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DESCRIPTION
Kiev was the third city of the former USSR to operate a metro system, after Moscow and St. Petersburg. Kiev metro network has the typical sovietic morphology, with radial lines constituting a triangle in the city centre.
The first metro plans were developed in 1916, but they were delayed and posponed due to the Bolshevik revolution and World War II; works for the first section (Vokzal'na-Dnipro) of the first line (Line 1, Sviatoshynsko-Brovarska) could begin only in 1949, to be completed in 1960. This initial stretch (Vokzal'na-Dnipro) was extended towards east in 1965 (crossing River Dnepr and joining some residential areas) and west in 1963, 1971 and 2003 (joining other important residential suburbs: Sviatoshyn and Bilychi).
Works for a second line (Line 2, Kurenivsko-Chervonoarmiyska) began in 1970; the first segment of Line 2 (Ploscha Kalinina/Maidan Nezalezhnosti-Chervona Ploscha/Kontraktova Ploscha) opened in 1976, subsequently extended in northern direction (towards Obolon in 1980; towards other residential areas in 1982) and south-western direction (in 1981, 1984, 2010).
Works for a third line (Line 3, Syretsko-Pecherska) started in 1981. Line 3 opened in 1989 with an initial short section (Zoloti Vorota-Mechnikova [now Klovs'ka]), subsequently extended along north-east/south-west axis. Line 3 crossed River Dnepr in 1991/1992 (Mechnikova-Vydubychi; Vydubychi-Osokorky); it joined Poznyaky and Kharkivsky residential suburbs in 1994 (Osokorky-Kharkivska), 2005 (Kharkivska-Boryspilska) and 2008 (Boryspilska-Chervony Khutir). Staring from the half of years '90s it was extended in northern direction towards Syrets (1996, 2000, 2004).