Russian military experts: Powerful earthquake in Kamchatka may have been caused by a seismic weapon

The so-called Russian military "experts" claim that the powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.7 on the Richter scale in Kamchatka may have been caused by a seismic weapon, writes Newsweek, quoted by Focus.

On July 30, 2025 seismologists registered a powerful earthquake of magnitude 8.7 in the Pacific Ocean, with an epicenter 120 kilometers from Vilyuchinsk, where the main nuclear submarine base of the Russian Pacific Fleet is located.

Vilyuchinsk is the only port in eastern Russia equipped to support the deployment and maintenance of Borei-class nuclear submarines armed with RSM-56 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, according to the Kyiv Post.

These submarines constitute a key component of Russia's naval nuclear deterrent forces in the Pacific region.

The facility includes deep-sea landing sites, communications infrastructure, missile processing equipment and specialized support systems necessary for the operation of the Russian strategic submarine fleet.

An alternative base in the eastern part of the country has equivalent capabilities.

Videos circulating on the Russian-language Telegram showed apparent tsunami damage in the nearby port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, leading analysts to suggest that Vilyuchinsk, located closer to the epicenter and deeper in the bay, likely suffered the same or greater impact.

The Pacific Fleet's nuclear capabilities are considered essential to Moscow's strategic position in Asia, especially in the context of ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific, Epicenter reported. Outages at Vilyuchinsk could limit Russia's ability to project its strategic naval power into the region.

This earthquake was the strongest in the region since 1952. Moscow has made no statement and is unlikely to make any about the potential damage to its submarine fleet.

But Russian military "experts" have gathered on Kremlin-linked Telegram channels to support the hypothesis that the powerful earthquake may have been caused by a seismic weapon and that the United States was behind it.

The earthquake reached a magnitude of 8.7 and was followed by tsunami waves, said the governor of the Kamchatka region, Vladimir Solodov, who warned that strong aftershocks could follow.

The first waves, 3-4 meters high, reached the coasts of the Yelizovsky district of Kamchatka and Severo-Kurilsk. Residents were asked to stay on higher ground.

Seismologists predict that aftershocks of magnitude 7.5 will continue for at least a month.

One of the Russian military experts warned that seismic weapons are hypothetical weapons that could trigger earthquakes or tsunamis using directed explosions.

“Such ideas exist, but their implementation and effectiveness remain controversial,” he said. "Some believe that such technologies could be used to shift tectonic plates and create artificial earthquakes.“

Much has been written about the hypothetical seismic weapon years ago, with even Russian researchers working on a "prototype", but it was abandoned due to its unpredictable and devastating effects.

Kamchatka and the Russian Far East lie on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically active region known for intense earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

In fact, the Klyuchevsky volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula, in Russia's far east, began erupting after the powerful earthquake, the Russian news agency RIA reported.

According to preliminary information, hot lava flowed down the western slope, explosions were heard and a bright light was visible above the volcano glow, RIA reported.

Last week, rescuers advised tourists not to visit the volcano due to increased activity. It last erupted in April 2025.

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Russia, which triggered tsunami warnings in the Pacific Ocean, occurred on a site known as a “megathrust fault”, where the denser Pacific plate slides beneath the lighter North American plate, scientists said.

The Pacific plate has been moving, making the Kamchatka Peninsula region, off the coast of Russia's Far East, particularly vulnerable to such earthquakes, with larger aftershocks.

Therefore, even supporters of the conspiracy theory about “seismic weapons”, if they exist, admit that the risk of their use in such an area is too great for the entire region.

With an epicenter near the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatki, this is the largest earthquake since the devastating Tohoku event in 2011, which triggered a tsunami that severely damaged Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The Kamchatka region is particularly vulnerable and was previously hit by a magnitude 9 earthquake in November 1952, which destroyed the city of Severo-Kurilsk and caused extensive damage as far away as Hawaii.

Did the powerful earthquake and tsunami affect strategically important military facilities in Kamchatka, which play a key role in Russia's defense in the Pacific?

The bases of The Pacific Fleet, including submarines and surface forces stationed in Vilyutsinsk and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatki, are in the potential risk zone.

Seismic tremors of such magnitude could affect the operation of missile attack warning radar stations located in Kamchatka. Although modern military facilities are designed with seismic activity in mind, an earthquake of such magnitude requires a thorough check of all critical systems.

There are currently no official reports of major damage to military infrastructure, but standard procedures in such cases include a full check of all facilities.

Military leaders are assessing the condition of bases and the degree of readiness of forces to carry out missions in the event of possible aftershocks.

Deep-sea submarines are practically not affected by tsunamis and earthquakes. The waves usually affect only the upper layers of the water, up to 20-40 meters, while the operating depth of submarines can reach 400 meters, and the maximum is 450 meters.

Surface ships are warned of tsunamis. In such cases, they take refuge in bays or enter ports to avoid the danger.