20 December 2024 , 10:02
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Mystery explosions have rocked the Russian Arctic, a few miles from a naval base of Vladimir Putin’s northern fleet.
Footage shows the detonation – one of two – close to the Severomorsk-1 naval airbase and weapons’ storages and bunkers in the northwestern Murmansk region, off the Barents Sea and about 1,500 miles from the border with Ukraine.
In the video, taken from the CCTV of a car park, vehicles can be spotted shaking because of the power of the blast in the background.
The military hideout is home to Ka-27 helicopters, fighter jets bombers and maritime surveillance aircraft.
To the northwest of Severomorsk-1, there are also several sites containing mobile anti-aircraft missiles and electronic warfare antennas.
Reports online suggest that the explosion seen in the video resembles the detonation of a large quantity of ammunition.
Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s centre for countering disinformation, said on Telegram that this is where weapons testing also takes place, including of the Zircon missiles.
‘This base provides the Russian Federation with the ability to control the Arctic sea routes and access to the Arctic Ocean,’ he said.
‘It supports both surface ships and nuclear submarines. Murmansk is also home to command centers, ammunition depots, repair docks, and fleet control points.
‘The ships of the Northern Fleet are carriers of the Kalibr missiles, which Russia has launched over the territory of Ukraine during the war.
‘The northern fleet also performs reconnaissance missions and countering Nato forces with an eye on the Arctic.’
Tormod Kværna, Scientific Adviser on Seismology and Test Ban Monitoring with NORSAR, said his station recorded a signal which could have meant a huge explosion.
The Kremlin is yet to comment on the explosions, but they come as Russia has dramatically increased the production of weapons because of the war in Ukraine.
Earlier this year, a report by the Royal United Services Institute in the UK (RUSI) said Western sanctions have failed to undermine Russia’s weapons production.
It added: ‘Moscow has even managed to ramp up the manufacturing of key weapons to fuel its war against Ukraine, according to a new report by a London-based think tank.
‘The sanctions effort has been hampered by overly cautious decision-making by Western governments and delays in sharing intelligence among Western allies.’