13 Aug 2019 21:58

Sensitive equipment shows background radiation in Nyonoksa normal - source

MOSCOW. Aug 13 (INTERFAX) - An inspection of the village of Nyonoksa (Arkhangelsk region), located close to a military test range, showed that background radiation was normal, a source told Interfax on Tuesday.

"The village underwent a thorough examination by highly-sensitive equipment. It showed background radiation within the natural range," he said.

Nyonoksa is situated 40 kilometers from Severodvinsk and close to the Navy's central test range.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported a missile engine explosion at the testing range on August 8. It became known early on August 10 morning that the incident killed seven people, including employees of Rosatom and two representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry. Three military officers and three Rosatom speiclists were injured in the explosion.

The incident occurred on a sea platform during tests of a missile with a radioisotope power source, Rosatom said.

On August 8 the authorities in Severodvinsk said that background radiation levels in Severodvinsk had surged briefly before normalizing. The Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Rosgidromet) said the same earlier on Tuesday.