
These incredible photographs give a rare glimpse inside an amazing underground Soviet airbase which has been uncovered on the border of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Zeljava Underground Airbase was abandoned in the Serbo-Croatian War in 1992 and is nestled underground just a stone's throw from southern Europe's busiest national park, Europe Plitvice Lakes.

The base, which was built by the Communist government of Yugoslavia, once housed dozens of MIG Fighter Jets but was destroyed in conflicts in the region after the fall of Communism.

These incredible photos give a rare glimpse inside Zeljava Underground Airbase which was abandoned in the Serbo-Croatian War in 1992

The base, which was built by the Communist government of Yugoslavia, featured two large underground tunnels to house aircraft squadrons

The underground base once housed dozens of MIG Fighter Jets but was destroyed in conflicts in the region after the fall of Communism

Many of the aircraft, including MIG Fighter Jets, were destroyed in the conflict and have been abandoned at the site, with several rotting away

The conflict killed more than 20,000 people and more than half a million people were displaced.

Goran Les, a photographer and engineer from Croatia, has now captured these insightful images into the base which show it has been completely abandoned, but left with some bombed-out aircraft still intact.

The 27-year-old said: 'It's quite strange to see such a place in such a pretty area and such natural beauty.

'It's interesting to observe the nature taking back its lost territory, now that the people are gone.

'The first time I went to Zeljava was back in 2011, after many years of hearing and reading about it online.

'It's not difficult at all to get to the base and to get inside. It's clearly visible on Google Earth, you really can't miss it - you can just drive your car right up to the runways and the cavern entrances.

'Over the years I've been visiting, you can see that there are fewer and fewer of the original 'artifacts' from the base so to speak, because people are taking things home as souvenirs.

'There is more and more vegetation and in one location, in the 'gallery no..4' there's been a huge cave-in where the ceiling collapsed.'

The bunker, which had four main entrances featuring pressurised doors, also included two underground tunnels which ran a length of 1640 ft

The facility was built to house aircraft and establish an early warning radar network. It was used extensively in 1991, during the Yugoslav Wars

Code-named Objekat 505, the $6billion project made it one of the largest and most expensive military constructions in Europe

The underground tunnels housed aircraft and entire squadrons, as well an underground water source, power generators and crew quarters

The base is mere metres from the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina, and is surrounded by minefields, a legacy of the conflict which ended with a Croatian victory in 1995.

Mr Les said: 'There's real danger there. There's a minefield around the base, collapsing chunks of falling concrete and rock and there are holes in the ground with metal armature bars sticking up from the floor.

'There's also left over explosive from 1992 when the Serbs blew the place up.

'There's also carcinogenic PCB dust, spiced up with radioactive americium left from the destruction of fire and smoke detectors in the ceiling.'

The bunker also featured a mess hall that could feed 1,000 people. It also stocked food, fuel, and arms to last 30 days without resupply

The base is on the Croatia border with Bosnia-Herzegovina, and is surrounded by minefields, a legacy of the conflict which ended in 1995

Prior to the base being destroyed, all three MiG-21 squadrons based in Zeljava were transferred to Slatina airbase and Batajnica airbase in Serbia. The squadrons' aircraft (pictured) was later either destroyed by NATO bombing in 1999 or left simply rot away on the bunker runway

Goran Les, a photographer from Croatia, has now captured these insightful images into the base which show how it has been left abandoned

The airbase was built by the Yugoslav government between 1958 and 1968, and was destroyed by the Serbs in 1992 to stop it falling into the hands of the Croatians.

Prior to that, all three MiG-21 squadrons based in Zeljava were transferred to Slatina airbase and Batajnica airbase in Serbia.

The squadrons' aircraft was later either destroyed by NATO bombing in 1999 or left simply rot.