Newsletter Newsletters Events Events Podcasts Videos Africanews
Loader
Advertisement

Washington links rocket accident to secretive Russian missile programme

Washington links rocket accident to secretive Russian missile programme
Copyright 
By Trent Murray
Published on
Share this article Comments
Share this article Close Button
Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Copy to clipboard Copied

An explosion at a Russian military base killed five nuclear scientists

It's been dubbed a “vengeance weapon".

The Burevstnik missile, unveiled by Russian President Vladimir Putin last March, is designed to be used after an initial nuclear strike. The Russian Defence Ministry says the missile will have an "unlimited range" and be able to overcome "any enemy defences."

The United States says it believes a deadly explosion that occurred during a rocket test on a sea platform in the White Sea last week was linked to the Kremlin's hypersonic cruise missile programme.

Five nuclear scientists were killed in the accident.

Despite representing a potentially significant setback to the Russian programme, the state nuclear agency has pledged to keep developing new weapons, portraying the men who died in the test as heroes.

Meanwhile, residents of the Russian village near the site of the suspected explosion of were told to evacuate according to Russian state news agency, RIA-Novosti. However, that order was later revoked and local media report locals remain in the town.

Go to accessibility shortcuts
Share this article Comments

Read more

Russian engineers buried after rocket explosion at Arctic test site

Huntsman resigns as Trump's ambassador to Russia amid speculation about gubernatorial run

Putin explores sunk Soviet submarine in Bond-style dive