45th Central State Naval Test Range "Nyonoksa"
Identification
Using the supplied coordinates and placemark names as disambiguation, the best open-source match is the Russian Navy missile test complex immediately outside Nyonoksa, with the associated garrison in neighboring Sopka west of Severodvinsk on the White Sea. AP places the test range just outside Nyonoksa, and Russian reporting says the military unit is in Sopka about 3 km from the village. ([spectrumlocalnews.com](https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/ap-top-news/2019/08/14/mysterious-missile-explosion-in-russia-raises-questions))
Geography
Nyonoksa lies on the White Sea shore about 40 km from Severodvinsk and inside a restricted area; TASS says special permission is required to enter the village. AP also reports that Nyonoksa is rail-linked to Severodvinsk, making the site accessible from the main nearby naval-industrial center. ([tass.com](https://tass.com/economy/1676361))
Role
AP reports the range was established in 1954 and has since served as the main ground for testing multiple missile types used by the Soviet and later Russian Navy, including anti-ship, anti-aircraft, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. On that basis, this location should be assessed as a long-established naval weapons proving ground rather than a routine operational base. ([spectrumlocalnews.com](https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/ap-top-news/2019/08/14/mysterious-missile-explosion-in-russia-raises-questions))
Access controls
AP reports that authorities routinely close parts of Dvina Bay to navigation during test activity and that Nyonoksa residents have periodically been told to leave temporarily for a few hours. TASS separately describes the village as being within the territory of a military testing range. ([spectrumlocalnews.com](https://spectrumlocalnews.com/mo/st-louis/ap-top-news/2019/08/14/mysterious-missile-explosion-in-russia-raises-questions))
2019 accident
On 8 August 2019 an explosion during testing at the site or on an offshore platform killed Rosatom personnel and triggered a brief radiation spike in Severodvinsk. Rosatom described the work as involving an isotope power source for a liquid-fuelled rocket engine, while Rosgidromet later reported gamma levels in Severodvinsk at 4-16 times background before returning to normal. Russian authorities did not publicly identify the exact system; outside attribution to Burevestnik/Skyfall remains open-source assessment rather than settled official fact. ([theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/10/russian-nuclear-agency-confirms-role-in-rocket-test-explosion))
Recent activity
A May 2025 Barents Observer review of commercial satellite imagery reported major new construction inside the restricted site, including large halls, a fenced launch area, and rail-served handling features. Because this reporting rests on one OSINT publication rather than official disclosure, it supports a judgment of continued investment at the range, but not firm attribution to any specific current missile program. ([thebarentsobserver.com](https://www.thebarentsobserver.com/security/satellite-images-reveal-massive-upgrade-at-nenoksa-naval-missile-testing-site/429811))