News
Publish date: June 16, 1997
Written by: Igor Kudrik
News
The Amursky Yard (formerly shipyard no.199) at Komsomolsk-na-Amur has operated since 1957, and has a subdivision in Bolshoy Kamen near Vladivostok. Komsomolsk-na-Amur has produced a total of 56 nuclear-powered submarines, in particular of classes Echo-I and -II (projects. 659, 675), Yankee (pr. 667A), Delta-I (pr. 667B), Victor-III (pr. 671 RTM) and Akula (pr. 971). Ceasing construction of nuclear-powered submarines in 1993, the yard reportedly still has one submarine under construction, apparently of Akula class, and apparently without funding.
The Pacific Fleet, a third the size of the Northern Fleet, is suffering from the same problems as its "bigger brother". In 1996, there were only two shipments of spent nuclear fuel to reprocessing plant Mayak, while there are still some 8500 spent fuel assemblies stored at the Pacific Fleet bases. In the end of May, a laid-up submarine sank at one of the Pacific Fleet bases due to corrosion in the hull.
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.