Russia modernizing its nuclear bases near Europe. Satellite images published
Swedish broadcaster SVT has obtained new satellite images showing that russia is modernizing its nuclear bases near Europe - one of them is located 270 km from Sweden.
This was reported by the Swedish public broadcaster SVT.
Thus, the publication has received new satellite images from Planet Labs, which show that at least five russian nuclear bases near Sweden have been expanded and modernized in recent years.
In particular, new satellite images from May 2025 show that in Kaliningrad, 270 km from the Swedish border, a nuclear base has been modernized with new buildings, a triple fence and new communication functions. According to the Polish government, about 100 tactical nuclear warheads are stored in Kaliningrad.
Also, large new buildings have been erected on Novaya Zemlya in Arkhangelsk Oblast, russia, with experts describing the base as russia's most important nuclear testing and development base.
About 50 storage facilities for ballistic missiles on submarines have been built on russia's Kola Peninsula, as well as a pier for loading mDevelopment on Novaya Zemlya in 2021, satellite image Maxar/Planet Labs PBC. Source: SVTissiles onto submarines.
In addition, according to nuclear weapons researchers from the American organization FAS, a Soviet-era nuclear weapons depot in Osipovichi, Belarus, located behind three rows of fencing, is being modernized with a new cargo platform for rail transport and an air defense system.
"We have known about this and have been following it for a long time. It is both about russian investments in nuclear potential and the development of a new doctrine," said Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson.
На російському Кольському півострові зведено близько 50 сховищ для балістичних ракет на підводних човнах, а також причал для завантаження ракет на підводні човни.
It is noted that experts describe russian nuclear weapons as russia's most important trump card in negotiations. The country's political leadership is willing to demonstrate these weapons and regularly intimidates the world, trying to get its way on the international stage.
"Russia has lowered the threshold for threats to use nuclear weapons, and since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we have seen that it has done this more than 200 times at various political levels," Jonson added.