Hundreds of discarded tanks are seen lined up row upon row in a former military repair plant in Kharkov, Ukraine, on April 30, 2013, just 20 miles from the border with Russia. (Patvel Itkin/Caters News Agency)

The images above feature a rare glimpse inside an abandoned tank graveyard in Kharkov, Ukraine. More than 400 tanks, lined up row upon row, have been left to the elements for decades.

Photographer Patvel Itkin spent months trying to find the site after hearing about it from a friend. Despite being heavily guarded, he reportedly managed to sneak in undetected.

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“I guess I was just lucky.” the 18-year-old told Caters News Agency. “Once I got inside I was walking around the grounds for about two hours, the plant is stunning, I was amazed by the scale.”

During the plant’s prime in the 1960s and 1970s, workers would reportedly repair close to sixty tanks and almost as many engines a month. According to the Daily Mail, despite looking closed, the plant is still technically open. A handful of mechanics do occasional work on some of the more modern tanks.

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“The area is guarded, but there didn't seem to be anyone around when I got there,” Itkin told Caters.

Itkin sneaked into the former military repair plant in April 2012. Ukraine’s military is currently in the midst of a tense standoff with Russia, as CNN reports that more than 16,000 Russian troops have entered the Crimea region of Ukraine. The plant is just 20 miles from the border with Russia.