The Soviets were geographically paranoid.
Maps were considered state secrets; in the military, only officers were trained how to read them, and they were highly classified. Maps released for public use often had cities and other landmarks missing, or on the wrong side of rivers, or otherwise misplaced to confuse an invader or enemy pilot. Phony towns were ofen sited on maps, and vital rail and road links, river fords, bridges and tunnels, dams, airfields etc deliberately spoofed. Even subsequent editions of the same maps often differed in random ways.
The idea was to make it hard for an invader to collect proper geographical or cartographic intelligence, although in today's world of satellite imagery these dodges are obsolete. Many of these old maps are now highly prized by collectors.
Off Topic » in reply to Now you done it, Jody, I have Alaskan friends.
A conspiracy of cartographers.