MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax) - Reports about a second explosion at the military range outside Severodvinsk during the test of a missile equipped with a radioisotope power source on August 8 are not true, Arkhangelsk region governor Igor Orlov told Interfax.
"The Russian president has already provided exhaustive information about this issue, disclosed thoroughly verified information," Orlov said.
"The consequences of the incident pose no threat. The rest is yet another surge of disinformation," he said.
Answering a follow-up question of whether reports about a second blast outside Severodvinsk are disinformation, Orlov said, "Yes."
The Severodvinsk authorities additionally did not confirm that the second explosion had taken place at the military range.
When asked whether they are aware of a second blast at the range, the press service for the Severodvinsk city administration told Interfax, "No."
An informed source told Interfax that one blast occurred during the Severodvinsk incident.
"The live monitoring systems recorded only one explosion, not two. An aerodynamic blow may have taken place while crossing the transonic barrier and they may have mistaken it for a second blast," the source said.
Three radiation detectors in Severodvinsk also recorded a spike of background radiation levels only once, the source said.
Western media said earlier citing the Norwegian Seismic Array research institute that two explosions, instead of one, had occurred during the incident in the Arkhangelsk region on August 8.