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Russia is preparing to test a nuclear cruise missile which comes as Vladimir Putin is set to meet with the US President Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday.
Reuters reported on Thursday citing two American researchers and an unnamed security source.
Reuters was told by Jeffrey Lewis of the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and Decker Eveleth of the CNA research organization that Planet Lab’s satellite imagery has and is showing an uptick of extensive activity as the Pankovo test site in the Arctic Ocean.
The imagery shows personnel, ships, equipment and aircraft which has been used in previous tests on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Arctic Ocean.
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An unnamed Western security source confirmed to Reuters that Moscow is preparing to test launch the 9M730 Burevestnik, nuclear missile, known to NATO as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall, to which Putin has previously described as “invincible.”
The test of the nuclear weapon may happen this week and the White House has not made any mention of the possible test, the CIA and Moscow have all declined to comment.
Since mid-July Planet Labs imagery shows cranes, containers, a helicopter and a mass of shipping containers including radar equipped aircraft are at the Rogachevo military airfield in Novaya Zemlya, Reuters reported.
The Norwegian military said that the Barents Sea is a “prime location for Russian missile tests,” they also confirmed there is possible “preparations for test activities,” but did not specify a nuclear weapon, Reuters was told.
Last week Russian authorities have issued a Notice to Airman (NOTAM) as Putin is set to test fire the “unstoppable doomsday” nuclear missile dubbed the “flying Chernobyl.”
Fears continue to grow that Russia is preparing for war with NATO and satellite imagery shows that activity at the Pankovo test range.
Russian vessels have moved to the test site to observe from the Barents Sea and the NOTAM was issued to cover 40,000 square kilometre in the Novaya Zemlya region which is valid until the evening on Tuesday 12 August.
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