An unusually large concentration of aircraft and support vessels has been observed in Novaya Zemlya, which may be related to the preparation of a new test flight of Russia's Burevestnik intercontinental cruise missile with a nuclear power plant. This assumption was made by The Sun.
The authors of the material report that two specialized Il-76 SKIP aircraft appeared at Rogachevo airbase this week. In addition, an A-50U long-range radar detection and control aircraft, four An-26s, an An-74D, and several helicopters were spotted at the airfield. Such equipment is usually used to monitor missile tests, track trajectories, obtain telemetry, and collect flight data.
This refers to the area of the Pankovo test site, where Burevestnik tests were previously conducted. The Sun linked the current concentration of aviation to the possible preparation of a new test flight of the missile, which is called "Flying Chernobyl" in the West.
The publication's conclusion is that the current picture noticeably resembles previous periods of preparation for Burevestnik tests. The main indicator was not individual aircraft, but their combination: two Il-76 SKIP, an A-50U, transport aircraft, helicopters, and special vessels in the test site area.