45th Central State Naval Test Range "Nyonoksa"
Site Identification and Nomenclature
The 45th Central State Naval Test Range, commonly associated with the nearby settlement of Nyonoksa (also transliterated as Nenoksa; Russian: Нёнокса), is a Russian Navy weapons proving ground. In Russian Ministry of Defense documentation it is referenced as military unit 09703. Open-source Russian government records also reference a related element as military unit 09703-2. The facility is widely known in English-language reporting as the Nyonoksa or Nenoksa naval test range.
Location and Geographic Context
The range is located on the southern shore of the White Sea in Arkhangelsk Oblast, west of Severodvinsk, along Dvina Bay. Its coastal position provides direct access to maritime test areas for sea-launched and coastal missile trials. The nearby industrial centers of Severodvinsk and Arkhangelsk support logistics and transportation. The settlement of Nyonoksa lies inside the broader range area and is directly affected by test-related safety restrictions.
Command and Organizational Structure
The test range is a central facility of the Russian Navy. Administrative and operational control is exercised under the Ministry of Defense through the Navy’s test and evaluation system. The identified headquarters element is associated with military unit 09703. Sub-elements, including those referenced in open sources as 09703-2, function as range-operating detachments; detailed internal organization is not publicly disclosed.
Military Unit Identifiers
Military unit 09703 is the principal designation for the 45th Central State Naval Test Range in official and semi-official Russian documentation. The identifier 09703-2 appears in Russian procurement and legal filings as a related structural component of the same range complex. Precise roles, addresses, personnel strength, and equipment tables for these units are not publicly released; where mentioned in open records, only the association with the Nyonoksa naval range and Arkhangelsk Oblast is stated.
Mission and Functional Profile
The range supports development, acceptance testing, and certification of naval weapons and associated systems. Activities include shore-based trials, coastal and maritime launches, and instrumentation support for missile flight tests over sea ranges. Historically, the complex has been used for testing sea-launched ballistic and cruise missiles as well as naval air defense and anti-ship missile systems. The facility also supports measurement, telemetry, and safety functions during state trials.
Infrastructure and Range Capabilities
The site encompasses shore-based technical positions, coastal launch areas, instrumentation points, and access to designated maritime impact zones in the White Sea. Standard range functions include pre-launch preparation areas, fueling and checkout facilities for missile systems that require them, and ground-based tracking and telemetry support. The sea range permits tests from shore, floating platforms, and naval vessels in adjacent waters. Exact configuration and inventories of radar, optical, and telemetry assets are not publicly detailed.
Maritime Test Areas and Hazard Notifications
When live firings are scheduled, temporary danger zones are established in Dvina Bay and adjoining areas of the White Sea. Notices to Mariners and aviation advisories are issued to close specific sectors for defined time windows. Local civil authorities also publish movement restrictions in the vicinity of the settlement. These measures are consistent with Russian and international safety practices governing weapon tests over sea.
Historical Establishment and Use
The naval test range at Nyonoksa has been in operation since the Soviet period and has served as a primary site for the Navy’s missile and weapon trials for decades. Its coastal location and proximity to Northern Fleet operating areas have made it a recurring venue for state trials and crew training events associated with naval missile programs. The range’s activities have been regularly referenced in Russian media and official notices concerning missile tests conducted over the White Sea.
Documented Incidents and Safety Record
On 8 August 2019, an explosive accident occurred during a technical operation at or near a maritime platform associated with the range, resulting in fatalities and a temporary radiation spike recorded in Severodvinsk. Official statements noted the involvement of a liquid-fuel rocket engine and an isotope power source. Separately, local media reported an incident on 15 December 2015 in which an errant training missile impacted a residential building in the Nyonoksa area; authorities stated that the building had been cleared in advance and there were no casualties. Routine test operations typically include evacuation or movement restrictions in the settlement to mitigate risk during live firings.
Radiological Data From the 2019 Accident
Following the 8 August 2019 event, Russia’s Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring reported short-lived increases in gamma dose rates in parts of Severodvinsk, with recorded peaks on the order of 1 to 2 microsieverts per hour for a brief period before returning to background. The agency reported detecting short-lived radionuclides consistent with a fission-related release, including isotopes of barium and lanthanum. Official casualty figures stated seven fatalities in total across Ministry of Defense personnel and Rosatom specialists. The specific weapon system under test was not officially identified.
Logistics and Support
The range is supported by road and rail links through Severodvinsk and Arkhangelsk and has direct coastal access for maritime instrumentation and recovery assets. Heavy equipment and test articles can be transported by rail and sea. Nearby industrial bases in Severodvinsk, including naval shipyards, enable maintenance, fabrication, and staging activities related to naval weapons testing. The range conducts tests in coordination with naval units operating in the White Sea.
Security and Access Controls
The test range is a restricted military site. During test windows, civilian access is curtailed and movement controls are enforced in designated zones, including temporary restrictions in and around the settlement of Nyonoksa. Hazard areas are controlled at sea by naval patrols and range safety assets. Outside of declared windows, permanent security measures restrict entry to operational areas of the range.
Open-Source Indicators of Activity
Public signals of impending or ongoing activity include maritime hazard notices, aviation advisories, temporary train schedule adjustments in the area, and local administrative announcements of movement restrictions. Satellite imagery may reveal pre-test staging at shore positions or the presence of support vessels in designated sea zones. Official Ministry of Defense media releases sometimes follow tests, providing confirmation of specific activities without disclosing sensitive technical details.
Relevance to Russian Naval Weapons Programs
As a central naval proving ground, the facility underpins the development and certification of Russian naval missile capabilities by providing controlled shore and sea environments for technical checks, flight validation, and state trials. Tests conducted from or supported by the range feed into acceptance processes for fleet introduction and operational evaluation. The site’s enduring use reflects its alignment with Northern Fleet operating areas and established White Sea test corridors.
Data Reliability and Gaps
Core facts about the range’s location, mission, and role are documented in official notices, government records, and widely reported events. However, detailed internal organization, technical inventories, exact facility layouts, and comprehensive test schedules are not public and are treated as sensitive or classified. Where official sources do not disclose specifics, this analysis refrains from attributing systems or activities beyond what has been formally stated or reliably recorded.