News
Publish date: September 29, 2009
News
“As of today, 198 nuclear submarines have been decommissioned from the Navy. The disposal of about 25 submarines is not yet over; many of them are in the process of disposal. By the end of 2010, 191 nuclear submarines will have been dismantled,” said Yevgeny Yevstratov, Rosatom deputy general director, according to the news agency.
Yevstratov was presumable referring, according to Bellona records, to all derelict submarines in Russia’s Northern and Pacific fleets. Neither Yevstratov, nor other responsible parties at Rosatom were able to confirm this when Bellona Web phoned Rosatom for confirmation Wednesday.
But one spokesman, who asked to remain unidentified as he has no direct involvement with the dismantlement drive, did confirm that Yevstratov has made the comments.
Russia has signed cooperation agreements on the disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines with the US, Britain, Canada, Japan, Italy and Norway for financial and technical and finacial help for funding the dismantlement drive.
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.