Thread by @AuroraIntel

Thread on today's #Russia explosion (this is becoming a habit):
In November 2017, Russia test fired the Burevestnik (SSC-X-9 Skyfall) nuclear-powered cruise missile from it's test location at Pankovo.

Comparison images show the site from the 20th May 2019 appear to be "abandoned". The environmental shelter appears to be gone on the rails. Image courtesy of @ArmsControlWonk shows that this was still present in June 2018.

Today at the Nyonoksa Site on the White Sea an explosion has killed at least 2 people and seriously injured many more. (6 was the last I saw reported). Hazmat team was involved in the evacuation of the wounded and a a small spike in radiation was reportedly detected.

Imagery from the 20th May and then a VNIR image from the 12th June shows a rail system, very similar to that of Pankovo being used in #Nyonoksa, even better yet, the mysterious blue containers can also be seen, exactly the same as Pankovo.

#Russia has also now closed the Dvina Bay until the 10th September (at least) around this area suggesting more than likely that this is the location of the explosion.

So, what am I getting at with this thread? Well, it's been reported that the explosion was caused by a "liquid rocket jet engine. 44 drops of Iodine have been advised per glass of water. Enough for a small nuclear spike. Were #Russia testing a new engine for the SSC-X-9 Skyfall?

.@ELINTNews highlighted the SEREBRYANKA vessel was in the vicinity of Nyonoksa, she is a nuclear fuel carrier. AIS data shows her past track on the last 3 days. Sat imagery from 0829UTC this morning potentially shows her siting off the coast.

She is sitting in the middle of the Dvina Bay exclusion zone at the moment. Image courtest of @ArmsControlWonk shows this.

Distance for her from the shore and the possible test site is circa 7km~. One other vessel appears to be in the same vicinity at the time (next tweet)

She however was not on AIS.

Note the position of SEREBRYANKA is via sat. and isn't as "live" as some AIS feeds so it's hard to tell if she's still there as current data is 2+ hours out of date already.

thediplomat.com/2018/08/russia…

foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/russia-is-goin…

Well...sh**, this isn't the first time Serebryanka has been in the vicinity of the SSC-X-9 Skyfall (Burevestnik) tests.

The Mayor's office of #Severodvinsk has taken down a report on radiation levels returning to normal.

Link to removed post remain in multiple #Russian outlets.

Archive.org managed to capture a copy of the article.

web.archive.org/web/2019080813…

.@planetlabs Planetscope Band 3 captured the Serebryanka in the vicinity yesterday as reported.

👀

https://twitter.com/alexkokcharov/status/1159774187109720064?s=21

video courtesy of @bazabazon shows the injured personnel from yesterday's explosion near #Severodvinsk arriving in #Moscow in a convoy of medical vehicles. Note the drivers are all wearing chemical protection suits, possible fear of #Radiation? #Russia.

#Russian media is reporting that 5 Rosatom employees were killed due to this blast.

The report continues that the Rosatom employees were there for engineering work and maintenance of an isotopic power source on a liquid engine system. #Russia #Severodvinsk

@ArmsControlWonk this might interest you.

#US based experts suspect the explosion in #Russia involved the nuclear-powered cruise missile that Russia has been developing.

@Reuters