Satellite Images Show Damage At Russian Nuclear Sub Base After Powerful EarthQuake: Report
Satellite images show damage to Russia's Rybachiy nuclear sub base after a powerful July quake. Tensions rise as Trump, Medvedev trade nuclear threats; Kremlin urges caution in rhetoric.
A nuclear submarine base in Russia’s Far East region was damaged last week when it was hit by one of the most powerful earthquakes in nearly a decade, the New York Times reported, citing satellite images.
The photos were captured by Planet Labs, a commercial satellite imaging firm, and showed damage to a floating dock at the Rybachiy submarine base on the Kamchatka Peninsula, according to the New York Times.
According to the images, one section of the pier appears to have broken away from its anchor point. Aside from this damaged section, there is no major destruction visible at the site.
ABP could not independently verify the report.
There has been no comment from Russia’s Defence Ministry regarding the reports or satellite images.
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, shaking the region and triggering tsunami warnings as far away as Chile and French Polynesia. Soon after the quake, one of Kamchatka’s most active volcanoes also erupted.
The earthquake was the strongest the region has seen in decades, according to local officials. Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov called it a serious event. Authorities ordered evacuations in several coastal areas to protect residents from possible tsunami waves.
Nearby, the Rybachiy submarine base is an important military site for Russia’s Pacific Fleet. It was also affected by the earthquake. This high-security base is used to maintain, launch, and operate Russia’s nuclear-powered submarines in the Pacific Ocean. The nearby town of Rybachiy is a restricted area with no public access.
Just a few weeks earlier, Russia had moved some of its military equipment further east. The decision came after a bold Ukrainian drone strike targeted several high-value military sites deep inside Russian territory, including an airbase in eastern Siberia.
US-Russia Tensions Flare
Meanwhile, tensions between the United States and Russia escalated over the weekend following a sharp exchange between former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Donald Trump regarding nuclear threats.
Last week, Medvedev issued a warning on social media, citing Russia’s nuclear capabilities in response to a shortened ceasefire deadline set by Trump. The former Russian leader, who now serves as deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council, is known for his aggressive rhetoric and is often viewed as a vocal ally of President Vladimir Putin.
In response, Trump announced on Friday that the U.S. had repositioned two of its nuclear submarines “in the appropriate regions,” calling Medvedev’s comments “highly inflammatory.”
Reacting to the exchange, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday urged restraint. “Russia is very attentive to the topic of nuclear non-proliferation. And we believe that everyone should be very, very cautious with nuclear rhetoric,” he told reporters.
Peskov also downplayed the strategic impact of Trump’s announcement, noting that U.S. nuclear submarines are “always on alert in any case,” and suggested that the Kremlin’s posture would not be influenced by such statements.
Trump has previously warned Medvedev to “watch his words,” reflecting the growing strain in relations between Washington and Moscow as the war in Ukraine continues.
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