News
Publish date: October 22, 1997
Written by: Thomas Nilsen
News
Chief inspector for Russian nuclear authorities in the Murmansk region, Vladilen Golubev, says that the containers of high-level radioactive waste and spent fuel exposed to the open air at Andreeva Bay on the Kola Peninsula, are among the most urgent clean-up jobs facing Kola authorities. To Reuters Golubev stated that the containers were in good condition, but should not be exposed to the elements or the fierce arctic winter. The first snow-fall came to the area last week.
–The containers were meant to be dumped in the sea, but that has been forbidden since 1993, Golubed said. Both Norwegian and US officials hava stated that they are very concerned with the open air storage in Andreeva Bay, but so far Russian authorities has denied international inspection of the site, on the pretext that site details should be regarded as military secrets.
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.