An explosion on a missile launch base in Russia's Arkhangelsk region left two dead and several wounded on Thursday (August 8th), the Russian army said, assuring that no radioactive contamination was reported.
In a statement sent to Russian news agencies, the defense ministry said an accident had occurred during the test of a "liquid propellant rocket engine", adding that two "specialists died from the consequences of their injuries "and six were injured in this explosion.
"No radioactive contamination"
"There is no radioactive contamination, the levels are normal," the Russian army added in the statement. Information confirmed to AFP by a spokesman of the governor of the Arkhangelsk region. "On our side, all the necessary actions have been taken, the health system is ready to provide help to the wounded if they declare themselves," he added.
The governor of the Arkhangelsk region Igor Orlov had first announced to the TASS agency "wounded", adding that the emergency services had been sent to the small town of Nionoksa, where the base is located.
Several impressive explosions
The Nionoska military base is a missile test base of the Russian fleet opened in 1954, where ballistic missiles have been tested.
This week, the Russian army has already faced the burning of an ammunition depot in the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia, which has caused explosions that have sent debris for miles around and one dead and at least eight wounded.
>> See also: Explosion of an arms warehouse in Russia: "Everything is burning"
Another ammunition depot had exploded this week in the Krasnodar region.
With AFP