![\"Russia's](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SEI_255854068-34f2.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe base in Kaliningrad is believed to hold at least 100 atomic missiles (Picture: Reuters)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tThe base in Kaliningrad is believed to hold at least 100 atomic missiles (Picture: Reuters)<\/p>\n
Russia<\/a> is modernising its closest nuclear weapons storage facilities to Britain, new satellite images appear to show. <\/p>\n Vladimir Putin<\/a> is believed to store at least 100 atomic missiles in Kaliningrad, his most westerly region, on the Baltic Sea, around 880 miles from British soil. <\/p>\n It is among five key nuclear sites in the west of the country being upgraded by Russia amid fears of a third world war. <\/p>\n Satellite images from Planet Labs were highlighted by Swedish broadcaster SVT and show that in Kaliningrad, Putin\u2019s suspected nuclear weapons storage sites have undergone significant reconstruction.\u00a0<\/p>\n Putin is known to station Iskander-M missiles in Kaliningrad, which has land borders with two NATO states, Poland and Lithuania.<\/p>\n These could not reach the UK, but a stash of Kalibr-NK cruise missiles has more than enough range to do so.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t The 9M729 (SSC-8) cruise missile is also likely warehoused in Kaliningrad and could strike the UK.<\/p>\n Another key site, the\u00a0Asipovichy base in Belarus, a former Soviet nuclear storage facility which is around 1,000 miles from the UK, is also being renovated.\u00a0<\/p>\n Satellite imagery shows new air defence installations, a new loading platform for rail-based logistics, and high security fencing.\u00a0<\/p>\n Radiation monitors are known to be here, and storage for iodine prophylaxis \u2013 indicating the likely basing of nuclear-capable Iskander-M missiles. Similar mystery buildings have been erected at both sites.\u00a0<\/p>\n On the top-secret Kola Peninsula, Russian forces have built a dozen storage bunkers that have emerged over the past decade at Gadzhiyevo base, some 60 miles from NATO territory in Norway.<\/p>\n A new building is also underway at Novaya Zemlya, a remote Arctic archipelago where Putin is feared to be preparing for the first nuclear bomb tests since the Soviet era.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t The site was inspected in recent days by Russian politicians with high-level military experience.<\/p>\n Lt-Gen Andrey Gurulev posted from the location: \u2018You know, there\u2019s a lot of fascinating stuff I could say about the test site \u2013 but sadly, I cannot. The only thing I can say is \u2013 we\u2019re fully combat-ready.\u2019<\/p>\n Novaya Zemlya is notorious for its role as a Soviet nuclear test site in the Cold War. The Tsar Bomb \u2013 the most powerful nuclear bomb ever detonated \u2013 was tested there on October 30, 1961.<\/p>\n The explosion was so large that it caused shockwaves that circled the Earth multiple times, and its mushroom cloud reached more than 37 miles into the sky.\u00a0<\/p>\n A total of 130 nuclear tests were conducted on Novaya Zemlya by the Soviet Union between 1955 and 1990.<\/p>\n Of these, 86 were atmospheric, 39 underground and three underwater, according to declassified documents.\u00a0<\/p>\n Improved nuclear facilities come amid heightened tensions<\/p>\n \t\t Russia\u2019s improved military facilities come amid intense global tensions not just with Russia, but in other areas of the world.<\/a><\/p>\n Fears are rising that the US and even Gulf states will become involved in the war, but it is unlikely that it will result in a global conflict.<\/p>\n Jason Pack, fellow at Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and host of the Disorder\u00a0Podcast<\/a>,\u00a0told\u00a0Metro<\/strong>\u00a0that the Iranian regime is \u2018really weakened\u2019.<\/p>\n He said: \u2018The Iranians don\u2019t have the capability to bring us to World War III.<\/p>\n \u2018It is much more likely to see the Iranian people rise up against the regime than we are to see the Iranians like land some decisive blow against Israel.\u2019<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n For more stories like this, <\/strong>check our news page<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow![\"Kaliningrad](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SEI_255910465-2359.jpg\")
\n\t\tStorage for nuclear-capable missiles are in Kaliningrad (Picture: Metro)<\/p>\n![\"New](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SEI_255846923-9eb7.jpg\")
\n\t\tA new facility was seen on satellite in Novaya Zemlya (Picture: East2West)<\/p>\n![\"Russian](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SEI_214862295-f2f4.jpg\")
\n\t\tPutin is known to keep Iskander missiles (seen above) in Kaliningrad (Picture: Russian MOD)<\/p>\n![\"TOPSHOT](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SEI_255819903-aad5.jpg\")
\n\t\tIsrael has been pummeling Iran with missiles in recent days as tensions boil over (Picture: AFP)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: All 9 countries on the UK Foreign Office \u2018no go\u2019 travel list<\/a><\/p>\n