New satellite images show that Russia has been quietly expanding several key nuclear weapons sites in recent years – adding new buildings, fences, roads, and security measures, especially in areas close to Europe.
The images, taken by US satellite company Planet Labs in May and June and reviewed by Business Insider, reveal major construction at five military locations. Four of them are in or near Europe – including Belarus, Kaliningrad, and Russia’s Arctic coast – and one is near the Pacific Ocean, close to Alaska.
Experts say the upgrades suggest Russia is modernizing parts of its nuclear weapons infrastructure while also sending a strong signal to NATO and the US as the war in Ukraine drags on.
“There are two main reasons they’re doing this,” said Hans Kristensen, a leading expert at the Federation of American Scientists. “One is just routine upgrades. The other is showing strength to other nuclear powers.”
Belarus site may be ready to store Russian nukes
One of the most significant developments is in Belarus, near the town of Asipovichy, where analysts spotted major construction at the 1,405th Ammunition Base.
Satellite images show triple-layered fencing, new buildings, a covered offloading ramp, and a large antenna – all typical signs of a nuclear storage facility. A new railhead connects the base to the national railway network, likely for the transport of warheads.
The search for such a facility began in March 2023, when Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko jointly announced plans to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian territory.
Two months later, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu publicly signed an agreement to allow nuclear warhead storage inside Belarus.
By June 2023, Lukashenko told Reuters that his country had begun receiving the first Russian nuclear weapons. He claimed the tactical warheads were “three times more powerful” than the US bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
However, CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev later clarified that the weapons would remain under Russian control via a “double nuclear button” system, requiring joint authorization for any use – effectively keeping final authority in Moscow’s hands.
In May 2024, The New York Times published an investigation suggesting that it had located the likely storage site.
Open-source satellite images from February 2024 showed fresh construction at a former Soviet military base near Asipovichy, roughly 180 kilometers (112 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
The photos revealed forest clearing, rail track extensions, earthworks, and what appeared to be the foundations of loading platforms – all consistent with preparations to handle nuclear materials.
On recent satellite images, analysts also spotted Iskander missile launchers parked at a nearby facility with new garages and fresh tire tracks, suggesting active use.
These mobile systems can carry tactical nuclear warheads, indicating the site may serve both as a storage hub and potential launch point. A large antenna and a covered ramp, possibly leading to an underground bunker, add to signs the base is being readied for nuclear deployment.
“This is a major and fast upgrade,” said Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. “And it fits with the pattern we’ve seen before at Russian nuclear storage sites.”
New garages and support buildings for the missile systems appeared as recently as June. While no warheads appear to be stored there now, experts say the site looks ready to receive them at short notice.
Russian submarine base also upgraded
Another key site is the Gadzhiyevo naval base in the Murmansk region, near the borders with Norway and Finland. This base houses Russia’s nuclear submarines. Satellite images from earlier years have even shown a warhead being moved by crane.
The base includes entrances into a mountain, believed to be storage tunnels for nuclear warheads used by submarines. Analysts say the area remains highly active.
Russia still holds the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, with an estimated 4,300 active warheads. The US has about 3,700. Both countries are currently upgrading their nuclear forces.
The US, for example, is replacing its aging Minuteman III missiles with a new system called Sentinel.
Russia has not commented on the satellite findings, and the Belarusian government has also remained silent.
Experts say that while these sites may not yet be storing nuclear weapons, the pace and scale of construction show that Russia is preparing for long-term nuclear competition with the West – and that tensions over nuclear weapons are only growing.