News
Publish date: November 18, 1997
Written by: Igor Kudrik
News
By the beginning of November, Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk completed decommissioning of nuclear-powered submarine K-493 (Alfa class), equipped with liquid metal cooled reactor. K-493 was defuelled sometime before 1995, and was stationed at Zapadnaya Litsa (Bolshaya Lopatka) naval base on the Kola Peninsula till 1996. It was then towed to Severodvinsk for scrapping.
The K-493 is the fourth submarine of this class decommissioned so far. Two of those still remaining are stationed at Zapadnaya Litsa with spent fuel inside; while the cut-out reactor section of the last one is stored at the open site on Yagry island in Severodvinsk.
Throughout the past year, our mission at the Bellona Environmental Transparency Center has focused on two key, but intertwined issues—nuclear and radiation safety as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags on, and the worldwide influence of Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, which itself is actively involved in the war and has participated in the occupation of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant.
At the beginning of the year, reports in the German and Russian press suggested an approximate 70% increase in uranium imports from Russia to Germany in 2024. But does this reflect broader European trends? It does not. Overall, imports of uranium and nuclear fuel from Russia to Western countries actually dropped sharply in 2024. Unlike the situation in Germany, this is already an established trend.
A Lingen, Germany plant could begin producing nuclear fuel in cooperation with a subsidiary of Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, which is directly involved in the war in Ukraine and occupying the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.