Inside Russia's headquarters for eliminating ISIS.

The Defense Operations Center was built with the goal of becoming a central command center for all military operations of Russian forces globally, including the air campaign against the Islamic State in Syria.

Immediately after news of the crash of a Kogalymavia (Metrojet) budget airline plane on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt late last month was confirmed, the first place Russian President Vladimir Putin visited was the National Defense Operations Center (NCDC). This is a modern, three-story, heavily fortified command center, built with billions of dollars in investment, according to the Washington Post.

Russian President Putin (second from right) and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (third from right) are pictured in the NCDC's control room on December 19, 2014, during a meeting with military generals in Moscow. Photo: AP

On large screens, like those in movie theaters, images of Russian long-range strategic bombers taking off from air bases in Syria to bomb the Islamic State (IS) were broadcast live. Putin ordered commanders in Syria to "contact France and cooperate with them as allies." This was also where the order to launch cruise missiles from Russian warships in the Caspian Sea targeting IS targets in Syria was issued.

The NCDC is designed to become the new military nerve center, coordinating the operations of Russian forces globally, including the launch of cruise missiles and the deployment of strategic nuclear weapons.

The building is comparable in size to the US Military Command Center, but according to a Russian state news agency, the facility is "far superior" to similar American facilities.

The NCDC was built in the Frunze Naberezhnaya area, near the Moscow River, only about 3 km from Red Square. The building is believed to be situated above a relatively intricate system of tunnels. Construction was completed in 2014. This project is part of a Russian military modernization plan costing hundreds of billions of dollars.

The complex also boasts a helipad capable of accommodating Russian Mi-8 transport helicopters. In the event of war, the NCDC would transform into the nation's leading communications and media center. One Russian military commander even compared the NCDC to Soviet military headquarters during World War II.

A meeting on Russian air force operations in Syria took place at the NCDC on November 17. Photo: Reuters

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the NCDC is a significant breakthrough in "creating a single information space to address multiple tasks simultaneously for the benefit of national defense."

Since the International Military Congress held in Russia in August, images and information about the NCDC have become more widely known to the public through a strong media campaign.

"When this building and this room opened a year ago, I was somewhat overwhelmed. Yes, it looks incredibly convincing. And perhaps this is something the Pentagon only dared to dream of," Andrei Kolesnikov, a reporter who has covered Russian President Putin for the past 15 years, praised the NCDC when he attended a meeting on November 17. The event was prominently broadcast on Russian national television.

"But why? Who needs screens as big as a small football field and stands for spectators?" Kolesnikov asked the television audience. "And here's the answer. Every empty seat is filled. The viewers are all high-ranking Russian military officers. Or you could say it's like a warm-up bench, where everyone is ready to go into battle at any moment."

NCDC viewed from above. Graphic: Washington Post

According to VNE