RFE
22 Nov 2019, 19:17 GMT+10
Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to press on with the development of a weapon that has been at the center of a deadly nuclear accident in August.
'We will certainly be perfecting this weapon regardless of anything,' Putin told a November 21 ceremony at the Kremlin to present posthumous awards to the families of the victims, saying the weapons system meant to ensure Russia's sovereignty and security 'for decades ahead.'
At least five people died, including nuclear engineers, when a rocket engine exploded at a naval test site on the coast of the White Sea, Russian officials say.
In remarks broadcast by state television on November 22, Putin told the widows of those killed that the 'technical ideas and solutions' involved in the project were 'without an equivalent in the world."
'Simply possessing these unique technologies is the most important, solid guarantee of peace on the planet,' he added, without specifying what weapon had been involved in the incident.
The August 8 explosion occurred at the Nyonoksa missile-testing site, sending a plume of radiation wafting over the port of Severodvinsk, located about 50 kilometers away.
It was followed by contradictory statements from local and federal government officials in Russia about the nature of the explosion and the danger it posed to local residents.
A State Department official in October said the United States concluded that the explosion occurred amid an operation to recover a nuclear-powered missile that had apparently crashed during a test.
The incident came amid tensions between Moscow, Washington, and U.S. allies following the demise of a Cold War-era nuclear treaty that has sparked fears of a growing arms race.
Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Republished with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036
Get a daily dose of Dublin News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Dublin News.
More InformationBASTROP, Texas: In a surprising turn at Elon Musk's X platform, CEO Linda Yaccarino announced she is stepping down, just months after...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Former British prime minister Rishi Sunak will return to Goldman Sachs in an advisory role, the Wall Street...
LONDON, U.K.: Physically backed gold exchange-traded funds recorded their most significant semi-annual inflow since the first half...
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands: Some 32 percent of global semiconductor production could face climate change-related copper supply disruptions...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rebounded Tuesday with all the major indices gaining ground. Markets in the UK, Europe and Canada...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Financial markets kicked off the week on a cautious note as President Donald Trump rolled out a fresh round...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Irish Rail incurred over 26,000 euros in damages due to a series of graffiti incidents carried out by a 24-year-old...
SLUBICE, Poland: Poland reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, following Germany's earlier reintroduction...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Taoiseach Micheál Martin has expressed cautious optimism that the European Union and the United States can strike...
ZAGREB, Croatia: A massive concert by popular Croatian singer Marko Perković, known by his stage name Thompson, has drawn widespread...
DUBLIN, Ireland: Despite extreme heat gripping much of mainland Europe, Irish holidaymakers are pressing ahead with their travel plans,...
HONG KONG: China has fired back at the European Union in an escalating trade dispute by imposing new restrictions on medical device...