controlled rovers, and grappling hooks.

​The station is named after Soviet General Dmitri Karbyshev, an engineer who published extensive military strategic guides. In the Second World War, he was captured, tortured, and killed by German captors who recognized his importance.

​Karbyshev’s name is outlined on the station walls in the colors of the St. George ribbon. The star next to his name indicates a posthumous Hero of the Soviet Union award.

The new station’s theme created some fanfare when President Putin personally attended the station’s opening.

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