Krasnogorsk is a city and the administrative center of Krasnogorsky District in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Moskva River, adjacent to the northwestern boundary of Moscow. It has a population of

History

An urban-type settlement was established here in 1932, to which town status was granted in 1940. In the 1940s, the Antifascist Central School, in which many foreign Communists studied and lectured, was located at Krasnogorsk. After the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943, Krasnogrsk became the birthplace of The National Committee for a Free Germany (NKFD), an organization of German exiles living in the Soviet Union. Many members of this organization would play a role in the establishment of the German Democratic Republic and its military. After the war, the German V2 rocket scientists whom the Soviet Army had captured were taken here with their families for sharashka work.

2024 terror attack

On 22 March 2024, terrorists opened fire and detonated explosives in a coordinated attack at the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, killing over 133 people and injuring a hundred more. The Islamic State – Khorasan Province (IS-KP or ISIS–K), a South-Central Asia-based regional affiliate of the Islamic State, claimed responsibility.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Krasnogorsk serves as the administrative center of Krasnogorsky District. As an administrative division, it is, together with two rural localities, incorporated within Krasnogorsky District as the Town of Krasnogorsk. As a municipal division, the Town of Krasnogorsk is incorporated within Krasnogorsky Municipal District as Krasnogorsk Urban Settlement.

Economy

The city is known for the Krasnogorsky Zavod company, which produced the Zorki, Zenit, and Krasnogorsk cameras there until the early 1990s. The coat of arms acknowledges this by featuring a prism and light rays. Krasnogorsk is one of the few oblast cities that is connected to Moscow via Moscow Metro. It is served by Metro station Myakinino (named after a nearby village). Crocus Expo, Russia's largest exhibition center, opened in 2002 provided entertainment and congregation until the March 22, 2024 terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall killed 145, and injured 551 concertgoers, heavily damaged by terrorists using incendiary explosives.

Education and culture

Education is represented by 18 government and four private schools. In Krasnogorsk there is The Moscow Region Palace of Culture, the Scarlet Sails Concert Hall with an organ function (the Krasnogorsk Philharmonic Society operates on the basis of the hall). Krasnogorsk has the only museum of German anti-fascists in the country.

Sports

The city is home to Zorky Krasnogorsk bandy team, who are former national champions for men (three titles, one each for Soviet Union, Commonwealth of Independent States (the only season that title was played for) and Russia). After getting in financial problems, the team did not play in the 2016–17 Russian Bandy Super League, but will return to the highest division for the 2017–18 season. The club has also become national champions for women. Their home arena, Zorky Stadium, has a capacity of 8,000. 7th-9 December 2017, it will host a four nations tournament.

Notable people

Krasnogorsk is the birthplace of Russian former hockey player Vladimir Petrov. American MMA fighter Jeff Monson was elected to the local council in 2018. He said "I was invited by United Russia party to run but I am independent. Unfortunately I learned there are no communists in Communist party in Russia."

Twin towns – sister cities

Krasnogorsk is twinned with:

Sources