{"id":39920,"date":"2019-08-13T18:00:09","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T18:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/08\/13\/russia-orders-evacuation-near-navy-nuke-site-then-cancels-it\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:47:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:47:58","slug":"russia-orders-evacuation-near-navy-nuke-site-then-cancels-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2019\/08\/13\/russia-orders-evacuation-near-navy-nuke-site-then-cancels-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia orders evacuation near navy nuke site, then cancels it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MOSCOW \u2014 The Russian military on Tuesday told residents of a village near a navy testing range to evacuate, but cancelled the order hours later, adding to the uncertainty and confusion fueled by a missile explosion<\/a> at the range that led to a brief spike in radiation that frightened residents and raised new questions about the military\u2019s weapons program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initial notice from the military told residents of Nyonoksa, a village of about 500, to move out temporarily, citing unspecified activities at the range. But a few hours later, the military said the planned activities were cancelled and rescinded the request to leave, said Ksenia Yudina, a spokeswoman for the Severodvinsk regional administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local media in Severodvinsk said residents of Nyonoksa regularly received similar temporary evacuation orders usually timed to tests at the range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Defense Ministry initially said the explosion Thursday of a rocket engine at the navy\u2019s range next to Nyonoksa killed two people and injured six others, but the state-controlled Rosatom nuclear corporation<\/a> said two days later that the blast also killed five of its nuclear engineers <\/a>and injured three others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s still not clear what the final toll is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And just as the Severodvinsk administration reported a brief spike in radiation levels, the Defense Ministry insisted that no radiation had been released \u2014 a blunt denial reminiscent of Soviet-era attempts to cover up disasters that added to public nervousness.<\/p>\n\n\n\t