Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has visited the Arctic island notorious for nuclear testing over fears the Kremlin will defy the West by resuming military nuclear testing.
Shoigu’s voyage to Novaya Zemlya, a remote Arctic archipelago, comes amid massive hostilities by Vladimir Putin’s Northern Fleet, involving 20 naval vessels and more than 8,000 soldiers.
It is the defense minister’s first visit since Putin ordered Russia to be ready “if necessary” to conduct new nuclear tests, for the first time since 1990 during the Soviet era.
The aggressive move stokes deep East-West tensions over Ukraine’s illegal invasion of the Kremlin and regular threats by Russia to use tactical nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict.
A defense source is on record: “The task assigned by the Russian President to prepare for the resumption of nuclear testing will certainly be fulfilled.”
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (accompanied by Alexey Likhachev) has visited the Arctic island notorious for nuclear tests
Putin has ordered Russia to be ready “if necessary” to conduct new nuclear tests for the first time since the 1990s during the Soviet era. Pictured: Russian troops conduct military exercises in the Arctic
Shoigu’s trip to Novaya Zemlya, a remote Arctic archipelago, comes amid a demonstration of the strength of Vladimir Putin’s Northern Fleet, involving 20 naval vessels and more than 8,000 troops. Pictured: exercises in the Arctic
“The Novozemelsky proving ground has always maintained its test readiness.”
Shoigu “inspected the remote Arctic garrisons of the Northern Fleet” and “in particular reviewed the organization of official activities on Novaya Zemlya,” state news agency RIA Novosti reported today.
Significantly, he was accompanied by Alexey Likhachev, Director General of ROSATOM, Russia’s state nuclear power company.
It follows reports earlier this week that Shoigu’s daughter Ksenia, 32, was forced to split from her “anti-war” partner Alexey Stolyarov, 33, under pressure from Putin.
Now a department of [naval] Northern Fleet ships went to sea to solve problems in the Arctic zone.
Shoigu’s visit followed a call from Putin’s former space agency chief Dmitry Rogozin to resume banned testing at Novaya Zemlya.
“We have to make sure of that.” [the West’s] “The buttocks begin to tremble with fear,” he said.
“I would start … I would do it, and I wouldn’t wait for the Americans,” he said in May.
“Now carry out nuclear tests on Novaya Zemlya.”
Vyacheslav Solovyov, scientific director of the Russian Federal Nuclear Center, said: “There is a special program to maintain the readiness of the test site.”
From September 21, 1955 to October 24, 1990, about 130 nuclear tests were carried out on Novaya Zemlya
The aggressive move is stoking deep East-West tensions over Ukraine’s illegal invasion of the Kremlin. Pictured: Shoigu visits Novaya Zemlya
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspects the Northern Fleet’s Arctic garrisons
From September 21, 1955 to October 24, 1990, about 130 nuclear tests were carried out on Novaya Zemlya. Of these, 88 were atmospheric, 3 underwater and 39 underground.
Putin started exercises in the Arctic this week, ostensibly to protect the North Sea Route between Europe and Asia.
“In total, the exercises will involve more than 8,000 soldiers, 20 warships, submarines and logistics ships, five aircraft and up to 50 military and special equipment from the Northern Fleet forces, formations and military units,” a Navy source said.
“Participants will test various options for exercising command and control of fleet forces while embarking on missions to protect the sovereignty of the Russian Federation along the North Sea Route.”
This follows the naval exercise Oceanic Shield 2023 in the Baltic Sea, which involved more than 30 warships and other vessels, 30 aircraft and about 6,000 troops.
Russia also plans to expand a garrison on Novaya Zemlya.
Shoigu’s visit is the latest high-profile event from the veteran defense secretary, whose star appears to be rising in Moscow.
Last month he went to North Korea on a four-day visit to get ammunition and weapons for his war in Ukraine.
Putin started exercises in the Arctic this week, ostensibly to protect the North Sea Route between Europe and Asia
“In total, the exercises will involve more than 8,000 soldiers, 20 warships, submarines and logistics ships, five aircraft and up to 50 military and special equipment from the Northern Fleet forces, formations and military units,” a Navy source said.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said today that Moscow destroyed 20 Ukrainian drones that had been fired at the Crimean peninsula early on Saturday.
There were no casualties and no damage as a result of the attempted attack, the ministry said on news app Telegram. It said 14 drones were destroyed by air defense systems and six incapacitated by electronic warfare.
It was not immediately clear what the reported attacks on the Russian-annexed peninsula were aimed at.
Sergei Kryuchkov, an adviser to the Russian-installed Crimea governor, said earlier that air defense systems in different parts of the peninsula are involved in repelling airstrikes.
Crimea’s transport authorities announced on their Telegram channel that traffic on the Crimean bridge, which connects the Black Sea Peninsula with Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, was suspended for about two hours from 1:30 a.m. (22:30 GMT).
Drone attacks on Russian-controlled areas in Ukraine and deep inside Russia have increased since a drone was destroyed over the Kremlin in early May.
Ukraine almost never publicly claims responsibility for the attacks, but has said destroying Russia’s military infrastructure is vital to Kiev’s counteroffensive.
A Russian defense installation was evacuated yesterday after a massive explosion at the site sent a huge plume of smoke into the sky billowing over surrounding buildings.
The explosion at the Zagorsk optical-mechanical plant also initially sparked reports of a drone attack, but this was quickly denied by Russian officials.
A giant mushroom cloud was seen over the plant in Sergiyev Posad, 46 miles northeast of Moscow. A witness said, “The whole facility is in ruins.”