Sweden Reports Soviet A-Blast Near White Sea
STOCKHOLM — The Soviet Union detonated a relatively weak underground nuclear explosion on the shore of the White Sea Thursday night, possibly to divert a river, Swedish military scientists reported Friday.
An official of the Defense Ministry’s Hagfors observatory said the blast occurred near Mezen, 155 miles northeast of Arkhangelsk.
He said seismic signals from the explosion are similar to those from nuclear blasts that have been carried out north of the Caspian Sea to make caverns for storing natural gas.
“We believe this is a civilian project, probably for diverting a river,†the official added.
He said the Soviet Union carried out a blast of similar strength in the same area in May, 1981.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
