A massive explosion rocked the Strategic Missile Forces base in Yasny, Orenburg region, where Russia deploys its newest Avangard missile systems. A huge purple smoke cloud rose into the sky following the blast.
According to early reports, the incident may have been caused by a failed launch that “broke apart in midair.” Russia’s federal agencies have so far issued no official response regarding the event.
The Yasny cosmodrome is one of only 11 facilities in Russia capable of launching long-range ground-based missiles, including those fitted with nuclear warheads. In 2023, the Yasny missile division began re-equipping with the newest silo-based Avangard system. Vladimir Putin previously claimed that Russia’s acquisition of the Avangard had “nullified” US investments in missile-defense systems.
Yasny also serves as a launch site for Dnepr-class space boosters, which are modified RS-20B and RS-20V missiles originally designed to carry nuclear warheads.