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The Russian news agency @tassagency_en is reporting that an explosion occurred near Nenoksa that killed at least two people and resulted in a "brief" spike in radiation levels.
tass.com/emergencies/10…
tass.com/emergencies/10…
Nenoksa is an interesting site -- it is a Russian missile test site along the Arctic Coast. @planetlabs has an image taken on August 8 at 11:29 local time. (We still aren't sure exactly when the explosion occurred.) 
Lenta reports that two sources claimed the explosion "may be" related to the testing of the Zircon. The Russian Defense Ministry also said it was a liquid propellant engine (жидкостной реактивной двигательной) missile, which would fit the Zircon.
But a failed Zircon test shouldn't release radiation. There are images and videos of a medical evacuation helicopter and personnel in bunny suits (hazmat suits).
There are also a bunch of videos online that purport to be of the explosion itself, although @fab_hinz has basically confirmed all of them are older videos from other places. I'll let him elaborate on that.
Another possibility is that it was a failed test of Russia's nuclear-powered cruise missile (9M730 Burevestnik/ SSC-X-9 Skyfall). Last year, @annemp13 and I noticed that Russia was packing up the Pankovo test site, on Novaya Zemlya, used for past tests.
npr.org/2018/09/25/649…
npr.org/2018/09/25/649…
After closing up the Pankovo site, Russia seems to have constructed a copy of the site at Nenoksa, with the same rail-based shelter. (There is also a similar facility at Kapustin Yar, which may be for tests without the nuclear-power unit.)
Anyway, there isn't much we can do -- and "we" is a team effort: @DaveSchmerler @sbidgood @annemp13 @DuitsyWasHere @grace_c_liu @fab_hinz @theMichelotti --- at the moment except task satellites and hope it isn't cloudy.
UPDATE: There are reports that the explosion occurred aboard a ship. It’s looks like the Serebryanka. The ship’s name might ring a bell.
The Serebryanka was one of the ships we believe was involved in Russia’s effort to recover a nuclear-powered cruise missile that crashed at sea.
cnbc.com/2018/08/21/rus…
cnbc.com/2018/08/21/rus…
Our friend @nktpnd quoting @Shea_Cotton and @DuitsyWasHere on the Serebryanka's probable role in recovering a nuclear-powered cruise missile off Novaya Zemlya last summer.
thediplomat.com/2018/08/russia…
thediplomat.com/2018/08/russia…
@nktpnd @Shea_Cotton @DuitsyWasHere On balance, this would tend to authenticate the photos and videos of first responders in hazmat suits. @fab_hinz found the same ambulance (same license plate) in a news report about Arkhangelsk first responders.
@nktpnd @Shea_Cotton @DuitsyWasHere @fab_hinz And @DuitsyWasHere finds that the helicopter in the video is owned by a company in Arkhangelsk.
russianplanes.net/regs/RA-22629
russianplanes.net/regs/RA-22629
