Days after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake shook Russia’s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula area, concerns have grown over the state of one of Russia’s most strategically significant military sites, which hosts some of the country’s most advanced submarines.
After the strong tremors hit near the Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, tsunami warnings were issued for far countries, including the United States and Japan.
The Rybachiy nuclear submarine base, which is home to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s deadliest military vessels, was located alarmingly close to the earthquake’s epicentre, The Metro reported.
The Rybachiy base in Avacha Bay is home to some of the Russian Navy’s most strategic nuclear submarines and remains vital to the country’s defense operations. It was located only around 120 kilometres from the earthquake epicentre.
The proximity to one of the worst earthquakes in recent history has alarmed military experts and analysts, triggering speculation of the impact the tremors had on the facility.
Radiation leak or accident launches?
The closely guarded Rybachiy base in eastern Russia is believed to host the Russian Pacific fleet, including the ‘Alexander Nevsky’, ‘Vladimir Monomakh’, and K-44 Ryazan submarines. While the first two vessels are armed with 16 Bulava missiles, the Ryazan is a nuclear-powered submarine.
The eastern base in Russia is one of the most militarily significant and closely guarded facilities. Apart from docking advanced submarines, the facility also has separate missile loading and shipyard facilities.
Ever since the 8.8 magnitude quake struck off Russia’s Far East, there have been growing speculations over the fate of the eastern base. The Metro report said that any structural damage to the facility, especially to nuclear reactors, could result in severe consequences.
In a worst-case scenario, the earthquake-induced damages could inflict massive damage to the facility, resulting in a possible radiation leaks. It could also lead to accidental missile launches or even total loss of containment over nuclear assets, the report added.
However, the Russian Ministry of Defence has not issued a public statement regarding the operational status of Rybachiy and the vessels hosted in the facility.
Though its unclear which submarines were present in the Avacha Bay when the strong earthquake struck the area, military analysts are studying satellite images of the region to get a better perspective, according to The War Zone.
Despite being one of the strongest earthquakes in recorded history, the strong tremors only damaged buildings and injured several people in the remote region. However, the authorities in the Kamchatka Peninsula have not reported any fatalities or serious injuries.