Inside Russia's Kapustin Yar: Where Oreshnik missile system is launched
Photo: Oreshnik is launched from a test range near an abandoned city (Getty Images)
Ukraine once again faces a threat from the Oreshnik missile, which Russia launches from the Kapustin Yar test range located near the abandoned closed city of Znamensk.
RBC-Ukraine explains where the city is located and what it looks like, a place that has become widely known due to Russia's Oreshnik strikes.
The Kapustin Yar test range has been operating since 1946. Almost every Soviet and Russian missile program has been tested there. Today, the site is used for strikes against Ukraine.
All Oreshnik missiles used by Russia to attack Ukrainian cities were launched from this site.
Location of the test range
Kapustin Yar is located in the steppe near the city of Znamensk, approximately 1,100 kilometers east of Kyiv and close to the border with Kazakhstan.
Znamensk is a closed administrative territory surrounded by a reinforced concrete fence, according to Business Insider. The city has a population of fewer than 30,000 people. Entry is only permitted with special passes or local registration.
The distance from Kapustin Yar to central Kyiv is nearly 1,100 kilometers. However, the Russian Oreshnik missile can cover this distance in no more than 15 minutes, as well as reach any other point in Ukraine, according to analysts at The War Zone.
Photo: location of Kapustin Yar on the world map (google.com/maps)
Decay against the backdrop of expensive missiles
Despite Russia’s development and testing of advanced missile systems in Znamensk, the city itself remains in a severely neglected state, according to Business Insider. Streets feature unpaved roads, dilapidated wooden houses, abandoned buildings with broken windows, and sagging power lines.
Read also: High threat from Oreshnik: Air Force issues urgent warning to Ukrainians
This contrast has sparked anger and mockery even on Russian social media. A single Oreshnik launch reportedly costs the Russian budget between 40 and 80 million dollars. Users note that this money could have fully rebuilt the city and provided modern infrastructure.
In addition, neighboring Kazakhstan is affected by Russian testing activities. Russia leases parts of Kazakh steppe land for the fall of spent rocket stages, leading to soil and water contamination as well as frequent steppe fires.
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
Photo: what Znamensk and Kapustin Yar look like (social media)
What local residents say
For residents of Znamensk, the test range is a key source of jobs. Locals say they try to detach themselves from the war and claim that "nothing reaches them."
According to interviews with Business Insider, residents say they rarely notice Oreshnik launches, as the test site spans hundreds of square kilometers.
People in Znamensk only hear a distant rumble, similar to thunder. During Ukrainian drone attacks, sirens are activated in the city, but this does not cause significant panic among the population.
As a reminder, during June 12, there was a threat of an Oreshnik missile strike on Ukraine. Ukraine does not have the means to independently track the launch of this missile, but still manages to detect it. How this is possible is explained in the RBC-Ukraine article.
