An explosion at a Russian military range in Nyonoksa in the northwestern Arkhangelsk region on August 8 killed two and injured another six servicemembers, defense officials have confirmed.
The Arctic missile test site is used by the Russian Navy to test intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Following the explosion, reports of a spike in radiation levels emerged but the Russian defense ministry said there were “no harmful atmospheric discharges after Arkhangelsk range explosion.”
However, navigation in the White Sea near the military range and the port of Arkhangelsk was closed for a month and video footage emerged on social media reportedly showing hazmat teams checking wounded persons for radiation levels.
People in radiation protection suits measured the background of a helicopter. When they were convinced that the copter was not radiating and everything was normal, they started unloading the wounded. pic.twitter.com/JXbVbF0rcc
— Capt(N) (@Capt_Navy) August 8, 2019
The test site explosion on Thursday occurred a month after a fire aboard the Russian Navy’s secretive nuclear-powered submarine Losharik claimed the lives of 14 servicemen .
What is more, a series of explosions at a Siberian military depot killed one and injured 13 earlier this week. The incident also led to the evacuation of 16,500 people from their homes.