News
Publish date: October 22, 2003
News
According to a recent US State Department report, Armenia last year agreed with the US request to shut down its only reactor, which presents a grave environmental risk. According to the State Department, it has also become a risk for the national security of the US, which feels threatened by potential thefts of Armenian reactor materials and technology by international terrorists, Centran.ru, the Central-Asian news Internet site, reported. However, although the plant is slated for shutdown next year, the report does not specify how much money will be spent on the closure.
Last year, US government agencies allocated $10.2m for security programmes in Armenia, said the website. Recently, the Armenian nuclear power plant was taken over by the Russian energy supply giant, RAO Unified Energy System of Russia, as part of Armenian debt redemption to Russia.
An accident aboard numerous Volgoneft oil tankers in the Kerch in mid December clearly show what can happen to aged ships when they are operated in bad weather—and when economic and military objectives are prioritized over the lives of crews and environmental safety.
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.
A survey of events in the field of nuclear and radiation safety relating to Russia and Ukraine.
A visit last week by Vladimir Putin and a Kremlin entourage to Astana, Kazakhstan sought in part to put Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, on good footing with local officials.