Latest news with #Burevestnik
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Drone attack ignites blaze in Russia's Chuvashia Republic, media reports
Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Explosions and massive fires followed a drone attack on the Russian city of Cheboksary in the Chuvashia Republic, Russian Telegram news channels reported in the early hours of June 9. Ukrainian drones allegedly targeted an oil depot in Cheboksary in a previous attack in March. In video footage from local residents purporting to show the June 9 strike, smoke and flames can be seen rising over the city of Cheboksary. One video, published by the Russian independent news outlet Astra, shows a drone approaching the target and making impact, causing another explosion. 0:00 / 1× Russian officials have not yet commented on the alleged attack and the Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims. Overnight drone strikes in Russia reportedly triggered flight restrictions at airports in Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, and Tambov. Ukraine reportedly attacked the Burevestnik oil refinery in Cheboksary on March 9, in its first reported drone attack against the Chuvashia Republic. The refinery lies over 900 kilometers (559 miles) from the Ukrainian border. Since 2022, Kyiv has launched repeated attacks against Russian refineries, which Ukraine considers to be valid military targets. In recent days, Ukraine has launched a number of strikes against military facilities in Russia, including missile bases and airfields. The most audacious and high-profile attack came on June 1, when Ukraine carried out Operation Spiderweb — a mass drone strike that simultaneously targeted four major Russian air bases, reportedly damaging 41 planes. Read also: Ukraine war latest: US expects Russia's retaliation for Operation Spiderweb to continue soon; Ukraine denies Russian troop presence in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, describes situation as 'tense' We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Putin expands nuclear base after frozen site test kills five in radiation leak
A Russian military base that has reportedly seen Vladimir Putin's nuclear-powered missiles being tested appears to have been expanded according to satellite imagery One of Russia's military bases where Vladimir Putin's nuclear-powered missiles are believed to have been tested has been expanded. Satellite images show three new buildings around the size of a football field have been erected at the Nenoska naval testing facility in Russia. Nenoska is found in the north of Russia, around 40 miles from the city of Arkhangelsk, which is some 700 miles north of Moscow. Images from the site show that construction work on an expansion in a forest area began in 2023. It is a heavily fortified area that in 2019 was the scene of a serious accident that occurred when a Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile exploded. Five experts from the Russian state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom were killed after being exposed to radiation. Another accident happened in 2015, when a cruise missile struck an apartment block that housed a kindergarten during a failed test. The new buildings appear to be airtight and plastic and held up by metal, while the Norwegian news site The Barents Observer says there are also a number of blue containers there to hold missiles. A dedicated launch pad is present, with launchers directed towards the White Sea. Burevestnik, dubbed 'Skyfall' by NATO, was paused following the 2019 accident after a small amount of radioactivity from the missile powered by a tiny reactor exploded, although Russian officials never confirmed what type of weapon exploded. Ankit Panda, an adjunct senior fellow with the Federation of American Scientists, said to The Sun: "Liquid fuel missile engines exploding do not give off radiation, and we know that the Russians are working on some kind of nuclear propulsion for a cruise missile." Putin has previously bragged the missile has unlimited range, but tests appear to still be in the development phase. Nils Andreas Stensønes, the boss of Norway's Intelligence Service, has previously said there could be 'an accident involving a risk of local radioactive releases' caused by the testing programme. Reports have suggested that missiles including the hypersonic Tsirkon, supersonic Oniks and the Kalibr missiles, could potentially be tested at Nenoska. Last month, Russia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said Russia reserves the right to deploy nuclear weapons in response to so-called 'unfriendly actions'. He said Russia was 'closely monitoring" military preparations by European countries as they increase defence production and spending. "In case foreign states commit unfriendly actions that threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, our country considers it legitimate to take symmetrical and asymmetrical measures necessary to suppress such actions and prevent their recurrence," he said.
Scottish Sun
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Vladimir Putin expands nuclear missile base after test at frozen site killed five in horror radiation leak disaster
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) VLADIMIR Putin has expanded one of his nuclear weapons bases with new secured structures that could be used as missile launchpads. Bombshell satellite images show construction work inside the strictly controlled military site of Nenoksa - where five people were killed after a nuclear-powered missile exploded at the testing site. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Satellite images show three new test facilities constructed at the Nenoksa naval facility in Russia Credit: Google Earth 8 The area was covered with dense forest before 2023 Credit: Google Earth 8 Three new facilities - each the size of a football field - can be seen at the centre of the naval testing site. They have been constructed near a railway line that is thought to bring missiles and testing gear into Nenoksa. The area, which before 2023 was forest, is now surrounded by double-barbed wire fences. The entire compound, located some 40 miles west of Arkhangelsk in northern Russia, is thought to be more than 61,000 square meters wide - and is heavily fortified. Construction at the Russian military site is thought to have begun in 2023, according to the Barents Observer, which has been tracking all its activities. Several big containers, reportedly used to store missiles, can be seen in the pictures. A dedicated launch pad with two missile containers can be seen in the centre. Both launchers are directed towards the White Sea, the latest Google Earth images show. Similar blue launcher containers can also be seen in other test facilities for missiles in Russia. This includes the Kapustin Yar in the Astrakhan region and recent years, at Pankovo at Novaya Zemlya in the Arctic. Chernobyl 2.0: Putin's drone strike has exposed a NEW PROBLEM The latter has been used by Rosatom for testing the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile under development. Another launch area is located by the shore in the northwest outskirts of the Nenoksa test range seems to still be active. There is no public information available revealing what kind of missile tests will take place at the new constructions that can be seen on the latest satellite images. In 2019, five Rosatom experts were killed after they were exposed to radiation at the Nenoksa site. American nuke experts saod the testing of a Russian nuclear cruise missile was to blame for a huge explosion at a military site. Russia's state nuclear agency confirmed the deaths were caused by a blast, which left a further three people injured and sparked radiation fears. The accident happened while testing 'isotopic power sources in a liquid propulsion system', state nuclear agency Rosatom said in a statement. But US experts claim Rosatom may have been testing an experimental nuclear-powered cruise missile, which Vladimir Putin last year claimed to be 'invincible against all existing and prospective' defence systems. 8 Nenoksa naval testing range in 2025 Credit: Google Earth 8 Radiation levels in the Russian city of Severodvinsk rose dramatically on August 8 as a result of the mysterious explosion Credit: Reuters 8 Putin is thought to be building the new site to test missiles Credit: AFP Russian officials initially tried to play down the radiation leak, saying the levels were normal. But a spokeswoman for Severodvinsk, a city close to the test site, said in a statement that a "short-term" spike in background radiation was recorded at noon Thursday. In separate interviews, two experts said that a liquid rocket propellant explosion would not release radiation. They said the explosion and radiation release could have resulted from a mishap during the testing of a nuclear-powered cruise missile at a facility outside the village of Nyonoksa. Neither the Defence Ministry nor Rosatom have identified the type of weapon that exploded during the test. But Rosatom's statement said the explosion occurred during tests of a "nuclear isotope power source," which led observers to conclude it was the "Burevestnik" or "Storm Petrel," a nuclear-powered cruise missile. NATO has code-named the missile "Skyfall." The missile was first revealed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his 2018 state-of-the-nation address, along with other doomsday weapons. Ankit Panda, an adjunct senior fellow with the Federation of American Scientists, said: "Liquid fuel missile engines exploding do not give off radiation, and we know that the Russians are working on some kind of nuclear propulsion for a cruise missile." Arkhangelsk is a city in the north-east of Russia and was once the country's main seaport until 1703. 8 Footage released by the Russian state news agency claims to show a test of the Burevetnik missile 8 The Nenoksa base is the centre for the Navy's missile testing
The Irish Sun
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Vladimir Putin expands nuclear missile base after test at frozen site killed five in horror radiation leak disaster
VLADIMIR Putin has expanded one of his nuclear weapons bases with new secured structures that could be used as missile launchpads. Bombshell satellite images show construction work inside the strictly controlled military site of Nenoksa - where five people were killed after a Advertisement 8 Satellite images show three new test facilities constructed at the Nenoksa naval facility in Russia Credit: Google Earth 8 The area was covered with dense forest before 2023 Credit: Google Earth 8 Three new facilities - each the size of a football field - can be seen at the centre of the naval testing site. They have been constructed near a railway line that is thought to bring missiles and testing gear into Nenoksa. The area, which before 2023 was forest, is now surrounded by double-barbed wire fences. The entire compound, located some 40 miles west of Arkhangelsk in northern Russia, is thought to be more than 61,000 square meters wide - and is heavily fortified. Advertisement read more on Putin Construction at the Russian military site is thought to have begun in 2023, according to the Barents Observer, which has been tracking all its activities. Several big containers, reportedly used to store missiles, can be seen in the pictures. A dedicated launch pad with two missile containers can be seen in the centre. Both launchers are directed towards the White Sea, the latest Google Earth images show. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Exclusive Similar blue launcher containers can also be seen in other test facilities for missiles in Russia . This includes the Kapustin Yar in the Astrakhan region and recent years, at Pankovo at Novaya Zemlya in the Arctic. Chernobyl 2.0: Putin's drone strike has exposed a NEW PROBLEM The latter has been used by Rosatom for testing the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile under development. Another launch area is located by the shore in the northwest outskirts of the Nenoksa test range seems to still be active. Advertisement There is no public information available revealing what kind of missile tests will take place at the new constructions that can be seen on the latest satellite images. In 2019, American nuke experts saod the testing of a Russian nuclear cruise missile was to blame for a huge explosion at a military site. Russia 's state nuclear agency confirmed the deaths were caused by a blast, which left a further three people injured and sparked radiation fears. Advertisement The accident happened while testing 'isotopic power sources in a liquid propulsion system', state nuclear agency Rosatom said in a statement. But US experts claim Rosatom may have been testing an experimental nuclear-powered cruise missile, which Vladimir Putin last year claimed to be 'invincible against all existing and prospective' defence systems. 8 Nenoksa naval testing range in 2025 Credit: Google Earth 8 Radiation levels in the Russian city of Severodvinsk rose dramatically on August 8 as a result of the mysterious explosion Credit: Reuters Advertisement 8 Putin is thought to be building the new site to test missiles Credit: AFP Russian officials initially tried to play down the radiation leak, saying the levels were normal. But a spokeswoman for Severodvinsk, a city close to the test site, said in a statement that a "short-term" spike in background radiation was recorded at noon Thursday. In separate interviews , two experts said that a liquid rocket propellant explosion would not release radiation. Advertisement They said the explosion and radiation release could have resulted from a mishap during the testing of a nuclear-powered cruise missile at a facility outside the village of Nyonoksa. Neither the Defence Ministry nor Rosatom have identified the type of weapon that exploded during the test. But Rosatom's statement said the explosion occurred during tests of a "nuclear isotope power source," which led observers to conclude it was the "Burevestnik" or "Storm Petrel," a nuclear-powered cruise missile. NATO has code-named the missile "Skyfall." Advertisement The missile was first revealed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his 2018 state-of-the-nation address, along with other doomsday weapons. Ankit Panda, an adjunct senior fellow with the Federation of American Scientists, said: "Liquid fuel missile engines exploding do not give off radiation, and we know that the Russians are working on some kind of nuclear propulsion for a cruise missile." Arkhangelsk is a city in the north-east of Russia and was once the country's main seaport until 1703. 8 Footage released by the Russian state news agency claims to show a test of the Burevetnik missile Advertisement 8 The Nenoksa base is the centre for the Navy's missile testing
Russia Today
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Beyond reach: Why America's ‘Golden Dome' may be powerless against Russia's doomsday missile
Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump launched the ambitious 'Golden Dome' initiative – a sweeping plan to build a national missile defense system capable of shielding America from modern threats: ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons, and advanced cruise missiles. Designed as a next-generation shield, the Golden Dome aspires to close gaps in the nation's defenses and guarantee security against a broad range of airborne dangers. But even the most sophisticated defense can face a threat it wasn't designed to stop. As Washington doubles down on its plans for a new shield, Russia is preparing a weapon unlike anything currently in existence – a nuclear-powered cruise missile with unlimited range. And it's a threat the Golden Dome may struggle to counter. Russia is on the verge of deploying an entirely new class of cruise missile that could fundamentally alter air defense paradigms: nuclear-powered, unlimited-range cruise missiles. Chief among them is the Burevestnik. It's only logical that US missile defense planners are thinking ahead to such unconventional threats. Open-source intelligence researchers like MT_Anderson have recently shared satellite imagery revealing suspected construction of Burevestnik launch facilities near Vologda. If verified, this would mark the next phase in the deployment of a weapon capable of shaking the foundations of global strategic stability. 🇷🇺Burevestnik Launch Site🇷🇺Looking back to last summer, one can tell the pace at which they've built it out. They've been busy bees...@SkyfiApp | @planet imagery from Jun / Oct 2024, respectively Russia first revealed the Burevestnik missile during President Vladimir Putin's address to the Federal Assembly on March 1, 2018. Dubbed SSC-X-9 'Skyfall' in the West, the missile has been cloaked in secrecy ever since. The commonly used designation '9M730 Burevestnik' is actually a misnomer, as the 9M730 label originally referred to a version of the Iskander-M missile system – but that's a minor detail in the larger picture. Reports suggest that Burevestnik testing has been ongoing for years at sites like Novaya Zemlya, the Nenoksa naval testing range near Severodvinsk, and the Kapustin Yar missile complex – the latter featuring specialized infrastructure operated by Rosatom. As recently as two years ago, it seemed Russia was still far from completing development. Now, however, signs point to a major shift: operational launch sites are reportedly under construction. Visually, the Burevestnik resembles a traditional cruise missile, with folding wings for compact launch storage. It launches from a ground platform using a solid-fuel booster, then switches to an air-breathing nuclear-powered jet engine once it reaches cruising speed. In theory, this engine heats incoming air via a compact nuclear reactor, allowing the missile to stay airborne for weeks or even months without refueling. Sources estimate the missile's operational range at 22,000km, though in practice it may be virtually unlimited. Such a missile could patrol potential conflict zones indefinitely, awaiting launch commands. Upon receiving orders, it could maneuver toward targets from unpredictable vectors, making interception extraordinarily difficult. Effectively, the Burevestnik is designed to serve as a 'doomsday weapon' – a guaranteed retaliatory strike platform in the event of nuclear war. A nuclear-powered cruise missile would be capable of striking anywhere on the globe from any direction. It could exploit satellite communications to update flight paths, evade interception, and even receive new target information mid-flight. Naturally, preventing accidents is critical, but it's likely that specialized recovery systems – possibly involving parachutes – have been developed. The ability to safely operate a nuclear-powered engine stems from technological breakthroughs achieved in the 1990s and 2000s, when Russian scientists successfully built compact nuclear reactors. These advancements paved the way not only for the Burevestnik, but also for other projects like the Poseidon underwater drone. Notably, the US and the Soviet Union both explored nuclear-powered aircraft concepts during the Cold War. Despite extensive research on platforms like the B-36 and Tu-95, both nations ultimately abandoned the projects due to insurmountable engineering challenges, astronomical costs, and radiation safety concerns. Today, with more advanced reactor technology, Russia seems poised to achieve what Cold War engineers only dreamed of: a practical, nuclear-powered, unlimited-range missile. Can the Burevestnik be considered operational? Full details remain classified, but tests in 2020–2021 at Kapustin Yar and Nenoksa strongly suggest significant progress. The completion of permanent launch sites points to an impending deployment phase. According to some reports, Russia could begin fielding Burevestnik missiles as early as 2025-26 – potentially in large numbers. Thanks to their nearly limitless range, these missiles could patrol vast areas, including the Arctic, Siberia, or the Pacific Ocean, remaining invisible to conventional defense systems. A major challenge for America's Golden Dome initiative will be detecting and tracking such missiles – no easy task. It would likely require unprecedented coordination with the US Navy and the full use of space-based tracking systems. Ultimately, defeating a weapon like the Burevestnik would demand a fully integrated space-based missile defense component. Satellite tracking, rapid identification of launch zones, and intercept capabilities far beyond current systems would be necessary. Even advanced naval assets like Aegis-equipped ships would face a monumental challenge. For now, there is no simple solution. And while Washington scrambles to prepare, Moscow holds a major advantage – especially when considering additional next-generation weapons like the Poseidon nuclear drone. In this high-stakes race, Russia may have already moved the strategic chessboard – and set up a checkmate that America's Golden Dome might not be able to prevent.
