Confusion over radiation levels grows as Russia orders, then cancels evacuation near site of missile explosion

Residents of a Russian village near the site of a missile explosion that killed five nuclear engineers last week were told they can stay home Tuesday hours after the military asked them to evacuate, fueling confusion over a potential radiation exposure in the region.

Russian authorities had advised everyone in Nyonoksa to temporarily leave the rural community as officials clear the area, an apparent routine measure, according to Russian news agency Interfax. But the cleanup was called off hours later and the request was rescinded, according to local officials.

The announcements come days after an accidental explosion on an offshore platform in the Arctic Ocean, which happened Thursday during a test of a nuclear-powered rocket engine. The Defense Ministry initially reported two deaths, but Rosatom, the state-controlled nuclear corporation, later said the accident killed at least five of its engineers and injured several others.

Authorities reported an increase in radiation levels shortly after the explosion, but they said the change was brief and didn't pose health hazards. The country's federal government, however, insisted that no radiation had been released.

The local government in the nearby city of Severodvinsk said the radiation level rose to 2 microsieverts per hour for about 30 minutes on the day of the explosion before going back to 0.1 microsieverts per hour, the normal level for the area. Emergency officials warned area workers to stay indoors and closed their windows.

The event -- with the slow news reporting -- has sparked comparisons to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, which is considered the worst nuclear accident in history.

Local news outlets said evacuations are common in Nyonoksa and are often times with tests at the nearby range.

President Trump suggested on Twitter that the test involved a nuclear-powered cruise missile known as Skyfall.

"The United States is learning much from the failed missile explosion in Russia. We have similar, though more advanced, technology," he wrote Monday. "The Russian 'Skyfall' explosion has people worried about the air around the facility, and far beyond. Not good!"

In a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to address Trump's comment.

"Accidents, unfortunately, happen," he said. "They are tragedies. But in this particular case, it is important for us to remember those heroes who lost their lives in this accident."

With News Wire Services

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