Russia begins test launches of missiles with nuclear capabilities

Test launches of missiles with nuclear capabilities began Wednesday at the Kura training ground in Russia’s Kamchatka region.

The exercises will continue through May 10, the regional government said in a statement.

Regional authorities urged residents to strictly observe safety measures and refrain from visiting the training ground and nearby areas during the specified period.

“The presence and movement of people and any type of equipment is prohibited,” the statement said.

The Kura training ground is one of the key facilities operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces. It is located around 500 kilometers north of the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in a swampy area along the Ozernaya River.

The facility is typically used for practicing missile target engagement and testing various types of missile weaponry.

Since Soviet times, it has served for decades as a site for receiving warheads from intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from other training grounds, including the Plesetsk Cosmodrome and the Kapustin Yar training ground.

Exercises at Kura are conducted regularly, usually several times a year. They may include scheduled tests of new missile systems as well as training combat launches carried out by personnel of the Strategic Missile Forces.