International security

Are Russians Targeting Sacramento?' CBS Worried Over Report on Zircon Missiles

The report CBS referred to was a channel Russia-1 story picturing a list of what were said to be "just some" of the US military's "decision-making centres" which could be targeted by Zircons in the event of war. The list included Camp David, the Pentagon, Fort Ritchie, Jim Creek and McClellan Air Force base, with the latter erroneously listed as US Strategic Command (the headquarters is actually located at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska). McClellan ceased military operations in 1995, and has since been converted for civilian use.

On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov commented on the Russia-1 report, pointing out that President Putin "never named any specific geographical locations" for targeting by Zircons, but adding that the Kremlin wasn't in the business of interfering in the editorial policy of state or private-owned media to correct their errors.

Speaking to CBS, one Sacramento resident said that she was "kind of nervous now," saying the report was "crazy," adding that the base is "not even active" and she hoped the report wasn't true. "Should I move?" she asked.

Roxanne Yonn, former director of Sacramento's Aerospace Museum, said that while the base was busy during the Korea and Vietnam wars, its strategic value today is "around zero."