Article content

Two Russian radiation monitoring stations went offline two days after a mysterious nuclear accident in Arkhangelsk region on Russia’s northern frontier, fuelling fears of a cover-up.

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), which operates an international network of radiation monitoring stations, said the two key stations went offline two days after the explosion.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Lack of information around Russian nuclear blast fuels cover-up suspicions Back to video

According to Russian officials, local news website RBC reported, the stations in Dubna and Kirov had “network and communications problems”.

The Russian government has been vague and at times contradictory when addressing the mysterious explosion near a military test range on August 8.

Photo by AFP/Getty Images

At least five nuclear scientists died, and a brief radiation spike was detected over nearby Severodvinsk.

The Russian military has denied that any radiation was released and an official statement from Severodvinsk authorities notifying the public of an increase in radiation levels was quietly withdrawn from the city government’s website.

The head of the CTBTO, Lassina Zerbo, tweeted that the organization was addressing with station operators “technical problems experienced at two neighbouring stations”.

Some have speculated that the blast was caused by a failed test of a nuclear-powered cruise missile. But evidence suggests that whatever radiation was released was localized and far less than would have come from a missile.