{"id":39715,"date":"2025-06-26T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/danwatch.dk\/?p=39715"},"modified":"2025-06-26T12:16:28","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T10:16:28","slug":"documents-reveal-massive-upgrades-to-russian-nuclear-warheads-storage-facility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/danwatch.dk\/en\/documents-reveal-massive-upgrades-to-russian-nuclear-warheads-storage-facility\/","title":{"rendered":"Documents reveal massive upgrades to Russian nuclear warheads storage facility"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A very satisfied Vladimir Putin presented<\/a> Russia’s progress in the modernization of its nuclear weapons program on 11 June in the Kremlin. According to the president, virtually all of the old nuclear weapons systems from the Soviet era have now been replaced with new ones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Currently, the share of modern weapons and technology in the strategic nuclear forces already makes up 95 percent. This good indicator, in fact, it is the highest indicator of all nuclear powers of the world,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And these are not just empty words from Putin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Danwatch has systematically collected more than two million documents from Russian military procurement, revealing a massive upgrade of the military infrastructure at Russia’s most protected nuclear weapons facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to tender documents, the files also contain hundreds of highly sensitive original blueprints of bases belonging to Russia’s nuclear forces. The fact that these documents have been freely available on the Internet is considered to be a major security breach on the Russian side by several experts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, Danwatch, in collaboration with Germany’s Der Spiegel, uncovered previously unknown blueprints and military tender documents revealing how Russia has undertaken a massive modernization of the Strategic Missile Forces’ bases near the city of Yasny. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was also documented that products from Danfoss, Grundfos and Rockwool, as well as companies from many other European countries, had been used in the upgrade of the bases, which at the time were being prepared to be equipped with Avangard \u2013 one of Russia’s newest nuclear weapons delivery systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now Danwatch can reveal that the central technical base in Yasny, where the missile forces store the nuclear warheads in underground bunkers and where the missiles themselves are handled, has also been extensively upgraded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Before
2009<\/div><\/div>
\"After
2024<\/div><\/div>
<\/path><\/svg><\/div>
<\/path><\/svg><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Satellite photos clearly show how the technical base near Yasny has been expanded and modernized. The thousands of military tender documents from the process reveal that the work was carried out in several stages, primarily in the years 2013-2016 and 2019-2021. Photos: Google Earth \/ Maxar Technologies 2025 \/ Airbus 2025. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Like “gold dust” to foreign adversaries<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the extensive material, the base has been expanded and modernized several times since 2013. The area of the base has been expanded by almost 50 percent and is now equivalent to approximately 250 soccer fields, numerous new buildings have been erected, and extensive security systems and checkpoints have been installed on the base. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first time, Danwatch is now able to use detailed blueprints to look inside at least nine of the new buildings to determine what the buildings are used for and see in great detail how they are constructed. These include guardhouses, technical checkpoints and storage facilities for military equipment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The blueprints also reveal more sensitive buildings, including a large assembly hall located in the area of the base where nuclear missiles are assembled and prepared before launch. The drawings show in great detail the layout of the hall and what materials are used. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Philip Ingram, a former military intelligence officer with more than 25 years’ experience in the British Army, the fact that these plans have been on the internet is further proof that the Russian authorities have been lax in the security of the highly sensitive nuclear weapons bases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This type of information is gold dust and can be compared to current satellite imagery to give a very current understanding of potential military targets,” he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Understanding what buildings do or what they store is critical to modern military operations. It allows surgical attacks to have maximum impact, thereby reducing the risk to attacking forces and reducing collateral damage ,” he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Blueprints
A large number of original blueprints for the new buildings at the nuclear weapons base show the structure of the base in great detail. Here you can see a small detail of the many kilometers of fencing surrounding the base, as well as a detail of one of the buildings. The drawings also mention several European and Danish companies specifically by name. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n